True Detective (HBO) Official Thread [Archive]

Lucas

01-08-14, 08:10 PM

I just wanted to make the official thread for the new TV anthology series from HBO called True Detective. It stars Mathew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two detectives Rust and Martin, and their hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana over the course of 17 long years. I think the show looks absolutely phenomenal from the trailers I've seen , and it has recieved incredible reviews from numerous critics so far. Looks like another hit for HBO, and I can't wait until it premiers on January 12, 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXwCoNwBSkQ

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYc-hSbhJXk/UsnZh_y4v_I/AAAAAAAAaaI/Hj6vLQ3toIk/s320/true-detective-poster-art.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/True_Detective_promotional_image.jpg

http://wp.streetwise.co/wp-content/uploads//2013/09/true-detective.jpg

http://smhttp.14409.nexcesscdn.net/806D5E/wordpress-L/images/trailer-true-detective-e1378767311477.jpg

http://media.philly.com/images/hbo-true-detectives.jpg

Yoda

01-08-14, 08:12 PM

I've heard really good things, and my wife and I have been talking a lot lately about how we'd like to see more American shows follow the weird, twisty ways of their British counterparts, which seem far more willing to produce limited mini-series', anthologies, or toy with their formats (IE: a season of normal hour-long episodes one year, or a series of small mini-movies the next). This is definitely a step in that direction.

jiraffejustin

01-08-14, 08:15 PM

So one season is going to cover 17 years? This should be interesting. I will be tuning in.

Lucas

01-08-14, 08:52 PM

So one season is going to cover 17 years? This should be interesting. I will be tuning in.

Yes, the first season is going to be 8 episodes total and it is supposed to span 17 years.

Disturbia

01-10-14, 04:42 AM

I was so interested in this tv series until I saw it an "anthology". I will DVR since I watch REVENGE at that time.

Lucas

01-10-14, 01:39 PM

True Detective has a 91/100 score on Metacritic at the moment.

http://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-detective

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130930021940/powerlisting/images/8/8f/Dis_gon_be_good.gif

kjtocool

01-11-14, 02:42 PM

May have to check this out when I get HBO again in the spring.

Lucas

01-13-14, 06:13 PM

Good first episode. The performances are great, the show looks fantastic and it feels very real. It was very slow, but that's not a big complain. I'm sure the pace will pick up in the future.

Yoda

01-13-14, 06:15 PM

Yeah, I really liked the first episode. It feels like a movie; great production all around. Definitely excited to see the rest.

Lucas

01-13-14, 06:58 PM

Yeah, I really liked the first episode. It feels like a movie; great production all around. Definitely excited to see the rest.

Indeed. The cinematography was gorgeous, there were some excellent shots here. The opening scene was especially haunting.

ash_is_the_gal

01-19-14, 10:55 PM

Lucas

01-19-14, 11:16 PM

great first episode. kinda reminds me of Zodiac

did anyone else notice Woody Harrelson's character wasn't wearing his wedding band in the flash forward interview scenes? i thought that was very telling.

I'm assuming that maybe Rust and Marty's wife hook up, and thats why around 2002 they cease being partners. I could be wrong, but thats my prediction at the moment.

ash_is_the_gal

01-19-14, 11:40 PM

yep, that's where i was coming from. actually, what prompted me to pay attention to the wedding band thing was the interaction the two had at dinner.

TheUsualSuspect

01-19-14, 11:47 PM

Great first episode, Harrelson nails the role and McConaughey is just weird enough to make the duo that more interesting.

Very Zodiac-ish, which is a plus, since I love Fincher's film.

Lucas

01-20-14, 12:07 AM

Yeah the cinematography of the show is fantastic, very moody and even a bit depressing. McConaughey is perfect for this role, Woody is awesome as well. I think its safe to say HBO has another hit on their hands.

ThirstiestGamer

01-21-14, 09:02 PM

Remember when McCaughaney was in Failure to Launch? What a long way he has come.
The first two episodes are fantastic. Both woody and matthew's performances are above anything they've done in the past

Daniel M

01-22-14, 01:14 PM

Just watched the first episode. F*cking awesome. My favourite first episode of something that I can remember for a while, gonna watch the second now.

The Sci-Fi Slob

01-22-14, 01:19 PM

I'm watching the first episode tonight; looking forward to it even more now.:)

Daniel M

01-23-14, 08:50 AM

Watched episode two yesterday, was great too, more development of characters than first episode after first one focussed on getting us set up with the serial killer plot.

Love the overall dark feel of the whole thing, and I am not just talking about stylistically. Through this interview, switching of timelines style, you can just tell that the narrative is heading towards something dark along the line, it feels like something is gonna f*ck up along the way, it has to for the characters to get to where they are now.

And the theme song is great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zluA60hjs

seanc

01-23-14, 09:07 AM

Daniel M

01-23-14, 09:11 AM

Love that opening sequence Daniel. I liked, didnt love, the first two episodes. The lead performances are very good. The show is cinematic. I think it is going to unravel nicely but am not 100% convinced, thus my reservations to call it great as of yet.

Fair enough. Yeh the leads are so good, it makes me upset to think that we're only gonna get eight episodes of Woody and Matthew, and how it could be so good without them :(

I saw someone on Twitter describe it as 'what Michael Mann's Manhunter would look like if it was directed by Terence Malick', quite a fitting description I think :p

Also, I loved this quote:

"I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. We became too self-aware. Nature created an aspect of nature separate from itself. We are creatures that should not exist by natural law. We are things that labor under the illusion of having a self. A secretion of sensory experience and feeling, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody. When in fact, everybody's nobody. I think the honorable thing for our species to do is deny our programming, stop reproducing, walk hand-in-hand into extinction, one last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a raw deal."

Daniel M

01-27-14, 05:14 AM

The ending to that episode. Perfect. Now things are starting to click together and it gets even more exciting :cool:

Skepsis93

01-27-14, 06:39 AM

Late to the party. Solid first episode. Looks gorgeous at times and despite my general distaste for McConnaughey I'm starting to see a nuanced character already. He's growing on me, I guess. Harrelson is good, too.

Great mix of murder mystery and character study so far. Has definitely done enough to keep me watching at least for a little while.

christine

01-27-14, 08:57 AM

hmm I was wondering what this was like. Reading your posts it sounds like my kind of thing. I'll check it out, thanks!

Lucas

01-27-14, 10:17 PM

This show is phenomenal. I'm in love. I'm hooked. This is Grade-A Television. Gorgeous cinematography,incredible acting, exceptional writing and great pacing.

This 3rd episode was great.Rust and Marty are awesome.

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2013/10/28/True-Detective-tralier.jpg

Skepsis93

01-28-14, 12:43 AM

3rd episode is the best yet, I think:

E1 4
E2 3.5
E3 4+

I thought it was lacking some Fincheresque grit to go along with the tantalising, slow-build mystery and the great character development so far and episode 3 really brought that. Don't love it as much as Lucas, but it's definitely caught my attention and imagination.

Daniel M

01-28-14, 01:20 PM

Skepsis93

01-28-14, 07:34 PM

I don't really get people calling this 'slow'. Or maybe I just watch too many 'slow' things :s And I don't get your hate for McConaughey in general Skepsis, he's been great in like every film I have seen him in, and this character is his best yet, Harrelson is brilliant too, the 'mowing the lawn' speech he gives was so brilliant.

It's slow in the sense that most detective thrillers don't generally spend their whole runs on one case. People are used to the one-case-an-episode stuff like CSI and Criminal Minds. This is the good kind of slow though.

I do like McConaughey in this, but the dude seems to exude arrogance. That and he always seems to play the same damn guy. This is changing that, though, I think.

Austruck

02-02-14, 05:21 PM

Three episodes in, and I'm completely hooked. I'm upset to think this is only going to be 8 episodes. I can't imagine whatever part of the "anthology" will come up next could be any better than this is so far. Great character study AND great crime story. You can cut the ambiance with a knife -- it's so thick and pervasive.

And, that title sequence and song are so perfect. I turn up the surround-sound speakers for that.

I do see that Harrelson and McConaughey are both executive producers -- of the whole anthology/series, though, or just this segment? In other words, is this like American Horror Story -- same actors but in different upcoming stories? That'd be interesting...

In any event, there is a Web site put out by HBO to explore the show further: http://www.darknessbecomesyou.com/

Lucas

02-02-14, 05:33 PM

Such a shame we're not getting an episode tonight because of the superbowl.

Austruck

02-02-14, 05:37 PM

Lucas

02-04-14, 08:06 PM

Dumb question: After searching HBO's site and a few other places, I haven't found anything to indicate that this is an anthology show, with short seasons/different stories.

Can someone post a good, credible link for this fact? Thanks!

No source, but yeah its true. This is an anthology series, so next season expect to see new characters, a new case, and a brand new setting. Frankly I'm okay with this, although I will miss Rust and Marty once this season is over. :(

mikeython1

02-04-14, 08:09 PM

This show is awesome! I just got caught up. Very intense! This show is a little slow, but they are building up the characters for us. After I had watched episode 3 I could not stop thinking about the show. I have a feeling Rust is going to do Martin's wife's taxes at some point (If you know what I mean :p). How creepy was that ending of episode 3? I'm so freaking excited for the next episode!

http://digilib.bu.edu/blogs/mugarlib/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/1239425_656319574410053_1643867432_n.jpg

Austruck

02-04-14, 08:09 PM

If there is no source, including the HBO site, how do you know?

Not trying to be a curmudgeon, but I just am curious how you know this if you have no source information.

mikeython1

02-04-14, 08:24 PM

If there is no source, including the HBO site, how do you know?

Not trying to be a curmudgeon, but I just am curious how you know this if you have no source information.

This is an interwiew with the creator of the show I found here (http://o.canada.com/entertainment/television/true-detective-exclusive/)

Was it always pitched as an anthology?

Yes, for a few reasons. Part of it is my novelistic sensibility, in the sense that I like endings and most television series don’t have a third act; they hustle to invent a third act when their show gets cancelled.I was interested in telling a story with a beginning, middle and an end and I was really, really wanting to work with serious cinematic talent and it seemed like the time was right for that because if an actor doesn’t want to play a super hero there are just not that many options in terms of films getting made. My thought was, if they only do one season we might be able to attract real cinematic talent, because the reason most movie stars don’t do television, even if it was extremely lucrative or high quality, is because most shows require you to sign on for four to six years. This would only be a five month commitment so we could approach serious, great actors and say to them, ‘Don’t do five months of Broadway, come do True Detective.’

