True Detective

[Einherjar86]

I thought the finale was lackluster. Not much worth discussing, no mention of the polluted land or significant inquiry into the effects of highway development on the socioeconomic landscape. Final showdowns were anticlimactic.

And I'm really sorry to say this because I know it will piss people off, but once again the men stay behind and fight while the women sail away to safety.

Also, as a final note, I felt that this whole entire season was caught between close, intimate narratives of the characters and broad, cultural narratives of urban development in California and a history of political corruption. The first season struck a fine and pleasing balance between the personal and the historical (oil, Katrina, the South, etc.), but this season seemed to want to put more emphasis on the bigger picture while still paying close attention to its characters' personal lives. The end result was a confusing, jumbled narrative that never really felt comfortable with itself.

I'd probably give this season a 6/10, if I was rating it.

 

[rms]

Yeah I agree. I feel like he tried to make some sort of women/men stance at the end with Frank's visions and Velcoro's son/Dad and obviously Ani and Ray's son. But it wasn't developed properly and obviously the political landscape was non-existant compared to the first season. I think Pizzolatto tried to do too much in too short of a window and I'd be hard pressed to think a third season comes around.

 

[Jimmy... Dead.]

And I'm really sorry to say this because I know it will piss people off, but once again the men stay behind and fight while the women sail away to safety.

Would you persuade your woman to fight by your side and risk her being tortured and killed or would you send her off to safety? not being antagonistic, I'm really just curious

 

[Einherjar86]

No. But the writers have control over the narrative, and they could have chosen to make her stay behind. It shouldn't reduce to the desires of the male writers.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Pizzolatto received a lot of criticism for not having any strong female characters in season 1 so I'm sure he took that into consideration with this season. I honestly don't give a fuck about that, but since people seem to actually care about that shit...

 

[rms]

That's why publicity ruined his mind, I imagine. All kinds of feminists tried to destroy the first season and I think that influenced this one. You can say you don't give a fuck, but Pizzolatto clearly does. The ending was all about gender norms and problems stemming from male youth.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I just caught up and I liked this season a great deal. While waiting for the final two episodes I rewatched the first six and the rewatch definitely improved my estimation of the show, it really helped me sort out this clusterfuck of subplots.

I still don't think the narrative is fantastic, but as a portrait of a city, of its deep-seated corruption and its institutional labyrinths, I loved it. It was like watching a really infernal version of The Wire. The plot being confusing worked to its benefit, it just made the whole thing that much murkier.

Pretty dark finale. I like a good inevitable tragedy as much as anyone but it was a little disappointing to see every character's story end exactly as you'd expect. I would've liked to see the protagonists make a clean getaway after the heist, while it would've been a victory of for them it would still be a pretty fucked up and dark ending, certainly not a moral victory. Fuck law and justice, let's just kill some people, take their money and go to Mexico. That's what I'd have gone with if I was writing this, I think.

It wasn't as good as the first season, sure. The story wasn't as tight and there was no real standout character like Rust. But they tried something different here and I thought it worked. Psyched to see what they're gonna do for season 3.

That Cohen song still sucks, though.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I got some serious Red Riding vibes from this season. Anyone seen that?

 

[Einherjar86]

Yeah I agree. I feel like he tried to make some sort of women/men stance at the end with Frank's visions and Velcoro's son/Dad and obviously Ani and Ray's son. But it wasn't developed properly and obviously the political landscape was non-existant compared to the first season. I think Pizzolatto tried to do too much in too short of a window and I'd be hard pressed to think a third season comes around.

I think Pizzolatto already signed on for a third season. After the success of the first HBO signed a contract with him for two more.

I just caught up and I liked this season a great deal. While waiting for the final two episodes I rewatched the first six and the rewatch definitely improved my estimation of the show, it really helped me sort out this clusterfuck of subplots.

I still don't think the narrative is fantastic, but as a portrait of a city, of its deep-seated corruption and its institutional labyrinths, I loved it. It was like watching a really infernal version of The Wire. The plot being confusing worked to its benefit, it just made the whole thing that much murkier.

Pretty dark finale. I like a good inevitable tragedy as much as anyone but it was a little disappointing to see every character's story end exactly as you'd expect. I would've liked to see the protagonists make a clean getaway after the heist, while it would've been a victory of for them it would still be a pretty fucked up and dark ending, certainly not a moral victory. Fuck law and justice, let's just kill some people, take their money and go to Mexico. That's what I'd have gone with if I was writing this, I think.

It wasn't as good as the first season, sure. The story wasn't as tight and there was no real standout character like Rust. But they tried something different here and I thought it worked. Psyched to see what they're gonna do for season 3.

That Cohen song still sucks, though.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I got some serious Red Riding vibes from this season. Anyone seen that?

Red Riding and infernal version of The Wire, huh...? Interesting.

I should reserve final judgment until I re-watch it. It sounds like it improves significantly when viewed over again.