True Detective (Season Two)

[gopher_guy]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

I don't know if my opinion is as extreme but I can't really disagree.

I actually don't think MOST of the main acting is THAT bad, but the script isn't doing them any favors.

I think Vaughan, Farrell, and McAdams have all been really good. That 4th guy, however... I think he's been terrible.

[Gibbz]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Eager to see where we go from here. Definitely my favorite episode of the season.

I don't know. I can't see bigger stars lining up for this next season.

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I'll disagree there. TD has quite a high viewership for its style of show. Can't foresee Pizzolatto having any trouble booking popular talent moving forward.

[JBH3]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

The last 3 episodes have been epic. I am enjoying this season.

[JayBee74]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Epic, huh? ^^

Nonsensical treatment of Frank and the Mexicans. Somebody explain that mess to me.

Frank and crew inadvertently come to the Mexican’s base, have a Mexican standoff, iron out a deal that involves a girl giving Frank info, then have the Mexicans operate in bad faith by killing the girl, while reiterating the original terms of the deal, which involve selling drugs in Frank’s two clubs three days a week, with 100% take for a year.
Frank is in a bind. Not being a gangster I guess he has to yield to the Mexican’s sneaky technicality (they brought the girl didn’t they?), and honor their verbal contract. Makes sense.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Nothing about that raid made sense but at least it was compelling.

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[CMH]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Eager to see where we go from here. Definitely my favorite episode of the season.



I'll disagree there. TD has quite a high viewership for its style of show. Can't foresee Pizzolatto having any trouble booking popular talent moving forward.

We will see. The stars this season are already a knock down from the first season.

Talent like Woody and Matthew aren't going to be knocking on the door once they see that critics don't find the script to be enough for them to work with.

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[ehh]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

It is possible Vince Vaughn is challenged with playing down to a level.

His wife, the actor playing her, is positively the most atrocious performer on the series. She performs like she's on Valium and had her face tucked.

I can't watch another scene between Vince Vaughn and his wife. They are excruciating. Half of what VV does is standing up, buttoning his suit coat and walking out the door and the other half is pouring himself a drink. The actress playing his wife seems like she can't believe how bad the lines are that she has to read.

I had high hopes for VV in this series but it's been worse than I thought possible. A big part of it is the writing but man, it's just awful. I thought VV could pull of a dark/serious character but I keep seeing flashes of his Wedding Crashers character whenever he tries to get serious in a dialogue sequence. The table scene last night w/ Farrell didn't have an ounce of tension to it.

I loved S1 and thought the writing was pretty solid but maybe it was more MM and WH that saved it with their acting. I'll need to rewatch it next month. S2 has been bad on every front except IMO for Farrell's character IMO, as cliche as Velcoro may be.

[jeremym480]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

I loved S1 and thought the writing was pretty solid but maybe it was more MM and WH that saved it with their acting. I'll need to rewatch it next month. S2 has been bad on every front except IMO for Farrell's character IMO, as cliche as Velcoro may be.

The main problem with the dialogue is that in season one when Rust would say something completely off the wall, there was Marty to say WTF are you talking about... This season everyone is Rust. Like CMH said it's basically like the characters are trying to one up each other with one-liners and it's just bad.

Personally, I think that this season has just been average at best. The dialogue is one thing, but the story and the characters aren't there either. I've seen two hour movies that had a deeper story and more developed characters. I still don't know who the hell Stan was. Shouldn't someone who is seemingly so important to the story at least been somewhat memorable? I've hung in there through some pretty bad seasons of TV before, but this one may take the cake. At this point the only reason I'm still watching is because there's only two episodes left so I might as well see how it plays out.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

These are 3 of the worst detectives in the world.


"We're going to send you, unarmed with no mics, into an orgy while we sneak around the back for evidence."

Wait... what?! Was there any reason to send Ani into that party (other than HBO wanting to show us an orgy)? Was she supposed to distract guards by knocking on walls Metal Gear style? What happened to her was the absolute BEST case scenario given the circumstances.


My favorite line last night: "these documents... are full of SIGNATURES"

I'm just here for the laughs at this point.

[wwharton]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

I gotta admit, I really liked the last two episodes with the last one being the best. If it finishes off on this same path it may end up being worth comparing to season 1.

I'd much rather a slow start that finishes with a bang, than a big build up to a dud finale. The build up was SO good, that the finale in season 1 gets a bit of a pass. But if this season can finish really strong there may be a discussion on which is better. Obviously WH and MM win every comparison, but this year's characters are doing what they can with what they're given for the most part.

[JayBee74]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

I'll disagree there. TD has quite a high viewership for its style of show. Can't foresee Pizzolatto having any trouble booking popular talent moving forward.