Austruck

02-04-14, 08:34 PM

Thanks, mikeython1, that was precisely the sort of thing I was asking for. Although I am sad-sad-sad to think we're losing these characters after eight episodes, it keeps me excited for the future. If they can keep the same creative talent behind the scenes, it ought to stay good going forward.

TONGO

02-05-14, 01:23 AM

Its gonna go 8 episodes and then its done. Course thats what Wiki says, but it makes sense since its based off a true story. (Edit in - No it isnt I mustve misread.)

These 2 are absolutely polar opposite to the hilarious. Oh my gosh this show is so ridiculously bleak! My poor tv set needs prozac. Even Walking Dead has more heartwarming elements. I dont want to live or visit any where near where this place is theyre filming.

The way McConaughey (awfully mispelt im sure) delivers his dialogue makes me wonder if he's the killer. Did the detective really say these things (Edit in - No its fiction as I found out) or is the dialogue fictitious embellishment? Creepy to the core.

Gotta comment on the shaky cam, and its not intentional shaky cam, but shoddy camera work. I notice it alot during Coles interviews.

Austruck

02-05-14, 11:03 AM

This is the first I've heard that this story is based on a true story. The interview with the show's creator sounds more like he's been toying with these characters and scripts for the past few years. He also said that he'd love to keep writing stories for them (with the same actors) because he thinks everything turned out so well.

Sounded like his own creations to me. And I don't recall anything in the credits about "based on a true story," unless I missed it. I don't think the title of "True Detective" is much to go on. Wikipedia says nothing about true stories, just that Nic Pizzolatto is the creator and writer.

Oh, and I think you spelled McConaughey correctly. :)

TONGO

02-05-14, 11:11 AM

Daniel M

02-05-14, 11:11 AM

This article confirms that season two will be different story and characters, as the writer talks about developing new characters that he loves:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/04/inside-the-obsessive-strange-mind-of-true-detective-s-nic-pizzolatto.html

Edit: I see we moved past that discussion, but it's a great article/interview anyway :)

ScarletLion

02-05-14, 12:15 PM

It's very good.

I'm not normally a fan of American detective / murder shows. But this is very, very good.

And Alex Daddario? sweet lord.

The Sci-Fi Slob

02-05-14, 03:40 PM

I'm seriously concerned for Mathew McConnaughey's health. During the first 3 episodes, he must have smoked 150 cigarettes and drank 200 beers.:eek:

Lucas

02-07-14, 05:14 PM

http://25.media.tumblr.com/4e7e6601741ef493b5c81ab3a7287843/tumblr_n08ot1x6EG1saa4c5o1_400.gif

In Rust we Trust. Can't wait for this Sunday's episode.

Brother Blue

02-08-14, 10:08 AM

Loved the little homage to Ivan's Childhood they stuck in during the second episode.

http://s12.postimg.org/fuhl0us0t/tdic.jpg

Immensely impressive show. Can't wait for the next episode.

Matteo

02-09-14, 08:11 PM

christine

02-10-14, 02:27 AM

Watched two episodes now. Definitely my type of TV , moody and taking its time to unfurl

Matteo

02-10-14, 05:03 AM

That 6+ minute long take at the end of the episode was truly a thing of beauty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7XFZmE3ZMo

Skepsis93

02-10-14, 10:20 AM

That was the best hour of TV I've seen since "Ozymandias." Masterful across the board.

Dare I say, also, that that tracking shot is up there with the best of all time? There's plenty that are as technically impressive, but there's none that I can think of that has employed the technique with as much visceral power as this one.

Skepsis93

02-10-14, 10:29 AM

http://truedetectiveconversations.tumblr.com/

http://25.media.tumblr.com/d13c2c9b60a13a4cfa66fc675b94ee21/tumblr_n0l9acNAyx1ts8u03o1_500.png
http://31.media.tumblr.com/e56d4a1ec9c8216b549abe1c4d60191a/tumblr_n0l9acNAyx1ts8u03o2_500.png
http://25.media.tumblr.com/67e4b1a0659b73e78bc9b621d4c01f6e/tumblr_n0l9acNAyx1ts8u03o3_500.png

http://24.media.tumblr.com/4f45af453e5988d5442e6b2a3c2494be/tumblr_n0jmiu7XBI1ts8u03o1_500.png
http://25.media.tumblr.com/687e08a679c91dd386b0fcaf48928c83/tumblr_n0jmiu7XBI1ts8u03o2_500.png
http://25.media.tumblr.com/67e4b1a0659b73e78bc9b621d4c01f6e/tumblr_n0l9acNAyx1ts8u03o3_500.png

TONGO

02-10-14, 10:31 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zluA60hjs

Can not get this song out of my head. I am enjoying this show, purely because of its fairly restrained, subdued, and moody feel. It is like a much more glum version of Twin Peaks. The photography in striking, and there is unmatchable chemistry between Harrelson and McConaughey.

Bro, you said that perfectly. I would love to be a "high" fly on the wall while those two were off camera. McConaughey is definitely focused on ridding himself of the romantic comedy image, and its working.

The song creeps me out tbph, but the show does too for that matter lol! This is like Twin Peaks meets Winters Bone but done better than either.

I thought they were gonna start up where they left off the last episode! This one still was strong, and that ending was everything.

Daniel M

02-10-14, 01:20 PM

I was just going to come on here to say that that long take / tracking shot is possibly THE GREATEST I have seen of all time, in all of film and television, f*cking beautiful, I watched it twice, the second to confirm that it was indeed all one take and I am left wondering how on earth they got that all right with all the fight scenes and gun shots. BRILLIANT.

Austruck

02-10-14, 01:41 PM

Wow, I didn't notice that, but will have to rewatch it. We watched it on the DVR around midnight last night and I knew I'd have to rewatch it to get everything.

Also, was it my imagination, or was a woman at that secret club wearing a shirt that had the same saying as the coffee mug we see in Cohle's present-day interviews (on the table along with his multiple beer cans)? Something about "BIG HUG"? I could have sworn her shirt said the same thing, with the same font/coloring as that mug, which says "BIG HUG MUG" on it.

Can't believe we're halfway through with this great segment of episodes. :(

Austruck

02-10-14, 01:44 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zluA60hjs

Can not get this song out of my head. I am enjoying this show, purely because of its fairly restrained, subdued, and moody feel. It is like a much more glum version of Twin Peaks. The photography in striking, and there is unmatchable chemistry between Harrelson and McConaughey.

I bought the MP3 or that very reason. Couldn't get it out of my head. Also had to look up the lyrics -- very strange and difficult to memorize. (There's a complete verse in the middle that they don't use in the credits.) I played that song on "repeat" most of Friday afternoon while I was working... and I still don't have it memorized. The lyrics are very brooding and add to the moodiness even more.

Lucas

02-10-14, 03:38 PM

"from the dust mesa her looming shadow roams...

Man, the intro song is a thing of beauty. True Detective is only 4 episodes in, and by golly. It is Grade-A television. This show is a thing of beauty. Reminds me a tad bit of Twin Peaks, but with the realism of something like The Wire.

http://i.imgur.com/LKumQst.jpg

Citizen Kane Hodder

02-10-14, 07:38 PM

This series is just epic. I got a strong GTA vibe with that last scene. This is best work Matthew has ever done and probably ranks pretty high for Woody too. Each episode is unpredictable. I love it.

mikeython1

02-10-14, 08:19 PM

Holy Cow was last nights episode intense. McConaughey acting was so spot on that I felt like I was on drugs with him. What bad ass he is to. If anybody thought the show was to slow just watch episode 4 and your opinion will be changed. I can not wait till next Sunday. I should have waited till the season was over so I could have watched them all at once on a lazy Sunday.:p

Lucas

02-10-14, 08:31 PM

My face when viewing the glorious long take:

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m35jlhpnHI1r1onmy.gif

I've never seen a shot like that in a TV program. Absolutely astonishing camerawork.

seanc

02-16-14, 08:31 PM

Finally watched episode four. I have been fairly lukewarm on this show. The final scene in this episode may have finally changed that for me. It made me very anxious for tonight's episode.

mikeython1

02-16-14, 08:37 PM

I am super excited!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C43MGGkzShA

mikeython1

02-17-14, 12:27 AM

Just watched episode 5 and all I can say is I'm lost. :confused: I think that they are trying to say Rust is the killer or he has some personal interest tot the case that we are not privy to yet.

TONGO

02-17-14, 01:36 AM

Just watched episode 5 and all I can say is I'm lost. :confused: I think that they are trying to say Rust is the killer or he has some personal interest tot the case that we are not privy to yet.

Ok I just finished episode 5, and here is how I understand it so far...

Ok so the interviews the black detectives are conducting has been to get a bead on Russ Cole. They think he did it. Up to this episode it kinda seemed like he was capable, but now theres a twist.

Russ is introducing this Yellow King evidence again told to him by a suspect he was questioning in something unrelated. Russ Cole believes there is a satanic cult or what not, and their members run high up in the system. Including the police department.

Marty's a brick. He's loyal, and I like Marty even though he's a good ole boy in the wrong way too much. I especially liked how Cole backed Marty killing that p.o.s. in cold blood. He backed him so quickly and casually I chuckled.

Is Cole guilty?! The last scene in the episode tells us either he gets too enthusiastic in the satanic ...whatever the hell you call it, or he's beginning a personal investigation to ferret out all the guilty parties. He's seen at recent crime scenes as a killer returning to the crime, or someone still investigating perhaps.

I think he's innocent, and is hopefully going to uncover the guilty parties. Why?! Because the name of the show is True Detective. Russ Cole comes off like Sherlock Holmes functioning on junk, and theres three episodes left. This show has been too sound to stretch out a Cole is guilty idea for three episodes as the finish.

I havent watched a program so hard. This is the best tv series on television, and that includes Game Of Thrones. I did not think that possible. AUGH! ONLY 8 EPISODES! :(

https://s3.amazonaws.com/tribeca_cms_production/uploads/uploads/article/header_marquee/522e2c18b57ce9e179000001/Screen_Shot_2013-09-09_at_3.58.06_PM.png

Daniel M

02-17-14, 04:29 AM

I don't think Cole's guilty, because if he is that means that the camera has lied as we've seen a lot of stuff from his perspective, but the last episode does make you think. I did find it strange though when:

He asked Reggie "why the antlers?"

