True Detective (Season 1)

[number8]

It does seem to me that people are finally being much more sensitive to gender representation than ever before, and they're speaking out rather than shrugging it off. That's kind of exciting. Feels like the underdog rising up against the ruling class, and I wanna be on the right side of that.

[Morris Schæffer]

Justin Lin in talks to direct some eps.

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=42100

[MadMan]

Thursday I got my hands on the show thanks to my local public library, and I started watching. I've viewed the first two episodes already. Some of you who posted on Icine do recall when I would post write ups of episodes of Lost. Well I'm doing it again. Its been a while so I'm a tad out of practice....

True Detective Season 1 Episode 1: The Long Bright Dark



Opening in the Deep South and focusing in on a case that had long been thought solved in 1995, the HBO show True Detective utilizes flashbacks and flash forwards for a season centering around two Louisiana State CID's, Rust and Marty. These former partners are being interviewed, or more likely interrogated, by current detectives because someone has been killed in the same fashion as the girl that they found in a field over a decade prior. Having fallen out after years of working together, Marty and Rust are grilled separately, each giving accounts of what transpired during the murder investigation. In the process certain elements come to light, and we begin to get a certain picture of who these men are and how they think.

This is especially made clear in a scene in which Rust offers his darkly humorous and brutal outlook on humanity after Marty unfortunately asks Rust what his belief system is. Matthew McConaughey breaks free of his movie persona here, delivering a brooding monologue that Woody Harrelson reacts to quite strongly, which in turn was funny and rather apt given the nature of what Rust had just said. Its interesting that Marty's wife, Maggie, wants Rust to meet Marty's family, as the two men seem to have little in common and Rust is no longer a family man. Perhaps curious to see who has her husband's life in his hands, although maybe also a typical formality of sorts. What occurs as a result of that decision is Maggie realizing what Marty already knows: that Rust is on edge, teetering on that line between sanity and madness.

Another choice moment is when Rust in the interview forces one of the detectives to get him a six pack of Lone Star as he continues to chain smoke away during their questioning. The first episode concludes with a rather nice puzzling quote that does not come across as typical or cliche based on how McConaughey delivers the line. Harrelson and McConaughey display a natural rapport and connection in this show, playing off of one another and reflecting their fantastic talents onscreen. I'm looking forward to viewing the rest of the series based on this gorgeously shot, bleak and neatly directed episode.

[MadMan]

True Detective Season 1 Episode 2: Seeing Things



"Yeah, back then, the visions, yeah most of the time I was convinced... Shit... I'd lost it. But there were other times... I thought I was mainlining the secret truth of the universe."-Rust Cohle

While the pilot was really great I actually liked this episode more, as it was subtle, rather eerie, with undercurrents lying beneath the surface. Also featured here is where Rust starts to go down the rabbit hole as he stops circling the drain and plunges into the dark, sinister hole, diving into something that might lay beyond his understanding. Marty at the present does not realize this until the end of the episode, and even after hearing from Rust about Rust's family and what happened to them he still fails to fully know his partner. Funny how you can work together with another person and still never unravel the layers, peeling them back until a clearer picture emerges.

This is underlined by a scene of raw emotional intensity where Rust and Marty almost come to blows in the locker room after Rust pulls a Sherlock Holmes and reveals to Marty that he knows about the other woman in Marty's life. That woman would be Lisa, played with gorgeous charisma by Alexandra Daddario, who in her few moments with Marty plays an effective mistress to his need to blow off steam. Even as she desires something far more tangible, something that Marty does not want or can give he beyond casual sexual hookups between the two of them. Whether or not Marty's wife Maggie (expertly played by Michelle Monaghan) knows about Lisa is not revealed in this episode, although its clear that Marty and Maggie are having some troubles at home and its possible Maggie suspects.

Previously I failed to mention how amazing this show's music is, as the legendary T Bone Burnett is responsible for that area and he does his usual fantastic job. I love how the songs set the tone of the show, giving the episodes added empathises and adding to the show instead of being distracting or driving the moments-the scenes proved imaginary for the music instead of the other way around, if that makes any sense. Oh and the shots of the countryside are beyond amazing, in addition to the scenes where Rust hallucinates cryptically, almost showing himself the way. What this means, only future episodes will tell.

[MadMan]

Some possible spoilers btw, although this thread seems dead right now so it doesn't matter:

True Detective Season 1 Episode 3: Locked Rooms



Later on in the episode the two detectives who have the misfortune to question Rust and Marty become tired of Rust's opinions, which at this point have turned to religion, life, and whatever else pops into Rust's head at the moment. They respond to such horribly strong negativity that they leave the room, using a so called "Break" to excuse themselves from having to hear more from a man that is clearly broken, left with nothing and no one. This episode more than any of the other ones so far properly illustrates Rust's loneliness, his distance from people and mankind in general, his unwillingness to connect with others. This lack of faith in people and Rust withdrawing into himself is even more noted when Maggie and Marty make the mistake of trying to hook him up with one of her friends-she's willing, he is not, yet Rust goes through the motions.

What troubles Marty is that as he cheats on his wife and drinks more he is growing apart from Maggie, and she not only sees this but confronts him about it. For reasons unknown Rust shows up at Marty's house, thus angering Marty yet also reminding Marty that he has let the job consume his life despite his attempts to, in his own words, keep the job and life separate. This failure threatens his marriage and his relationship with his own children, and it leads to Marty lashing out in anger against his own mistress after she takes a man home and tells him its over. That scene is chilling in that Marty realizes he is capable of violence, and luckily for the young man he almost beats up Marty recognizes his limits and goes home instead. The conversation between Marty and Rusty where Marty wonders about love and if he is a good man is one of the best parts of the episode, as it is stark and real.

Finally the journey concludes one part, starting a new one as the pair of detectives find the gateway to the rabbit hole, to hell and beyond. A break in the case occurs, however this moment only leads to more questions without answers, answers that lie with of all things a man. Interesting how when events appear complex they can be simplified with the right key, a key that Rust discovers thanks to his inability to sleep and his strong obsession. Marty tries to deny his obsession, while Rust refuses to admit doubt clouds his mind more than sleep does. Both men have their own demons to overcome, and each must get his affairs in order before the tide comes in.

[number8]

It's official: Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. Justin Lin directing the first two episodes.

“Colin Farrell as Ray Velcoro, a compromised detective whose allegiances are torn between his masters in a corrupt police department and the mobster who owns him.”

“Vince Vaughn as Frank Semyon, a career criminal in danger of losing his empire when his move into legitimate enterprise is upended by the murder of a business partner.”

[Henry Gale]

Nice. Two actors that I always like more than the big roles they tend to end up with, and it'll be refreshing to finally see Lin do something non-Fast-related after all his years served there.

I guess McAdams isn't confirmed but I'd like to see her in this too, or at the very least something like it.