True Detective Season 2 Discussion

I'm enjoying this a bit more now. Still not the glory of season one but worth watching for sure. Spoilers below.

The ending of episode two was pretty good, but I seriously doubt Farrell is dead as he filmed 8 episodes and has been shown in scenes we haven't seen yet. I'm guessing the shotgun had rock salt loaded and the killer didn't intend to off him.

There's been some good discussion on IMDB about a plethora of items in the first episode that are easily missed. Including bird imagery linked to the Egyptian god Horus, which is connected to the missing eyes on Casper. This was possibly confirmed in the final scene of episode two with the bird mask. There's definitely some cult activity going on here and seething beneath the surface in this story. I think the plot stretches far beyond Caspere's business relationships and into something more sinister.

Some similar theories about Kitsch's character being one of the five Rachel McAdams talks about growing up on the commune (her sister being the other member who didn't commit suicide). This rumor is arising because of how McAdams looked at Kitsch when they met in the warehouse, as if she knew him.

The build of the shotgun-wielding Horus person at the end looked like it could be Kitsch, but someone intelligently pointed out there's a frame of reference for the height of the shooter. Farrell walks by the arch-bookshelf and by using his height as a frame of reference to the shooter, if we can believe this context then the killer would be shorter than him and about 5'4" to 5'6", meaning it could be McAdams.

Interesting stuff going on and I'm getting a bit more dawn in.

What was up with that video camera in Casper's house? We going to see more deviant recordings?

Wow, people sure love to speculate. I was very surprised at the ending of episode 2. I certainly didn't expect the main character to die that quickly, yet if there was no intention to fatally wound him then there was no reason for the second shot. He was already incapacitated.

I like the atmosphere the show is developing, and am enjoying all the cameos. Rick Springfield! And Masuka from Dexter!

Good point about shooting him a second time being pointless, didn't think about that. Hmm...

Yeah, he BETTER be dead, or seriously incapacitated. There ain't no Melisandre nearby.

I'm 99% positive he is not dead. There's shots of him wearing bandages and leaning against an ambulance floating around. If they were non-lethal rounds (Bean bag or baton) that would explain it maybe. He also may have been wearing a Kevlar vest.

Some more speculation I'm reading on the internet is about connecting this season to Oedipus Rex, just as the first season was connected to the King In Yellow.

One thing I was noted from the first season is the penchant for character's names to possess meaning. Rust Cohle is foul sounding, tainted, just as he describes the taste of aluminum and ash in that first episode of season 1.

Rachel McAdams character's name is Ani, which coincides perfectly with Oedipus Rex's antagonist, Antigone.

Yeah, I can buy that, I suppose, about the non-lethal rounds and/or vest. Created a good impression, regardless.

Doesn't it seem a fair assumption that whomever killed Casper also murdered Farrell's character? Same car parked in fronts of building Ray dies as drove around Casper, In the autopsy of Casper they show his pelvic wound was caused by super heavy load shotgun blast. If it's the same shooter with super heavy load seems like he would be dead. They show his wife beater T peaking out of his shirt when he falls from first shot. Doesn't look like he has vest on. There is a lot for him to do with flashback stuff. We don't know why he is all weird about the paternity test and that kid... Etc.

Rachel McAdams character IS named Antigone... Rick Springfield mentions that.

Finally watched the second episode. Definitely a pick-up from the first. At the end of the first episode, I was like, "OK. So, we can start the show now. All the characters are in place." So, it felt a bit flat in that regard. I expect that lead to some of the reaction I was seeing on Facebook and Twitter.

Farrel's character sure seemed dead to me. I'd be surprised if he wasn't. But, as you say, he shot multiple episodes? Maybe that was all misdirection?

In regards to the imagery starting to creep in, I'm just going to start calling this show Eldritch Horror: The TV Show.

Episode 3 was not great. It's like you could hear the director off-camera yelling "ACT HARDER."

I do like the nod to Hotline Miami. Or something similar.

Dialogue is shit but I'm coming around on Vince Vaughn. I'm finding myself able to completely divorce this from season 1 and I'm really enjoying it now as my expectations are low.

Alastair MacDirk wrote: We don't know why he is all weird about the paternity test and that kid... Etc..

That's been explained, I believe. Nine months after his wife was raped, she had a baby. They decided to just assume it was Ray's son, and they never did a paternity test.

I'm enjoying this season, but it doesn't have the unique setting and flavor of season 1. We've all seen a million cop shows set in L.A. Things are getting a little more interesting, in regards to how each character comes from a different police department, with conflicting goals and agendas. The performances are good, but I feel like Ani's character is getting short-changed. Nothing against Rachel McAdams (surprisingly good in a really unusual role for her), but she hasn't been given much of a story yet beyond the typical "troubled childhood."

Ya. Episode three was a real drop off. My wife fell asleep watching. Still enjoying, but I'm hoping it picks up again.

Episode 4 was shaping up to be a real snoozer. I was glancing at my watch the whole time, wondering if anything was ever going to happen.

Then some shit happened. Wow. That last 15 minutes was right up there with that epic tracking shot action sequence from the first season.

I'm still lukewarm on this season as a whole, but that final 15 minutes gave the show a much needed jolt.

I'm kind of on the opposite feeling... The end scene was intense, but not nearly as interesting or well executed as that one from last year. But I think the rest of the show is developing really well. Much more of a slow burn, overall, but there are a lot of interesting subtleties going on in the case and with the characters, especially Frank. Not to compare his performance to McConaughey's, but I think Vince Vaughn's performance is the best this year. At this point, his character is a bit stuck on "frustrated menace," but he's pulling it off and built to that really well.

I wish people would stop comparing it to last year and just judge it on it's own merits. Is there anything better that is in-season currently on TV? I would like to know if there is. I am hooked on TD2.