Daniel M

02-17-14, 04:35 AM

Hmmmm

http://i.imgur.com/Ee1Ea43.jpg

Skepsis93

02-17-14, 05:35 PM

I don't think Cole's guilty, because if he is that means that the camera has lied as we've seen a lot of stuff from his perspective, but the last episode does make you think.

Agreed. Plus, it seems too straightforward a "twist" for this show. If it were that simple it would be a big letdown. The twist in episode 5 is simply that the detectives in 2012 suspect Cohle of the murders, and that's more than enough to keep us guessing (along with that wonderfully ambiguous ending), but there's a lot more twists and turns to come, I'm sure.

Lucas

02-17-14, 07:19 PM

This show's cinematography and mood is immaculate in my eyes. It definitely has a hint of Twin Peaks. I don't think Rust is the killer, I think it's some sort of cult personally.

Matteo

02-17-14, 11:12 PM

I wonder why the writers left this out:

http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/-/0/S/surferdudepic2.jpg

Cole and Martin having a good time.

Daniel M

02-17-14, 11:34 PM

I think its obvious that since the interrogation where the suspect talked about the yellow man, Rust went off the rails and took matters in to his own hands. We see him retrieving evidence for himself, and it looks like he has already been working very hard solving the latest crime scene. They're going to go to his home/storage and find all those weird wooden triangle things and wonder how he has them I think.

TONGO

02-18-14, 01:02 AM

Well we all know one thing, it sure aint Marty! Oh man this shows gripping, and I hope it ends well. To hope for a "good" ending may be farfetched.

Does anyone else think the senior detective in 2012 (Michael Potts) looks like ESPN's Tom Jackson? To bad he doesnt play his part like he was, because Tom Jackson vs Rust Cohle would be a hilarious debate.

http://s3.sidereel.com/cms/posts/295216/large/True-Detective-550x309.jpg

http://www.thesportsbank.net/core/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Jackson_Tom_bio.jpg

Matteo

02-18-14, 03:14 AM

^ He was great in The Wire.

http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/c/ce/The_Wire_-_S3EP11_PPK2.jpg/500px-The_Wire_-_S3EP11_PPK2.jpg

ScarletLion

02-18-14, 05:57 AM

Well we all know one thing, it sure aint Marty!

You sure? ;)

It really is a fantastic show. I'm totally hooked. The end shot of that last episode where the camera pans out through the smashed window was just superb. I agree with whoever said it is directed immaculately.

mikeython1

02-20-14, 09:05 PM

I wonder why the writers left this out:

http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/-/0/S/surferdudepic2.jpg

Cole and Martin having a good time.

Im pretty sure that is suppose to be in the finale. :p

mikeython1

02-20-14, 09:05 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSZ3dOCH5Vg

seanc

02-20-14, 09:10 PM

I would be shocked if Cole is the killer. Episode 5 was really compelling. The scene where they find the kids inner cut with them both telling the same lie, brilliant editing and story telling. Rivaled the finale of episode 4 for me. This show went from ho-hum to enthralling in the last two episodes for me.

mikeython1

02-24-14, 01:15 AM

Just watched Episode 6 and this show just gets better and better. Everything is starting to make sense now, things are coming together. I think episodes 7 and 8 are going to be going to be non stop intense build up to a much anticipated climax. I have a feeling one of them are going to die though. I can't wait till next Sunday!

Matteo

02-24-14, 06:13 AM

Not sure if anyone has picked up on this yet, but I recently discovered this:

http://i59.tinypic.com/o5q3js.png (from episode 5)

http://i57.tinypic.com/nucyb.png (from episode 6)

Knowing the depth these writers make, I doubt it's a coincidence.

Amazing episode.

TONGO

02-24-14, 12:05 PM

An augh & a sigh as there were some things said in episode 6 that I couldnt make out what they were saying! This show would do well with subtitltes between McConaugheys Brando mumble or Martys wife.

Got a comment and a question in the Spoiler box below. As for Coles innocence, now Im waffling. The things that alarm me the most is....

...the fact there has never been a testimonial of Coles ex-girlfriend, the one he was seeing when he was partnered with Marty. Also the fact the girl in the psyche ward went ballistic when looking closely at Rusts face.

Got a question - What was Martys wife saying to Cole after they had sex? Was she telling him she was gonna tell Marty? Is that why he completely went off on her?

TONGO

02-24-14, 12:17 PM

I wonder why the writers left this out:

http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/-/0/S/surferdudepic2.jpg

Cole and Martin having a good time.

This is from a another movie they did together in 2008 called "Surfer, Dude".

Daniel M

02-24-14, 03:32 PM

There is absolutely no way the Cohle is the killer, absolutely now way. It was a possibility in the first couple of episodes where we hadn't seen much, but right now it's impossible, unless the camera is lying to us and the writer is really that stupid, why would Cohle be investigating himself, it makes no sense. The main killer (I think its becoming pretty apparent this is a cult thing) is whoever the spaghetti monster guy is, maybe the school groundskeeper guy.

Brodinski

02-24-14, 06:39 PM

Don't know if any of you guys picked this up, but there's some foreshadowing that something is going to happen with Marty's eldest daughter. They've quietly developed her character a bit, and given her background (broken family, father has zero emotional affinity with her) she's prone to religion and cults, just so she can have something to believe in life. I think it's likely that something bad is going to happen with her in the upcoming episodes.

Got a question - What was Martys wife saying to Cole after they had sex? Was she telling him she was gonna tell Marty? Is that why he completely went off on her?

She told him that it had to be him, because there's no way Marty could swallow that pill and she'd be sure to be rid of Marty for good. She had to do something unforgivable. That's why she didn't **** the stranger from the bar. Rust then realized that he had been played, and in spite of him being a very cynic, unorthodox guy, he's got certain principles and integrity, and he's pissed at himself for crossing them, as well at her for tricking him into crossing them.

mikeython1

02-24-14, 10:14 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvXKe-HMhA
Not gonna lie this show creeps me out a little bit!

TONGO

02-24-14, 11:18 PM

Daniel M

02-25-14, 07:30 AM

Yeh I've been thinking that about his daughter too, maybe something with his ex father-in-law too, her granddad.

PHANTELM

02-25-14, 08:47 AM

Haven't started watching it yet, but defo on my list, love both these actors.

the samoan lawyer

02-25-14, 08:52 AM

I watched the first episode last night and thought it was excellent, looking forward to this.

TONGO

02-25-14, 11:53 PM

Sorry this is so belated from Valentines Day.....

http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2014/02/14/14-tru-val.o.jpg/a_560x0.jpg

http://cdn0.dailydot.com/uploaded/images/original/2014/2/19/tumblr_n100p4asEG1tt526jo1_500.png

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/703/825/f26.png

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/browbeat/2014/02/07/truedetective/140207_BB_TD-curling.jpg.CROP.promovar-mediumlarge.jpg

http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2014/02/14/14-val22.o.jpg/a_560x0.jpg

https://24.media.tumblr.com/9731badb7556f19b6195b0a6b4ee0c7d/tumblr_n0jlls7FqZ1rbh1bzo1_400.gif

TONGO

02-26-14, 06:37 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfMO-lumTvo&feature=youtu.be

TONGO

03-03-14, 02:45 AM

This is gonna end strong! Preview of the finale next week....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PORrGrQrFtk

mack

03-03-14, 03:03 AM

Great show. Gotta catch up on the wife reveal episode and go from there but I think we all pretty much called that woody harrelsons character would end up divorced (I'm guessing rust slept w/his wife), and that the two current detectives are looking to pin the current murder on rust as well.

Season 2 should be interesting!

Austruck

03-03-14, 10:28 AM

Mack, season two will be a completely different story with different characters. It's billed as an anthology show. So, next week is the last we see of these guys -- which upsets me for various reasons. :(

Anyway, I thought last night's episode (episode 7 of 8) was the weakest so far. It felt like all talk, no action. Seems like Rust spent the whole episode TELLING things to Marty -- just to bring him (and us) up to speed. I think it felt rushed and felt too much like someone realized they had only two episodes left to tell us everything we need to know.

I assume the finale will be as good as the other episodes, but this one really threw me for a loop because of how different it was from all the others. Oh well... at least Matthew won his big award last night. :)

Next up? Emmy for this show!

Daniel M

03-03-14, 01:09 PM

Oh my god last episode looks to intense and amazing.

christine

03-03-14, 06:38 PM

The people who do the sound for this show should be up for awards - absolutely brilliant!

mikeython1

03-03-14, 06:57 PM

I agree with Austruck definitely the slowest episode so far. I was was anticipating so much more. At least we got to see spaghetti face though. I wonder if the Finale will be longer than an hour? It seems like it should be(I mean I hope so!)

ScarletLion

03-04-14, 05:30 AM

Daniel M

03-04-14, 07:09 AM

I thought it was a brilliant episode. It was supposed to lack pace. Everything is now happening in present day. Everything is coming to a head in a "calm before the storm" type scenario.

Best tv show I've seen in ages.

Exactly, everything gets up to to one nice timeline and everything is in place for the action that is undoubtedly about to occur in the finale, which I have no doubts will be brilliant.

ScarletLion

03-04-14, 08:15 AM

Spotify Playlist for True Detective here:

True Detective (music from) (http://open.spotify.com/user/smallclone/playlist/2QRV4GtjTa8BWuQlFExru5)

Austruck

03-04-14, 04:24 PM

Saying that episode was supposed to lack pace doesn't really address the issue I had with it: It completely broke the rule of "Show, don't tell."

We found out nearly *everything* in that whole episode because one character just blurts it out to another character. Nothing actually really happened -- we just heard about things that happened at other times.

Every show and movie does some of this, but this one episode did it nearly all the way through. Which, if they really didn't have time to walk us through some of these things and *show* us with some action, rather than telling it to us as backstory and catch-up, tells me this particular story should have been a lot longer than just eight episodes. Maybe 12 or 13?

It's the only real gripe I've had with this show so far -- and because all the previous episodes have been so well paced and well done, this one really stuck out as different.

Just expanding my previous point a little -- not griping or harping on it. I AM really eager to see the finale this weekend! But will be sad to see these characters go. :(

TONGO

03-05-14, 03:37 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc6yyBvLpCc

I just noticed the YouTube button is gone and not necessary anymore. Nice!

