US: True Detective

AndyCr15 · 13 Jul 2015 at 22:15

Shootout was great. Up to that point I was wondering why I'm watching...

rids57 · 14 Jul 2015 at 04:28

I feel sorry for Vince Vaughan, they are giving him the same kind of weird lines that McConnaughey made his own last year and he's just not carrying it off.

That shootout was incredibly intense and probably upset some people as the three left standing were probably the main targets.

Malevolence · 14 Jul 2015 at 04:47

That was intense. I don't think I blinked once throughout the entire final ten minutes or so.

AndyCr15 · 14 Jul 2015 at 08:05

Mind you, they were all pretty terrible shots...

Also, I noticed how monotone VV was and then it bugged me through the whole episode.

FutileBreadMachine · 14 Jul 2015 at 09:50

This is nowhere near as good as Season 1. It's silly to even call it True Detective - if they are calling it this, they should have stuck to the basic elements of the first season, which was 2 detectives investigating murders set against an ominous environment.

Now we have 4 cops

one of whom just got killed and added absolutely nothing to the show

, and there is no chemistry between any of them. I would have preferred if it was just Farrell and the gay guy, since they are the most interesting.

And did anyone notice

in episode 2, when Farrell and the woman cop were interviewing that psychiatrist at the clinic, there was some kind of bird mask on the wall behind Farrell. I wonder if it's something like the burned guy in season 1 who appeared in episode 3 but we didn't realise it then.

robfosters · 14 Jul 2015 at 21:32

Stopped watching now. It's a disaster.

Mikoyan · 14 Jul 2015 at 22:27

Shootout scene, didnt feel tense at all.

Im begining to wonder what the hell is wrong with this show, something if not right.

Remember that episode where Rust goes in with the Aryans? What an amazing tense scene.

What on earth is wrong with this show, as an above poster said maybe too many characters?

Tummy · 15 Jul 2015 at 03:43

The shootout scene did not do much for me. It was actually quite annoying; the usual 'never enough cops' and 'cops always show up to late' rubbish was pulled (in downtown LA, there would be officers responding quicker), the standard totally inconsistent ammunition certain guns fire and then only need reloading or only run out when it is required to create tension, the civilians were largely totally random so there was absolutely no connection to them from the audience, it was the standard 'Red shirt security officer' syndrome where (except one, but he was a **** so it was ok) none characters die.

I felt it was really meh, the entire season so far has been meh and I think the problem lies within the writing, direction, and cinematography. It is actually frustrating as the first season was easily one of my favourite seasons of any show ever (and one of the best 'crime' seasons ever), this just feels almost amateur by comparison if you ignore the acting talent.

Also; I actually feel sorry for the actors, they are all better then this, yes even Vaughn (who's actually showing he can be good again).

Everything is just off, the tone, the tempo, the characters (while well acted are just 'too' clichéd, the palette, the direction, the locations... Literally everything is just 'off'. It's so annoying.

I just hope the second season of Fargo is not this bad, seriously I was so looking forward to writing about True Detective more when I was back at Uni :mad:

, I suppose I could but not in a positive way.

Tummy · 15 Jul 2015 at 03:46

FutileBreadMachine said:
This is nowhere near as good as Season 1. It's silly to even call it True Detective - if they are calling it this, they should have stuck to the basic elements of the first season, which was 2 detectives investigating murders set against an ominous environment.

Now we have 4 cops

one of whom just got killed and added absolutely nothing to the show

, and there is no chemistry between any of them. I would have preferred if it was just Farrell and the gay guy, since they are the most interesting.

And did anyone notice

in episode 2, when Farrell and the woman cop were interviewing that psychiatrist at the clinic, there was some kind of bird mask on the wall behind Farrell. I wonder if it's something like the burned guy in season 1 who appeared in episode 3 but we didn't realise it then.

Without going all academic and in to loads of detail, you essentially outlined part of the reason the first season was successful. It was about two detectives (whom were interesting people), pursing an old case despite personal problems. That is ignoring the literally stunning production.

It was a largely 'simple' story, told well, strong cast, incredible production. This season is turning in to a strange, cluster ****.

