True Detective 2: Electric BoogaTrue

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I loved it. I love that they just threw the viewer into this world without hand-holding us through everything. It never got bogged down in unrealistic exposition dialog and that made the world feel very natural. I didn't enjoy it as much as the Season 1 premier, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I have to admit I got goosebumps in the last scene when they put all the characters together. The potential implied by that last scene alone was wonderful. Let's hope they don't waste it.
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Went in with zero expectations and enjoyed it a lot actually. I see the mixed reviews it's been getting online and I think a lot of it has to do with people being asspained that Cohle isn't around to recite a passage out of the mindf*ck bible while sporting a thousand yard stare. I was kind of blah about it when I heard about the new cast but it's honestly decent IMO. A couple cool character moments and I enjoy McAdams character.



It looks like it's going to rely on narrative less than in the first season, and I'm all for it.



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I get the feeling that the characters played by Farrell and Kitsch are supposed to be similar to Hart and Cohle respectively (one's violent and damaged with family issues, the other is an emotionally distant nihilist), though the effectiveness of the differences remains to be seen. Also interesting how they've kind of dropped the whole past-present gimmick from the first season - hopefully, they can make it work but it's not hard to think of that as one of the most distinctive parts of season one. Without it, this seems to be playing out a lot more conventionally, which I'm currently not convinced is the best move.
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I actually loved it. I was a bit confused afterward thinking about all the mixed reviews. People say it was boring. Really?

I thought Colin's character was a bit cliched, but it didn't take away my enjoyment. I felt the show had a certain mood and the music was just perfect for that noir feel.

Looking forward to more.



I'm waiting to be corrected by more episodes but I thought the Rachel McAdams character was the cliched one. You know the lazy way of showing a strong woman is to give her all the attributes of what we think of as mens movie cliches - a liking for rough sex, a gambling heavy drinking lifestyle, a way of caring for your family that verges on bullying.
I liked the way the whole thing didn't come together until the very last minute, so going on now we have already learned a lot about the characters that hasn't even taken in the plot yet.



I get the feeling that the characters played by Farrell and Kitsch are supposed to be similar to Hart and Cohle respectively (one's violent and damaged with family issues, the other is an emotionally distant nihilist), though the effectiveness of the differences remains to be seen. Also interesting how they've kind of dropped the whole past-present gimmick from the first season - hopefully, they can make it work but it's not hard to think of that as one of the most distinctive parts of season one. Without it, this seems to be playing out a lot more conventionally, which I'm currently not convinced is the best move.
I can see them showing Farrell's fall from being a decent cop via flashback. They had that single scene with him and Vince Vaughn but I think there's room for more. That said, I can also see it being told in a more linear fashion as well. I'd be pleased either way.



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Finally got a chance to sit down and watch this after a hectic week.


(Some spoilers ahead)


I really liked the first season but I wasn't overly enamoured with it, and I felt pretty much the same about this opener. I mostly liked how it was all character building and getting-to-know-you stuff and I liked several of the performances. I was really hoping Vince Vaughn would bring some unseen thunder, but it turns out that it was Colin Farrell that did that. I have a feeling this might be his best work in the making.


I had a few problems with Rachel McAdams' character, especially a few of the all-too-convenient connections (oh, your sister just so happens to be doing porn in the very place you're raiding, oh your father is the leader of the very insititute that may have some connection with a missing person you're investigating) and her storyline just isn't as interesting as the others. But she's good in the role and hopefully the later episodes will give her better things to do.


Like the first season, it's very cinematic and this season seems to be trying evoke a Lynchian vibe. That's what it felt like to me anyway, with the dark, unpredictable atmosphere. Not to mention the very obvious reference to Mulholland Drive.