Holden Pike

03-05-14, 04:31 PM

Well, this theory seems to be viable...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8zTSDFiI24

Daniel M

03-05-14, 04:37 PM

Brilliant, laughed almost all the way through :D

Daniel M

03-05-14, 04:43 PM

Saying that episode was supposed to lack pace doesn't really address the issue I had with it: It completely broke the rule of "Show, don't tell."

We found out nearly *everything* in that whole episode because one character just blurts it out to another character. Nothing actually really happened -- we just heard about things that happened at other times.

Every show and movie does some of this, but this one episode did it nearly all the way through. Which, if they really didn't have time to walk us through some of these things and *show* us with some action, rather than telling it to us as backstory and catch-up, tells me this particular story should have been a lot longer than just eight episodes. Maybe 12 or 13? (

I'm not really sure I understand your criticisms here. It was impossible for us to show us the information revealed through backstory and 'showing' us. It was the most realistic and inevitable way of bringing the story up to pace. So far all we have had are theories and mysteries, and we know pretty much everything from Marty's perspective. The ONLY way he was going to get up to speed was through Rust telling him what he had found, this would have happened in real life. Nothing actually happened? We get conclusive evidence that the Tuttles are involved and confirmation that there is a secret group of men, we find out who the killer is.

How would you have had it done in terms of Marty and Hurt getting on the same track ready to take down the killer together?

Austruck

03-05-14, 07:20 PM

I'm not really sure I understand your criticisms here. It was impossible for us to show us the information revealed through backstory and 'showing' us. It was the most realistic and inevitable way of bringing the story up to pace. So far all we have had are theories and mysteries, and we know pretty much everything from Marty's perspective. The ONLY way he was going to get up to speed was through Rust telling him what he had found, this would have happened in real life. Nothing actually happened? We get conclusive evidence that the Tuttles are involved and confirmation that there is a secret group of men, we find out who the killer is.

How would you have had it done in terms of Marty and Hurt getting on the same track ready to take down the killer together?

My gripe (and it's not the world's biggest gripe, just the one I actually have had with this show so far) is that the writers of an eight-part show used one whole episode in which we get our plot development through conversations almost exclusively. Frankly, after the way the first six episodes were handled, that really stuck out.

You can obviously divulge information this way -- every story does it -- but things like mysteries are usually considered a little bit lax if they resort to using this method of moving the plot forward too much. You know, like when the villain ties up the good guy and then TELLS him all his motivations for everything he's done as the villain. It's cheesy when done poorly (and most of the time, it IS done poorly). And it's like taking a shortcut away from good, strong action scenes. But at least True Detective did it well. I'll definitely give it that.

But, I think putting all of this information into a single episode made it stand out. Just because we needed all this information doesn't mean the writers should cram it all in as a bunch of conversations in one episode.

Having said that, I again say that it was a minor concern over an otherwise stellar series/season. Plus, of course, I'm just trying to find reasons to gripe that it should have been 16 episodes instead of 8. :)

cricket

03-05-14, 09:11 PM

I'm not going to read any of this thread; I just wanted to say that I had never heard of this show before today(a co-worker told me about it). I look forward to watching the whole season this weekend.

jiraffejustin

03-05-14, 11:05 PM

Well, this theory seems to be viable...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8zTSDFiI24

Came here to post that. Looks like I was beaten to it. :up:

mikeython1

03-06-14, 09:14 PM

Is it Sunday yet? :shrug:

TONGO

03-08-14, 04:09 PM

Next two sundays are gonna be sweet. Tomorrow is the True Detective finale, and next sunday is the FBB draft.

Yoda

03-08-14, 06:56 PM

Seems like Cohle's going to sacrifice himself.

earlsmoviepicks

03-09-14, 12:04 PM

Just started this-- magnificent opening sequence..

Daniel M

03-09-14, 01:42 PM

Seems like Cohle's going to sacrifice himself.

I have an awful feeling because of the show format that one of the main characters will die too :(

TONGO

03-09-14, 01:48 PM

Ive had a strong suspicion from the beginning to where I think I should put it in spoilers. I havent watched the video Holden posted because sometimes those vids are so spot-on they may as well be spoilers.

Cant figure out Spoiler thing again grrrrr, I usually cheat and quote someone and copy theirs. Ok if you dont want to know my guess dont read further .....STRONG GUESS SPOILERS!!!

(Always felt Cohle was gonna end up dead, and Marty was gonna write a book about him, the case, and all along its what weve been watching. May also explain Rusts girlfriend for a few years get so little attention. It was just another part of the story Marty could never be privy to.)

Yoda

03-09-14, 01:48 PM

You, uh, don't have to worry about that video. :laugh: Enjoy.

TONGO

03-09-14, 02:43 PM

You, uh, don't have to worry about that video. :laugh: Enjoy.

Agh! I was being over paranoid. Yeah just watched it, and its funny.

Yoda

03-09-14, 02:46 PM

Yeah, I didn't see any of the comments about it beforehand, so I got to have a big laugh at the reveal. It does a great job of seeming like a normal fan theory video at first.

Frightened Inmate No. 2

03-09-14, 11:19 PM

that was really good.

Austruck

03-09-14, 11:22 PM

What was the very last thing Rust said? Gawd, the guy MUMBLED the last line of the season! We can't figure it out... You can put it in spoilers if it's too soon after the finale, but ... somebody, please, what was the very last line??

cricket

03-09-14, 11:26 PM

I still haven't read any of this thread; me and wifey watched the first 5 episodes today and should watch the rest soon. Awesome show.

Yoda

03-09-14, 11:39 PM

Well, the finale lacked the kind of reveal you tend to expect from a great mystery...but as the resolution to two character studies, it was pretty fantastic. I think a lot of people are going to be surprised at how Cohle's story ends, but when viewed as a whole, it's perfect.

And man, how good was McConaughey in that last scene? Chills.

What was the very last thing Rust said? Gawd, the guy MUMBLED the last line of the season! We can't figure it out... You can put it in spoilers if it's too soon after the finale, but ... somebody, please, what was the very last line??
"Once there was only dark. Seems to me the light's winning."

MovieMan8877445

03-10-14, 02:21 AM

HBO Go isn't working and I can't watch the finale. I'm getting quite upset with them.

TONGO

03-10-14, 02:45 AM

Speechless, and in a great way.

Thought the best of Rustes observations of life were done, and glad they saved some awesome ones for the final. Oh my gosh I never want to see Matthew MacConaughey be in a comedy ever again! He was enthralling all throughout the series. Harrelson commented in an interview MacConaughey was trying to stay in character off camera "with this one". Man it showed.

Oh my gosh I was freaking when Ruste was going after that mutant in the labyrinth, what a completely creepy assed voice calling out to him that was lol!

Brutal fight scene. That was a baaaaad time for Ruste to have a hallucination, but understandable due to the stress.

So who else besides me held their hand in front of their face covering the lower portion of that woman handcuffed to the stairwell when the police came? I knew how authentic this show is and Oh Hell NAW I didnt want to go thru a halloween level Basic Instinct crotch shot :eek::eek::eek:

Especially like the guts the filmaker showed in letting it end well for both of them, and especially Ruste who for the first time saw something beautiful, something intangible, and was blown away.

Oh man this series was beautiful. Ill be suggesting it forever.

Daniel M

03-10-14, 11:54 AM

Yeh I think the mixed reviews are coming from people trying to hard to figure out any future twists (I admit I did this too :p ), distracting from what it ultimately is, and that is a beautiful poetic look at two characters and their place in the world. A simple finale, but a fantastic one.

Yoda

03-10-14, 11:57 AM

I agree. But at the same time, I think showrunners need to stop using characterization as an escape hatch. Too often we're seeing them use the mysteries to draw us in and then not really pay them off because they think emotional/character-based resolutions are more important. It's a little willfully naive to pretend that people don't get sucked in by the mysteries themselves, and the really great shows don't have to choose one or the other, anyway.

That's more of a meta commentary on television in general, though. True Detective setup a mystery it wasn't terribly interested in, and that's not great, but at least it made the characters the primary focus throughout.

Daniel M

03-10-14, 12:16 PM

To be fair the writer always insisted it was never a 'who dunnit' and all the answers are there early on :p

I agree. But at the same time, I think showrunners need to stop using characterization as an escape hatch. Too often we're seeing them use the mysteries to draw us in and then not really pay them off because they think emotional/character-based resolutions are more important. It's a little willfully naive to pretend that people don't get sucked in by the mysteries themselves, and the really great shows don't have to choose one or the other, anyway.

That's more of a meta commentary on television in general, though. True Detective setup a mystery it wasn't terribly interested in, and that's not great, but at least it made the characters the primary focus throughout.

Austruck

03-10-14, 12:27 PM

I totally agree with you, Daniel. It never felt or seemed like a whodunit to me. It was always a character study, and the mysteries (in '95 and in 2012) were just vehicles to work with the relationship between the two main characters.

When they resolved the mystery in the finale and we first see that both have lived through it, I sat here specifically thinking, "Boy, I hope they don't end right now -- they have to resolve this relationship more than this mystery."

And I was rewarded. Yay. :)

Yoda

03-10-14, 12:32 PM

If he didn't want to create a whodunit, he probably shouldn't have made the very first scene of the very first episode the mysterious staging of a ritualistically killed body, and then spent 6 minutes in the first half of that same episode at the crime scene with the main characters speculating about who did it and why.

He can say he wasn't trying to create a whodunit (and I assume we've all read the same interviews where he says as much) but what ends up on screen has a bit less clarity of purpose. The only reason I'm not too up in arms about it is because it became obvious what was going on a couple of episodes before the end.

Daniel M

03-10-14, 12:38 PM

Great video of the first season, spoilers obviously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08CddEWzYnQ

Austruck

03-10-14, 12:44 PM

This is true, Yoda, but in that same episode (the first one), it was clear to me that this was really about these two characters. That, unlike so many whodunits, the detectives were not the means to solve a puzzle or riddle but were the main focus of the story.