MikeB · 15 Jul 2015 at 08:20

However you want to look at it, the shoot out last episode was epic!

FutileBreadMachine · 15 Jul 2015 at 13:08

Mikoyan said:
Shootout scene, didnt feel tense at all.

Im begining to wonder what the hell is wrong with this show, something if not right.

Remember that episode where Rust goes in with the Aryans? What an amazing tense scene.

What on earth is wrong with this show, as an above poster said maybe too many characters?

That scene from season 1 was my personal most tense scene I have ever seen in a TV show. The entire thing was jaw-dropping, and that's when I knew this show was on another level to anything else I've watched.

The shootout in S2 was a total joke.

Entire floor explodes - oh OK, that's weird...oh the bad guy is still alive...what was the point of that? And then the fat guy get's headshotted after doing nothing the whole show...cool character he was. Then the lady cop runs into the ground floor of the building (it seemed), but people are happily working and not bothered by the explosion above or the gunfire going on right outside???

Then the cops are just running around like headless chickens with no tactics, not even from the guy who was ex-military. He shot the guy in the window, but then just snuck around the place for ages until he finally got another bad guy. Just boring. And the crowd of protestors milling around waiting to get shot while gangsters fire automatic weapons all over the place.

Such a wasted opportunity for a Heat style shootout.

/rant

Steedie · 15 Jul 2015 at 13:33

Late to the party but I've only just started watching this

Watched episode two of series one the other night....

I'm in love...dat scene...*fapfapfap*

But as for the rest of it, it's pretty good so far

teaboy5 · 15 Jul 2015 at 22:05

FutileBreadMachine said:
That scene from season 1 was my personal most tense scene I have ever seen in a TV show. The entire thing was jaw-dropping, and that's when I knew this show was on another level to anything else I've watched.

The shootout in S2 was a total joke.

Entire floor explodes - oh OK, that's weird...oh the bad guy is still alive...what was the point of that? And then the fat guy get's headshotted after doing nothing the whole show...cool character he was. Then the lady cop runs into the ground floor of the building (it seemed), but people are happily working and not bothered by the explosion above or the gunfire going on right outside???

Then the cops are just running around like headless chickens with no tactics, not even from the guy who was ex-military. He shot the guy in the window, but then just snuck around the place for ages until he finally got another bad guy. Just boring. And the crowd of protestors milling around waiting to get shot while gangsters fire automatic weapons all over the place.

Such a wasted opportunity for a Heat style shootout.

/rant

Did you not watch the show? The protesters were some distance away from the fire fight until 3 guys got in a SUV and headed that way.

slackrob · 16 Jul 2015 at 18:13

I'm quite liking I so far, admittedly it's a bit of a slow burner.

insane200 · 18 Jul 2015 at 15:36

Caught up to EP4 it's not as good as series one, doesn't have the dark gritty feeling of the cult stuff, but EP4 was great at the end, hopefully it will improve.

One · 20 Jul 2015 at 19:54

The lastest ep was good. Nice to see how it moved on from the roar of last week's climax.

LA really is a ****hole lol.

darkgen · 20 Jul 2015 at 20:10

Direction is either confused or it's been purposely obfuscated. Been away for two weeks and coming into episode 4 felt like I had missed a previous episode.

Shootout felt clumsy and I suppose the best acting was in the final 20 seconds when clearly the (un)reality hit hard. So presumably the series will jump y number of months as all the primary protagonists will be placed on suspended leave, pending investigation for the obvious end debacle (or not).

ZXSpectrum · 21 Jul 2015 at 16:22

I thought it was a good episode with a load of story development. I also thought Farrells acting was excellent in this episode as well.

rids57 · 23 Jul 2015 at 01:44

If there is one good thing to come out of this season, it's the realisation that Colin Farrell is a damned fine actor.

ZXSpectrum · 23 Jul 2015 at 10:52

I agree.. When I heard the announcement I wasn't that chuffed but gave him a chance and it paid off. The despair in his voice and his body language at the possibility of having his son (Possibly only in name) taken away from him was heart-breaking. I REALLY hope that it comes back as he is his son and his ex gets a rude awakening.