I don't know if it will out-do the first season, but so far I'm invested and I'm excited for the next episode.
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Didn't like it either. Structure was all over the place, it was really hard to follow in parts, and just seemed to be deliberately confusing for the sake of it. The whole thing felt incompetently directed, scenes had no rhythm to me etc. So blatantly obvious - "this is my least favourite life" or whatever it was playing? And the characters seem over the top too, I wasn't particularly sold by any of their performances, especially Colin Farell. But I think the thing that disappointed me the most was the writing, I thought the dialogue was laughably bad. Nothing memorable, and just silly one liners like the "don't act on hunger" one, gone are the enjoyable monologues that took place last season, that put a smile on your face despite their pessimism, now it seems like the writer is straining to hard to try and create iconic lines and failing miserably.
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Didn't like it either. Structure was all over the place, it was really hard to follow in parts, and just seemed to be deliberately confusing for the sake of it. The whole thing felt incompetently directed, scenes had no rhythm to me etc. So blatantly obvious - "this is my least favourite life" or whatever it was playing? And the characters seem over the top too, I wasn't particularly sold by any of their performances, especially Colin Farell. But I think the thing that disappointed me the most was the writing, I thought the dialogue was laughably bad. Nothing memorable, and just silly one liners like the "don't act on hunger" one, gone are the enjoyable monologues that took place last season, that put a smile on your face despite their pessimism, now it seems like the writer is straining to hard to try and create iconic lines and failing miserably.
Well, that's because I think it's going to be different both tonally and structurally, and like I said I'm all for it. I think the style fits the mood like a glove, it's like a strange Lynch/Michael Mann mixture. Besides, Rust's philosophical ramblings already feel dated, the show needed something different this season.

And you like movies that are hard to follow, so why complain about TV that is hard to follow?



It's not that I particularly like movies that are hard to follow, it's more an indirect thing where I find myself enjoying them because instead of plot there is a strong and enjoyable focus on mood, characters etc. whether it's Altman, Lynch or whoever.

I didn't find it particularly interesting, mainly dull in fact, I understand that they were trying to create backstories for each character but every one of them seemed like an extreme, the scene where Farrell beat up that kids dad summed it up for me, it seemed like it was trying to push its pessimistic world on us much too soon and obviously. I didn't get an understated eerie atmosphere that kept me fascinating and waited for what would happen next, instead I was just frustrated by how horrible all these people are. None of them seemed sympathetic or likeable. I didn't smile once in the episode where as I pretty always had a smile on my face when McConaughey and Harrelson were both on screen last season.

And yeah, it would have been difficult to include just one character with huge philosophical ramblings, so I didn't expect it to be like this every season, and it would have been difficult to try and replicate, but some of the one liners in from the characters were awful, I really, really hated some of the dialogue.

And I think I have a problem with Colin Farrell in general too actually. I don't know what it is about him, but he really irritates me in his roles, maybe I think he's too self-serious with his characters. I thought he was a problem in The New World too.

I will still be watching and I still think it has potential to be strong, maybe the massive tonal shift has just taken me by surprise. Season One showed you could be pessimistic and understated but at the same time fascinating, enjoyable, thrilling etc. There's a murder story at the centre of it that will keep me watching too, but that's not much of a compliment (once I start watching an episode of CSI I rarely switch it over) where as in season one I didn't particularly care about the resolution, I just enjoyed having the main characters on screen, which is not the case here



My wife and I just finished this first episode, and we are both quite optimistic about what's to follow. I do have to say that I miss the opening credits from season 1, although they were ok in this. I thought the second half was much better than the first half. I thought Farrell, McAdams, and Kitsch were all very good throughout. My main problem in the first half was Vaughn. I've always liked him, but I haven't enjoyed any of his work in years. I thought for the first half he was doing his best, but I just wasn't buying into his performance. I thought for the second half he was dramatically better. It doesn't seem to have the creepy mystery of season 1, but I believe I enjoyed the first episode as a whole, more than I did last year. I loved how it ended and it's got me wanting more.



They got a nice group of actors for this. Problem is Kitsch cant act, he's wooden like Keanu, and Colin Farrel aint much better. I do think Vaughns charisma, and McAdams playing something outside the box for her will be great.

The episode depressed me. There wasnt any humor coming from anyone like they had with Marty (Woody Harrelson) last season. This actually helped the horror/dark aspects of the show as it wasnt the complete tone throughout. Vaughn hopefully will have the more colorful scenes.

Not as good as the first season, so far. Definitely worth keeping up with.



2nd episode not as good as the first.
the beginning half of this episode jumped around every minute without any transitions. just bam bam bam bam different place different characters. it was really difficult to take anything away from what i was watching.