The season 2 ratings are better then season 1. It still hasn't been renewed yet. (Chart is only through five episodes of season 2, numbers represent millions)

[pietasterp]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Yeah, I agree with the general sentiment in here about season 2. Although I generally think the issues aren't the actors, it's bad writing. I have a bit of an extremist view on this issue, but provided there's a minimum level of acting competence, whenever an actor gets credit for a great job, it's generally great writing. Whenever an actor gets nailed for doing a terrible job, it's generally bad writing.

I think the issue with the True Detective writing is, for the most part, that the writer(s) have no idea how to make a case, investigation, and resolution interesting. I know it's supposed to be "character-driven", but the fact remains they're detectives trying to solve a case. If the case really didn't matter and only the character studies were important, why aren't they working traffic patrol for the whole series? Clearly, the case and investigation matter, and the writing just has no idea how that should unfold.

Look at season 1...the last episode was basically Scooby-Doo level writing, maybe with some 80's horror schlock thrown in to mix it up. Just a totally unbelievable and contrived ending. This season is basically the same - the 3 of them infiltrate that rich guy orgy, for some reason Ani has to actually be one of the girls IN the party, she just happens to find her missing person amidst all the debauchery, and oh by the way she's Steven Seagal?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ki4hl7NRjWs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Meanwhile, Velcoro and Woodrugh just happen to be listening outside a window (how many windows in the place? 100? So they had maybe a 1% chance of actually standing outside the right window, and exactly when a key discussion occurs to boot?), where oh-by-the-way a super important document gets discussed and then placed in a regular desk drawer.

Then, of course, Ani's able to break the old guy's arm, kill that huge bouncer, and escape with her missing person, all while high as a kite, and then Woodrugh conveniently meets her at the door and Ray shows up right on time w/ the getaway car. Clean, neat, easy...

Look, I think this season is fine, but it's clear the writers have no idea how to make a police procedural that's even semi-believable. To me, that was clear last season, and I accept that - which is why I keep watching. But the presence/absence of Mcconaughey or Woody would make no difference this season - it's writing, it's not the actors.

[wwharton]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Good post, pietasterp. I think I agree... never got my finger squarely on the point but I think you just wrapped it up nicely.

I can even believe Ani going Steven Seagal a bit. She's a detective... we knows she's been preparing for a knife fight... we're led to believe she's a badass.

But even with that, how obvious was it that there would be a knife fight? Did she really have to be training for it right before this mission? How about in episode 2 or 3 there's a glimpse of her daily routine that involves that training? If that was handled better maybe it wouldn't look as bad that she conveniently finds a knife in the midst of everything going on. Even the getaway where the bad guys are supposed to be just close enough without catching you... no chance somebody doesn't get shot.

But like you said, I guess I've allowed myself to accept that that aspect of things just isn't believable, and there was some of that in Season 1 as well.

[JBH3]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

Epic, huh? ^^

Nonsensical treatment of Frank and the Mexicans. Somebody explain that mess to me.

Frank and crew inadvertently come to the Mexican’s base, have a Mexican standoff, iron out a deal that involves a girl giving Frank info, then have the Mexicans operate in bad faith by killing the girl, while reiterating the original terms of the deal, which involve selling drugs in Frank’s two clubs three days a week, with 100% take for a year.
Frank is in a bind. Not being a gangster I guess he has to yield to the Mexican’s sneaky technicality (they brought the girl didn’t they?), and honor their verbal contract. Makes sense.

Yea...cartels are known for their integrity, they got that part real wrong here right....?????

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[ehh]

Re: True Detective (Season Two)

These are 3 of the worst detectives in the world.


"We're going to send you, unarmed with no mics, into an orgy while we sneak around the back for evidence."

Wait... what?! Was there any reason to send Ani into that party (other than HBO wanting to show us an orgy)? Was she supposed to distract guards by knocking on walls Metal Gear style? What happened to her was the absolute BEST case scenario given the circumstances.


My favorite line last night: "these documents... are full of SIGNATURES"

I'm just here for the laughs at this point.

I was also completely lost at Woodrugh and Velcoro's role at the party. They went with the intent of keeping an eye on Ani I guess (and give her a ride home?) - how are you going to do that in a mansion with who knows how many rooms?

Then they decide to attack a security guard for reasons unknown to me and happen to stroll up to a window where an important conversation is happening, then break in and steal some important documents. Was their plan to stick their head in every window until they got a glimpse of Ani just to see if she's alright?

Then Ani kills a security guard and manages to walk out the front door while carrying a mostly-unconscious woman with her? WTF?