Nic P. surely knows that the key thing to do with any story is to hook the reader/viewer right in the initial pages/minutes. Put them on the edge of their seats right away and they will follow you anywhere. He had to start the story somewhere, and if he had started with the two main characters talking about and establishing their relationship, I don't think it would have set as good or compelling a tone. Part of what I loved about all eight episodes was the continued creepy, slow-burn, unraveling/unwinding of everything -- plot, character development, scenes/settings. It was so quiet and deliberate in every area, and even in that initial scene, I didn't come away with a sense of urgency that often accompanies murder mysteries. I was fascinated, riveted.

And that continued through the series. So, I think that first scene set the mood and tone but not necessarily the plot development. (Does that make sense?)

Yoda

03-10-14, 12:52 PM

I understand the reason he did it, but I think it leaves him open to a very fair, reasonable critique: that the tone he wanted to create was at odds with the plot he wanted to unfurl. He wanted an air of mystery, so he setup an actual mystery that he wasn't terribly interested in. But lots of viewers were. The fact that a straight character study wouldn't have been as compelling at first is, of course, the whole point: hook you with one thing and then try to reel you in with another.

It's not the end of the world, and I'm more than willing to praise the show anyway because everything else about it is so drop-dead fantastic. But it's something a lot of otherwise good shows do these days, and I'd like to see a lot less of it. Or, better still: shows so freakin' good that that don't have to choose between the two.

Austruck

03-10-14, 01:00 PM

Fair enough. I guess was never all that interested in the mystery end of things so I never felt that tug in two directions.

I think the title of the show ("True Detective") was more misleading that way than that first scene. :D I'm especially curious about how and what the next season/part of the anthology will involve. My guess is that, even though the title of the show didn't really fit this first story much at all (sounds more like a magazine of true crime stories than a title for this first story), it had to be generic enough to cover future stories as well....

Daniel M

03-10-14, 01:02 PM

My guess is that, even though the title of the show didn't really fit this first story much at all (sounds more like a magazine of true crime stories than a title for this first story), it had to be generic enough to cover future stories as well....

Yeh the writer also said about how it allows for a lot of variety in future seasons, as long as it follows a detective story the setting can be completely different and it doesn't even have to be a serial killer or muder mystery at all even :p

Yoda

03-10-14, 01:04 PM

I liked the title because I thought "True Detective" was meant to describe Cohle, with the implication being that a true detective is obsessed with the job, to the detriment of himself and those around him. In other words: this is what an actual detective looks like, and it's ugly. They're not good guys, but they "keep the bad men from the door," as Rust said.

But I might be giving the show too much credit on this front.

TONGO

03-10-14, 01:15 PM

SPOILERS

The only dilemna about who did or didnt do it was ended when Cohle no longer was a suspect. After that it was "how in creation are they gonna find this animal?".

Imo the True Detective title refers to Cohle being haunted by this case 10 years after leaving the force, and returns to the case with the sole intent of finding the killer. He was willing to break the law, break into homes, and "make" people talk. Sad observation, but if Cohle or Marty never left the force they never would have found the killer.

It was an "honest" mystery.

Yoda

03-10-14, 01:43 PM

I just had to:

http://www.movieforums.com/upload/flat_circle.jpg

christine

03-10-14, 05:11 PM

When they resolved the mystery in the finale and we first see that both have lived through it, I sat here specifically thinking, "Boy, I hope they don't end right now -- they have to resolve this relationship more than this mystery."

And I was rewarded. Yay. :)

Oh goodness, me too! That final scene with just the two of them was just perfect, I'm so glad it ended like that . And I hardly breathed during that labyrinth scene..( great set) my skin was crawling! Great tv!

Austruck

03-10-14, 05:15 PM

Yes, Christine! Completely agree on all counts! I really just wish Rust's final line had been clearer and less mumbled. I know what it is NOW, but it would have made that ending feel even better if I had heard it properly last night when we were watching it!

Austruck

03-10-14, 05:15 PM

Oh, and can you say "Emmy" for Mr. McConaughey? :D

christine

03-10-14, 05:39 PM

Oh, and can you say "Emmy" for Mr. McConaughey? :D

Surely yes!
Aus, I had to concentrate on the talking in quite a lot of the series, I only just caught what he said at the end by turning it over in my head! a lot of the conversations in the series were mumbled or the accents were quite thick. Husband gave up :p

Yoda

03-10-14, 05:42 PM

If you guys have a DVR, you can always go back and put Closed Captions on, if it comes to that.

Austruck

03-10-14, 05:50 PM

We rewound it but still couldn't make it out. I was usually pretty good about the conversations -- although I admit Cohle's ramblings were harder to decipher than Marty's -- but last night, especially the VERY LAST LINE, seemed more important to keep track of.

Glad I'm not the only one who found the slurring a little tough in spots.

Yoda

03-10-14, 05:50 PM

You couldn't make out the captions?

Austruck

03-10-14, 05:52 PM

We didn't have captions on. We just rewound it and listened again. Still no dice on that last line. I dislike using CC unless I have to -- I find I end up reading too much, to the detriment of watching the action or seeing the subtle facial expressions, etc. So, we pretty much never use them.

Yoda

03-10-14, 05:55 PM

I'm not talking about watching the entire show that way; just the last line, since it was driving you nuts. That's what we did. I was 95% sure I'd heard it right (and it turned out I had), but it still only took 30 seconds to go back and flip them on to make sure. Heck of a lot quicker and less nerve-wracking than waiting for someone else to confirm them, at least.

I'm also kind of confused by your initial response, because I suggested captions and you just said you rewound it again--were you replying to christine and not me, or did you just see the first half of the sentence that mentioned "DVR" without noticing the captions part?

I'm pretty befuddled by this exchange. :dizzy:

Austruck

03-10-14, 06:00 PM

I was replying to you. We were watching it as it aired, meaning we could rewind "live TV," as they call it and rewatch that 10-15 seconds. Frankly, I'm not sure I've ever turned on CC on our main TV with the big ol' cable box, but Wayne has. With Comcast as it stands now, it takes about 4-5 annoying steps to turn them on, and because we've never used them with either the DVR or any sort of "rewind" situation, it didn't even occur to me to use them. I honestly wouldn't have thought they'd work with either of those things.

Which shows you just how much I actually think about CC in general... like, never. :D

TONGO

03-10-14, 06:51 PM

I dont think its even possible to be dissapointed in this series in any way, but if I was one of the "internet theorists" and put hours and hours into guessing the final...............well guys it's still is better than LOSTs final, eh'?! :up:

Yoda

03-10-14, 07:52 PM

By the way, the finale's title is "Form & Void," which is a Biblical reference. The second verse in all the Bible says that the world was "formless and void," so the title is intended to tie into the season's final lines.

"Once there was only dark" = "The earth was formless and void."

"Seems to me the light's winning" = "Let there be light." (the very next verse).

Lucas

03-10-14, 08:20 PM

What a challenging finale, so many questions left hanging and unanswered. I love it.

mikeython1

03-10-14, 08:42 PM

I wish there was a little more closure. I wish they would have elaborated more about the Tuttle family. Nonetheless True Detective was a terrific show and I will be excited for next season. I can't wait to see who they cast for Season 2.

TONGO

03-11-14, 05:13 PM

The Tuttle family may not have made its last appearance. Depends just how seperate each season is. However they do it, season 2 is going onstage after the Beatles.

jiraffejustin

03-11-14, 05:39 PM

I am more anxious than excited for season 2. It definitely won't be easy trying to maintain that quality.

Lucas

03-11-14, 07:08 PM

I know this probably isn't going to happen, but what if the following seasons take place in the same universe as the 1st season. Like we wont see Rust and Marty, but they exist. And as the series might progress, we might get nods to their story and maybe some more more details about the cult.

TONGO

03-12-14, 07:01 PM

2 awesome short videos for entirely different reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otLdIn76w-s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvQzA47YIs

cricket

03-16-14, 03:04 AM

Me and the wife just finished the season; awesome show. HBO really hit the jackpot getting those two leads. It'll be fascinating to see how they can match that casting next year. They shouldn't try to, meaning don't have two guys, mix it up somehow.

Matteo

03-17-14, 07:22 AM

An erudite and fitting closing, for sure. The murder case in this series was always secondary, I thought - the show was primarily about the existential transformation of the two leads.

And it did a remarkable job.

mikeython1

03-19-14, 08:28 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d35uzpO3Al4

TheUsualSuspect

03-19-14, 08:37 PM

Great show, beautifully shot and well written. Two great leads that play well off each other. Can't wait to see what kind of direction they take the second season with new people, but I'm there.

Mr Minio

03-22-14, 05:50 PM

I'm halfway through and while first three episodes were really good, the forth one was truly amazing with this dazzling mastershot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

Daniel M

03-29-14, 06:56 PM

http://vimeo.com/88215408

Memento Mori

04-07-14, 08:54 AM

I'm halfway through and while first three episodes were really good, the forth one was truly amazing with this dazzling mastershot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

I was in shock after that episode. Amazing scene.

ScarletLion

04-07-14, 09:44 AM

Thanks Mr Minio. That was just truly jaw dropping tv. Scintillating directing.

earlsmoviepicks

04-07-14, 01:51 PM

That blows my mind, all the planning that has to go into that. Helluva accomplishment!

Jack1

04-25-14, 06:19 PM

This is the next series I'm going to watch, alongside Fargo - don't like to have too many on the go as you lose track of what's happening.

It's got fantastic reviews, and I like the sound of the plot.

Brodinski

04-28-14, 03:48 PM

the tone he wanted to create was at odds with the plot he wanted to unfurl. He wanted an air of mystery, so he setup an actual mystery that he wasn't terribly interested in. But lots of viewers were. The fact that a straight character study wouldn't have been as compelling at first is, of course, the whole point: hook you with one thing and then try to reel you in with another.

Hmm, I don't know, Chris. I concur that the climax and revealing of the 'master villain' didn't meet the standard set by that incredibly long build-up (well over 6 episodes), but I slightly expected that when something is set in a real world, but hints at the extraordinary and the occult. The climax is actually not the best bit; the intrigue is. It's kind of like when you watch a magic trick, watching it performed is nice, but the intrigue of how it was done, is more interesting and compelling.

The show had a lot of us fooled, reading too much into it and micro-analyzing every detail, when all of that wasn't necessary. The (misleading) imagery and hinting at the occult, Rust's philosophical pessimism, it served its purpose, namely intriguing you as a viewer, then getting you completely invested, and perhaps, as many will have been, fooling you.

I myself was certainly guilty of it. I thought Marty's daughter would also be a victim of such an occult raping and killing, but couldn't have been more wrong on that. But tbh, good writing will do that to you: present stuff like that as a potential direction / twist to create tension and keep you wanting more.

Overall, this has to be the highest quality TV show of all time. The production value is off the charts. That catacomb maze finale, the tracking shot, the atmosphere creation, the overall tone and style that can only come from a single guy's plying his directorial vision, and the utterly amazing acting. The consistent high standard that was achieved is mind-blowing. But that sort of unique, high-end stylization with top notch actors can only be achieved over a short run. It would be impossible to do this kind of show over 10 + episodes, because it's incredibly time-consuming and no doubt costs boatloads of money to make.

To be honest, I think True Detective was as good as some of the best episodes as Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Deadwood. It was a marvel to experience.

honeykid

04-28-14, 11:30 PM

I really enjoyed the first 7 episodes. I wasn't too bothered by the end of the final episode because the whole episode just felt generic, which is fine, but not what you watched it for. It was like going to the moon and then realising it's just a big rock when you got there. However, I don't hold that against it because the journey was fantastic.

TONGO

04-29-14, 01:10 AM

I think Season 1 of True Detective will do the same trick Silence Of The Lambs pulled off 20 yrs ago. It debuted the beginning of 2014, and a whole years worth of programming of different series would surely drown its memory out around award nomination time, but like Lambs, True Detective wont be forgotten.

Im rewatching it now and finished ep 3. Have to comment how the music helps the entire process, and the silence, like nothing Ive seen since John Carpenters early works. Its subtle, but everything.

Woody Harrelson was better upon rewatch. His reactions were spot on, and though McConnaughey delivered the lines perfectly, Woody sold it perfectly. Woody Harrelsons expressions are up there with James Earle Jones voice. His own hypocrisy storyline was so Jerry Springer, and it gave a break for the viewer from the dark stuff. I doubt any theorist believed Marty was the Yellow King :laugh:

They got to bring these guys back for season 3. I think it would get more of a pop than a Thrones premiere.

Frightened Inmate No. 2

04-29-14, 01:13 AM

guys, i know who the yellow king is!

:king:

TONGO

04-30-14, 04:21 PM

Just watched the no-cutaway ending to episode 4. That was so intense even upon second viewing. Ive seen these done in some flicks, but I cant think of a better no-cutaway scene done before. Its too bad they didnt have a no-cutaway scene for the climax of the series. It might have worked better.

Watch_Tower

05-15-14, 07:15 AM

ok ok ok ok ok, i'm so late to this thread but what a first season. I really liked the show, not quite as great as I thought it could have been but it was terrific none the less. So much to talk about but what I liked most were the subtle Lovecraft nods and the central theme that the good guys aren't always...well good. One was a lying, cheating, ****** father whereas the other was an alcoholic sociopath, yet they both paled in comparison to the true evil of the monsters on this show.

Having said that, I found all the female characters so weak and honestly, damn annoying.

TONGO

05-27-14, 02:31 PM

Jessica Chastain has been rumored to be in season 2...

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/true-detective-season-two-to-feature-three-leads-california-locale-20140527

Yoda

05-27-14, 02:32 PM

They're saying three leads, set in California.

seanc

05-27-14, 03:07 PM

Jessica Chastain has been rumored to be in season 2...

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/true-detective-season-two-to-feature-three-leads-california-locale-20140527

If Chastain is in season 2, I am getting my HBO back.

jiraffejustin

05-27-14, 03:37 PM

They're saying three leads, set in California.

I hope they go with a rural Northern California setting. If not that then a Mexico/California border setting. Regardless I will be paying attention.

TONGO

05-27-14, 04:33 PM

Oh I hope they bring Woody & McC back for season 3 though lol! I doubt it will happen as the creator's very plain about each season is a stand alone.

Im looking forward to his vision of a creepy California. I know squat about the outlying territories there which should add to the experience, and it may surprise in outdoing the first season. I know after the hub-bub on season 1 some highly respectable actors will want to be a part of this now.

Skepsis93

09-24-14, 09:10 AM

Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn confirmed for season 2 with Justin Lin directing the first two episodes.
(http://deadline.com/2014/09/true-detective-colin-farrell-vince-vaughn-justin-lin-confirmed-season-2-hbo-839632/)
Jury will very much be out for me on these two until I see the first episode. The same was said about Harrelson and McConaughey though, so it could go either way. I was also really hoping Cary Fukunaga would be back in the director's chair because some of the work he did on S1 was stunning. He might still return, but it could only be for a couple of episodes.

JayDee

09-24-14, 09:15 PM

Might prove me wrong but certainly on paper that pairing doesn't seem anywhere near as promising as McConaughey and Harrelson. I've got particular reservations about Vince Vaughn.

the samoan lawyer

09-25-14, 09:02 AM

Yeah, this isn't great news. Now all we need is Kiera Knightly. :rolleyes:

MovieMeditation

09-25-14, 09:10 AM

Looking forward to season 2. Loved the first one!

Skepsis93

09-25-14, 09:11 AM

Daniel M

09-25-14, 09:17 AM

Well I think a lot of people, myself included, had reservations about Harrelson and (especially) McConaughey, too. The writing is bound to be good, so I'm trying to keep an open mind. My opinion of Farrell has improved since seeing In Bruges and if Vince Vaughn is going to prove he has real acting chops, this is the venue, I think.

Whilst that's true, and if the role is written well for him and he excels in dramatic performance, Vaughn could do a 'McConaughey', it's not like True Detective turned his career around. It's one of many pieces of work that did so.

He's great in The Lincoln Lawyer, Bernie, Killer Joe, Mud, Magic Mike (apparently, not seen), Dallas Buyers Club and The Wolf of Wall Street. That's work with Linklater, Friedkin, Soderbergh and Scorsese.

Skepsis93

09-25-14, 09:33 AM

There has to be a catalyst that kickstarts the revolution, though. For Matty M it was probably Lincoln Lawyer or one of the other films he made in '11. I still can't quite get past how much of a w*nker he seems to be but yeah, there's no denying that he's improved vastly as an actor, or at least started making better choices since 2011. Not saying that same thing will happen, but the True Detective producers obviously see something in Vaughn, as they did McC, so all hope is not lost.

Daniel M

09-25-14, 09:42 AM

Skepsis93

09-25-14, 10:09 AM

They saw something in McConaughey? What I am trying to say is that is didn't the majority of people, or at least people that watched decent films, begin to realise McConaughey was a great actor before True Detective. It's not like they realised, they spotted him, everyone did, great directors, critics and audiences. True Detective knew they were getting a great actor, it wasn't a gamble at all in my eyes.

I'm not saying what they saw in him was unique or original, I'm saying what they saw was what everyone else has been seeing - like you said - for a year previously. And maybe they saw a similar potential in Vaughn.

I know you hate him anyway, I'm not exactly sure why you think he is a w*nker, he always seems fine to me :s

It's just a sense. I get the same thing with you. :p

Saunch

09-01-17, 12:38 PM

Season 3 is Confirmed (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/true-detective-season-3-officially-a-go-at-hbo-1034518).

Nick Pizzolatto will mostly have the sole writing credit, David Milch co-wrote episode 4 and seems to have help shape the overall season.

Pizzolatto will also direct the season along with Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room).

New leading man is Oscar winner Mahershala Ali.

Season three will tell the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods.

Back to the basics, in summary. The new season is expected to take Game of Thrones' spot next year, as that show seems to have been delayed till 2019.

Dani8

09-01-17, 01:46 PM

in the heart of the Ozarks

Does that guy ever come up with anything original? First the stag antlers now this? And lemme guess, the women will all be portrayed as skank whores. That guy has serious mommy issues.

gandalf26

09-01-17, 01:50 PM

Season 3 is Confirmed (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/true-detective-season-3-officially-a-go-at-hbo-1034518).

Nick Pizzolatto will mostly have the sole writing credit, David Milch co-wrote episode 4 and seems to have help shape the overall season.

Pizzolatto will also direct the season along with Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room).

New leading man is Oscar winner Mahershala Ali.

Back to the basics, in summary. The new season is expected to take Game of Thrones' spot next year, as that show seems to have been delayed till 2019.

Sometimes I forget that GOT is 18 months away, then I read a post like this that brings me crashing back down to Earth.

Saunch

09-01-17, 02:48 PM

in the heart of the Ozarks

Tourism board is gonna love it.

Dani8

09-01-17, 02:53 PM

Tourism board is gonna love it.

This is true. So are the local businesses. I just wanted to have a whinge about the showrunner.:up:

ScarletLion

09-01-17, 02:58 PM

Wow, Saulnier is on board. That should make it interesting. Season 1 was incredible. Season 2 was meh.

Dani8

09-01-17, 03:15 PM

Wow, Saulnier is on board. That should make it interesting. Season 1 was incredible. Season 2 was meh.

I couldnt even get through the pilot for season 2. Season 1 was great.

ScarletLion

09-01-17, 03:16 PM

I couldnt even get through the pilot for season 2. Season 1 was great.

It picked up. But I can't really rememeber anything about it. Season 1 is one of the great seasons of tv.

Saunch

09-01-17, 03:24 PM

How could you forget?

https://youtu.be/8sN_YtynITo

Stirchley

09-01-17, 04:33 PM

I couldnt even get through the pilot for season 2. Season 1 was great.

I loved season 2. Admittedly had to go back & watch the first 2 or 3 episodes again, but it was worth it. Taylor Kitsch - swoon.

Never understood the bad reviews. I thought both season 1 & 2 were excellent.

Saunch

01-03-18, 06:17 PM

Season Three just added Carmen Ejogo and Stephen Dorff.

https://image.ibb.co/hqibsG/5_A353_A05_7311_4_E46_9_FBC_67_E5_C4_E065_BA.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/f2SQmb/7_B7207_D5_ED60_4_C2_C_AB06_53736_B413575.jpg

Ejogo is playing a school teacher connected to two children who have gone missing and Dorff is playing Mahershala Ali’s partner.

Dani8

01-03-18, 06:22 PM

Ozarks seem popular these days, that's for sure.

Saunch

01-03-18, 06:23 PM

I’m just happy to see Ejogo getting more high-profile work. She’s been great in The Girlfriend Experience as well.

Saunch

01-03-18, 09:59 PM

I wish this was for McConaughey’s cameo.

39932

Saunch

04-02-18, 07:19 PM

Jeremy Saulnier exited the season after two episodes. Veteran tv director Daniel Sackheim will take over his duties.

The reason for the split is conflict with Nick Pizzolatto.

TheUsualSuspect

04-02-18, 08:05 PM

Jeremy Saulnier exited the season after two episodes. Veteran tv director Daniel Sackheim will take over his duties.

The reason for the split is conflict with Nick Pizzolatto.

Pizzolatto is full of himself. This is crappy news.

Saunch

08-26-18, 10:13 PM

https://youtu.be/YpUznQds8p4

GrantD2

08-27-18, 12:40 PM

January can't come soon enough.

Yoda

08-27-18, 12:55 PM

Good trailer, love Ali. Premise sounds good, too. Will definitely try it.

Stirchley

08-27-18, 02:21 PM

January can't come soon enough.

So glad we finally have a definite month.

Saunch

01-14-19, 01:32 AM

I liked that the first episode wasn’t even half way done and already Pizzolatto’s like “this story goes on to become a classic.”

Saunch

01-14-19, 02:02 AM

Also, sorry but Fargo has the better remix.

https://youtu.be/OgR1mzD4QGk

doubledenim

01-15-19, 05:32 PM

I actually watched some t.v. during the week to watch the first episode :eek:

Looks to be back on track, wigs aside. Cigarette smoking is a solid 4 . Scoot McNairy made a couple of "palmed" drags, often a sign of someone who knows they are being watched smoking...but Dorff and M. Ali are solid lungbusters. The show seems to have meandered it's way back into the ethereal dream haze that was absent in S2. I'm saving e2 for later this week.

Thank you HBOolatto.

cricket

01-15-19, 05:45 PM

It started?

Yoda

01-15-19, 05:46 PM

Yeah, back to its roots, so to speak. Mahershala Ali is tremendous (and wow, that old age makeup is amazing!). Good start.

cricket

01-15-19, 05:50 PM

It looks like there's 2 episodes on my cable. Will try to watch tonight.

christine

01-15-19, 06:42 PM

Loving it! Like Yoda says the make up is fantastic. These first two eps are a brilliant start, enigmatic, great characters, mysterious plot...what more do you want?!

doubledenim

01-16-19, 01:30 AM

This guy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQelKE-aBNg

Best supporting actor opposite M. Ali this year. So good, subtle with the accent. I've been vocal of my issues with people "portraying" characters with accents and the like, but he is on it. The lawn chair scene :)

Speaking of wigs

https://i.imgur.com/ZGDMQGZ.png
:eek: Be still, my beating heart :eek:

ScarletLion

01-16-19, 07:39 AM

Watched the 1st episode of season 3. Thought it as fantastic.

Agree about the old age make up too. Very well done.

MovieMeditation

01-16-19, 08:11 AM

ScarletLion

01-16-19, 09:22 AM

Only just realised that Jeremy Saulnier only directs the first 2 episodes. He had to leave after these due to scheduling conflicts.

Really hope the rest of the team pick up where Saulnier left off.

GulfportDoc

01-16-19, 10:16 AM

This guy

Best supporting actor opposite M. Ali this year. So good, subtle with the accent. I've been vocal of my issues with people "portraying" characters with accents and the like, but he is on it. The lawn chair scene :)
...

Good commercial. Despite containing only water vapor, the hysterics will still come after the users.

The Hamish

01-16-19, 10:34 AM

I enjoyed the first series. Wouldn't touch the second with a bargepole due to the leads chosen. Intrigued by news of a 3rd.

ScarletLion

01-16-19, 10:55 AM

I enjoyed the first series. Wouldn't touch the second with a bargepole due to the leads chosen. Intrigued by news of a 3rd.

Odd choice not to watch something that was so good just because of the change in cast. The shortcomings of season 2 certainly wasn't down to the leads or their abilities.

The Hamish

01-16-19, 10:58 AM

I'm an odd bloke. Only really warmed to Farrell during The Lobster etc.

Stirchley

01-16-19, 04:15 PM

Odd choice not to watch something that was so good just because of the change in cast. The shortcomings of season 2 certainly wasn't down to the leads or their abilities.

I loved season 2. Watched the entire thing twice.

TONGO

01-16-19, 09:34 PM

I haven't read the thread yet but I just finished the first episode and seems like it's going to be as good as the first season. About to start the second episode, I wonder why the second season really didn't take? I guess since there was no murder there was no ominous creepy feeling which this guy seems to master in his stories.

Saunch

01-16-19, 09:43 PM

For me, season 2’s narrative foundation wasn’t strong enough to hold up its stylistic predilections.

That they lacked a performer as charismatic as McConaughey to properly deliver the existential ramblings didn’t help matters either.

Stirchley

01-16-19, 10:14 PM

For me, season 2’s narrative foundation wasn’t strong enough to hold up its stylistic predilections.

That’s quite the sentence. Guess I didn’t notice.

Saunch

01-16-19, 11:24 PM

I’ll probably give it another look soon.

doubledenim

01-17-19, 12:33 AM

The break from Fukanaga didn't do S2 any favors.

dadgumblah

01-21-19, 06:39 AM

I'm loving it so far. Just watched Episode 3 and it was great. Ali is indeed great in this version of TD as is Dorff. And I'm with doubledenim on what a heart breaker Carmen Ejogo is, wigs, no wigs, whatever...wow! Oh yeah, she can act, too! I agree with the feel of the piece being like Season 1. At first I was not sure how I would like the skipping across three time frames but I'm already comfortable with it.

gandalf26

01-22-19, 04:44 PM

I also watched those first two episodes...

I’m glad to see that the style, feeling, atmosphere and general approach seems to be back to its old ways. It’s obviously miles better than the second season.

That said, I feel like it’s an extremely pretty and professional looking but slightly hollow shell we are looking at. The characters and especially the story doesn’t seem to have the same amount of depth and precisely layed out arcs and inner demons and whatnot. This is the first two episodes so obviously I can only judge from those, but there just seems to be something missing under the surface - however that surface might look (and it is extremely competent)

Maharshala Ali is extraordinary though and perfect cast. He adds the depth through his acting alone, no matter the written character. Stephen Dorff is a bit one-note and it’s clear to see his characters “place” in this next to Ali. But hopefully he’ll evolve as we go.

The aging make-up is indeed really good, but I was able to clearly see where the make-up started and ended. The patching on his forehead and around the eyes etc. I guess that’s the price we pay for having those amazing tv screens and top notch quality... it really puts weight on those make-up artists and set designers.

Anyways, I’m excited. I really enjoy what I see so far. Even if it stays maybe a little too close to the formula of the first season. It may somewhat be a copy. But what a beautiful copy. Let’s see where this goes...

Agree with a lot of this. I think what's missing is the extraordinary character or Rustin Cohl, masterfully personified by Matthew McConaughey. I think that's going to be a tough act to follow for any True Detective series.

I like that we are skipping between time again just like S1, they've even added a couple of extra layers with 3 distinct time periods and an old detectives race against dementia.

I felt having the dolls or serial killer trinkets was maybe a bit much of a copy from s1 but lets wait and see what going on there.

All that being said I'm hooked and cant wait to see this play out, dramatic improvement on s2.

Wild Prediction;

The young girl killed her brother, there is no serial killer this time.

Austruck

01-22-19, 09:32 PM

gandalf26 … I thought the same thing briefly, since she apparently doesn't want to be found in 1990.

ScarletLion

02-12-19, 09:48 AM

Austruck

02-12-19, 03:03 PM

Yeah, I wouldn't mind more discussion here of this third season. I'm excited that there are only two more episodes because I'm now extremely curious about where they're going with this. I'm convinced that the man Hays and West beat up in 1980 and tossed in a trunk is dead and that's what they keep referring to as "what we done." Not sure if it's just a stray side plot point that has clouded their judgment and lives since then or if it'll tie together at all with the main storyline. I'm guessing the latter.

This season's choices about how and when to reveal little bits of plot has been stellar and I'm thoroughly enjoying every episode.

MovieMeditation

02-12-19, 06:23 PM

I'm a little behind on it, currently catching up...

I am liking it more the more I see. But one thing I absolutely adore is the lighting. It is beautifully lit. So gorgeous to look at, the warmly tinted colors often paired with a bit of blue. And the way it adds contrast and depth to the characters and settings is very, very impressive. Honestly, it looks better than season 1. I've worked with lighting myself and the cinematographer is truly gifted. '

Anyways, I'm watching episode 5 now. 4 ended on quite the cliffhanger... I'm looking forward to it.

MovieMeditation

02-13-19, 08:07 AM

Episode 5 was the best yet imo. Added character depth, great story transisitions and those last 15 minutes or so? Wow. Just wow.

ScarletLion

02-13-19, 09:10 AM

But one thing I absolutely adore is the lighting. It is beautifully lit. So gorgeous to look at, the warmly tinted colors often paired with a bit of blue. And the way it adds contrast and depth to the characters and settings is very, very impressive. Honestly, it looks better than season 1. I've worked with lighting myself and the cinematographer is truly gifted. '

Yup. It is a great looking show.

https://i.imgur.com/3stWAoh.gif

MovieMeditation

02-13-19, 09:58 AM

Yup. It is a great looking show.
Indeed.

If you take this for example. A lighting set-up used a lot throughout the show...

https://suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-01-02-at-1.43.59-AM-e1546415321761.png?w=763

You got a highlighted side of Mahershala Ali's face, which almost burns out but makes for a nice contrast to the rest of the gradation of the light. After that, the light gives a few softer highlights on his more pronounced areas, like his nose and forehead, and then the gradation becomes much faster and heavier, but still with a small but prominent Rembrandt triangle on his left eye, so his expression doesn't disappear. His hair is lit nicely too and there's actually a tiny backlight making sure his left side, especially the suit, doesn't disappear completely.

The light on Carmen Ejogo also has a nice, long gradation leaving her clothing intact all the way and with her face still having a darker side and with the nose shadow kept minimal.

Beautiful.

And this set-up is kept as a fundament throughout most of the show, like seen here:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x52Uy5d1fyw/maxresdefault.jpg

https://nypdecider.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/true-detective-s3e1-recap.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646&h=431&crop=1

https://cc-media-foxit.fichub.com/thumb/fox-it-mondofox/f0cbc4e1-2bef-43cf-99c0-8e9f7a810883/true-detective-season-3-2019-official-trailer-2-ft-mahershala-ali-hbo-1280x720.jpg

- And it was hard to find a proper image for it, but I really love the warm tones with a smal amount of blue. It's often used at the night scenes, when the characters are indoors in warm, tungsten, yellowish light and then the moonlight from the outside shines in.
https://www.the-guard.net/uploads/thumbs/a33fc854e-1.jpg

ScarletLion

02-13-19, 10:07 AM

Indeed.

If you take this for example. A lighting set-up used a lot throughout the show...

https://suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-01-02-at-1.43.59-AM-e1546415321761.png?w=763

You got a highlighted side of Mahershala Ali's face, which almost burns out but makes for a nice contrast to the rest of the gradation of the light. After that, the light gives a few softer highlights on his more pronounced areas, like his nose and forehead, and then the gradation becomes much faster and heavier, but still with a small but prominent Rembrandt triangle on his left eye, so his expression doesn't disappear. His hair is lit nicely too and there's actually a tiny backlight making sure his left side, especially the suit, doesn't disappear completely.

The light on Carmen Ejogo also has a nice, long gradation leaving her clothing intact all the way and with her face still having a darker side and with the nose shadow kept minimal.

Beautiful.

And this set-up is kept as a fundament throughout most of the show, like seen here:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x52Uy5d1fyw/maxresdefault.jpg

https://nypdecider.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/true-detective-s3e1-recap.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646&h=431&crop=1

https://cc-media-foxit.fichub.com/thumb/fox-it-mondofox/f0cbc4e1-2bef-43cf-99c0-8e9f7a810883/true-detective-season-3-2019-official-trailer-2-ft-mahershala-ali-hbo-1280x720.jpg

- And it was hard to find a proper image for it, but I really love the warm tones with a smal amount of blue. It's often used at the night scenes, when the characters are indoors in warm, tungsten, yellowish light and then the moonlight from the outside shines in.
https://www.the-guard.net/uploads/thumbs/a33fc854e-1.jpg

Great insight into the photography thought process there. Cheers.

I loved the shot where old Hays took a drive in the middle of the night and got out of the car. That was gorgeously shot.

ScarletLion

02-15-19, 06:16 AM

Indeed.

Ok, this lighting is just insane.

https://i.imgur.com/FxuEEDs.png

MovieMeditation

02-15-19, 06:55 AM

Ok, this lighting is just insane.

https://i.imgur.com/FxuEEDs.png
Ah yes, beautiful.

And there are several scenes shot outside where they have immense control over the light. That isn’t easy to do. You gotta shoot at the right time, from the right angle with the right set up etc etc. and they really master it well...

doubledenim

02-15-19, 06:59 AM

Yup. It is a great looking show.

https://i.imgur.com/3stWAoh.gif

I've said it before Leo :) , your gifs are awesome! I couldn't get enough of that scene.

doubledenim

02-15-19, 07:00 AM

I've haven't watched e4 yet. I can't imagine that door gets opened, but if it does...

ScarletLion

02-15-19, 08:34 AM

I've said it before Leo :) , your gifs are awesome! I couldn't get enough of that scene.

Thanks man. Might do a few more of TD S3 as it looks so good.

TONGO

02-15-19, 09:29 AM

MovieMeditation

02-15-19, 09:42 AM

Loved the first episode of the third season but the second and third one we're boring as hell. Going to just binge watch it when the whole thing comes out figuring it hopefully picked up afterwards.

Season one was excellent for the entertaining fillers aside from the main story - Russ's philosophies, Marty being Marty, and sudden impactful action like that 15 minute unedited scene in episode 2 (or was it 3?) when Russ was trying to escape with a suspect. The case in season 3 reminds of the HBO documentaries Paradise Lost, but the romance angle with his wife's a drag. They should have done something like flashbacks to his time fighting in Vietnam.
The one-take was in episode 4 actually, “Who goes there?”

And it does kinda pick up in so 4 and especially 5. But though it has an atmosphere alike the one in season 1, it’s a different kind of vibe. It is a slow burner but I like it.

ScarletLion

02-15-19, 10:01 AM

Loved the first episode of the third season but the second and third one we're boring as hell. Going to just binge watch it when the whole thing comes out figuring it hopefully picked up afterwards.

Season one was excellent for the entertaining fillers aside from the main story - Russ's philosophies, Marty being Marty, and sudden impactful action like that 15 minute unedited scene in episode 2 (or was it 3?) when Russ was trying to escape with a suspect. The case in season 3 reminds of the HBO documentaries Paradise Lost, but the romance angle with his wife's a drag. They should have done something like flashbacks to his time fighting in Vietnam.

It's not really a romance angle, to spice the show up. It's an important part of how a case like this can destroy not only the lives of the victims of the crime, but also the law enforcement officers investigating it too. Plus it looks like his wife is going to be heavily invovled in the main plot in the last 2 episodes.

I agree about Paradise Lost though. What a documentary trilogy that was.

I don't see it as slow at all. Every episode has been absolutely riveting. At this point, if the last 2 episodes are 8 or 9 out of 10s then I think it is heading towards being as good as Season 1.

doubledenim

02-15-19, 02:41 PM

GulfportDoc

02-15-19, 09:00 PM

Ok, this lighting is just insane.

https://i.imgur.com/FxuEEDs.png
I agree. When it was shown in the film, it was very impressive. Great cinematography. It reminded of me of the iconic ending scene in 1955's The Big Combo, where the great cinematographer John Alton framed Cornell Wilde and Jean Wallace against the fog at an airport (ala Casablanca):
51747
I'm wondering if the cinematographer for the 3rd season is Nigel Bluck. Whoever did it has done wonderful work. I'm happy that this thread has brought up the subject of lighting/cinematography. It's importance is not credited enough.

~Doc

doubledenim

02-16-19, 09:10 AM

"I speak crazy, I'm f'n fluent."

https://media.giphy.com/media/3oEjHCkM3D1cQE06qs/giphy.gif

Well, that last episode (#5) will hit you like a ton of bricks. I was lamenting the content of the previous episode and this one has almost too much going on. There a still a couple elephants in the room, but I think we are getting closer.

My favorite wig in the show met the man with the milky gaze and we are inching closer to find out why she is dead. Maye related or unrelated, I think Hays has done something bad that he has forgotten about and they are using the senility angle to drop it on us.

With the knowledge gained this episode, it would seem that everything is coming in to focus, but that's not how this show seems to work. If we already know who is behind this, how the people are silenced...who is the man behind the man behind the curtain, so to speak.

ScarletLion

02-16-19, 10:55 AM

I'm wondering if the cinematographer for the 3rd season is Nigel Bluck. Whoever did it has done wonderful work. I'm happy that this thread has brought up the subject of lighting/cinematography. It's importance is not credited enough.

~Doc

It's an Australian cinematographer called Germain McMicking

MovieMeditation

02-16-19, 11:52 AM

I'm wondering if the cinematographer for the 3rd season is Nigel Bluck. Whoever did it has done wonderful work.
It's an Australian cinematographer called Germain McMicking
Actually, Nigel Bluck (cinematographer of season 2) did film two episodes in season 3... episode 4 and 5 are not filmed by McMicking, but Bluck :up: So you're not all the way off, Doc.

I'm happy that this thread has brought up the subject of lighting/cinematography. It's importance is not credited enough.

~Doc
The cinematography is one of my favourite aspects of cinema - not just "visuals" - but every technical part of it. Lenses used, movement/static, lights and all variations of that etc etc

And ever since working in depth with it myself, I've come to appreciate it and love it even more...

I did the lighting on this little coffee commercial here,

https://vimeo.com/306372622?fbclid=IwAR1KS1IwBe4ssP0N_y6croSOAp2rdAjkAB_YVz1bReNTgz-6IehzsObrPHs

ScarletLion

02-16-19, 12:37 PM

GulfportDoc

02-16-19, 01:24 PM

Actually, Nigel Bluck (cinematographer of season 2) did film two episodes in season 3... episode 4 and 5 are not filmed by McMicking, but Bluck :up: So you're not all the way off, Doc.

The cinematography is one of my favourite aspects of cinema - not just "visuals" - but every technical part of it. Lenses used, movement/static, lights and all variations of that etc etc

And ever since working in depth with it myself, I've come to appreciate it and love it even more...

I did the lighting on this little coffee commercial here,

I don't recall which episode the "dust" scene was in. So was it Bluck or McMicking who did the photography? Both are obviously tremendous craftsman.

I can see that the lighter and the cinematographer have to work pretty closely together. Probably it's oftentimes the same person.

The lighting on your commercial was exceptional! Did the transfer from B&W to color present any problems? It seems to me that B&W would be easier to light than it would be to light color.

~Doc

MovieMeditation

02-16-19, 02:20 PM

I don't recall which episode the "dust" scene was in. So was it Bluck or McMicking who did the photography? Both are obviously tremendous craftsman.

I can see that the lighter and the cinematographer have to work pretty closely together. Probably it's oftentimes the same person.

The lighting on your commercial was exceptional! Did the transfer from B&W to color present any problems? It seems to me that B&W would be easier to light than it would be to light color.

~Doc
I think it might have been the latest episode, which episode 6. So that would be McMicking. But I’m not sure...

And yes, the DoP has tons of people around him to help and usually they are really good and knows exactly what the DoP wants.

I did all the light on myself though. No help there in any part of the proces. :p And yeah, it’s easier to shoot B&W. You have greater control and can really make the contrast pop. We had a monitor set to B&W the whole time so I could see exactly how it would look it the final product... When we shot the color screen we switched it to color and switched it back and forth too so it looked good in both when the transition came. And that switch from B&W to color was a planned thing so we knew exactly what we wanted and was going for. I was never completely satisfied with the lighting in the color scene though...

*fun fact: the rain seen on the face in the start and the window in the end was also me. I was standing with a juice bottle pouring water down this indoor set haha. A mess and hard as hell but worth it!

doubledenim

02-16-19, 06:33 PM

- The landscaper at the nun's home for girls is the "Star Wars" kid they interviewed back in the day

- Lucy Purcell's friend is always around, but never does anything. Seems like she is a point (wo)man between parties in the conspiracy.

- I really think the twist is gonna be that Wayne already figured out the crime before his mind went. In addition, his wife (yeah this is a stretch) may have been involved and this where her (still unexplained) death came from.