True Detective: Season 2 stars named

[jpx7]

Vince Vaughn has been out of his element on the show, but he was fantastic in this episode.

I was extremely skeptical when I first learned of his casting, but I actually think Vince Vaughn has been one of the brightest spots of this season. Especially during the first three or four episodes, he was responsible for many of my favorite moments and was involved in most of my favorite scenes.

[50PoundHead]

I was extremely skeptical when I first learned of his casting, but I actually think Vince Vaughn has been one of the brightest spots of this season. Especially during the first three or four episodes, he was responsible for many of my favorite moments and was involved in most of my favorite scenes.

I'll have to watch the whole season again because I'm still not quite clicking because it's so convoluted, but Vaughn has been the highlight for me and I think he's done the best job of the cast. It seems the writers want to have at least one character who spouts some measure of philosophy. Last year it was McConaughey and this year it's Vaughn. It's been interesting to watch Vaughn's character devolve from aspirations of legitimacy to thuggery.

[The Chosen One]

Vaughn's character was rough the first few episodes. However the second half of the season he's won me over.

The most recent episode in particular really really won me over. I do like his character arc.

The leads have all actually been really good this season in hindsight. Kitsch, McAdams, Trash Stache, and Vaughn.

[BRule]

Maybe the best the show has ever done. It basically made this entire convoluted plot make at least a modicum of sense.

Vince Vaughn has been out of his element on the show, but he was fantastic in this episode.

It is.

[Tapate50]

Vaughn's character was rough the first few episodes. However the second half of the season he's won me over.

The most recent episode in particular really really won me over. I do like his character arc.

The leads have all actually been really good this season in hindsight. Kitsch, McAdams, Trash Stache, and Vaughn.

I don't feel like Kitsch has contributed much...at all.

[bravesnumberone]

It was the best this season, but I disagree about overall. Episodes 4-5 of the first season are far and away superior to anything Season 2 has done.

[Dalyn]

Unlike a lot of people, I'm really enjoying the season.

[50PoundHead]

I don't feel like Kitsch has contributed much...at all.

If the end of the last episode is any indication, he'll be contributing even less going forward.

I think the feel of the season is a lot different. The big difference this year is that a lot of focus has been on a semi-villian (Vaughn) as opposed to the action being focused almost solely on the protagonists as it was last season. Thus, we've seen the same plot line told from different angles. I think it's been a much messier story this year with a lot of extraneous backstory material for each of the cops. Did we need to know about David Morse's character at all? I don't think the rape of Farrell's ex added much. Kitsch's character's gay dalliance while in the Mideast? Just seemed to overload things too much.

[jpx7]

Unlike a lot of people, I'm really enjoying the season.

I've really enjoyed it since episode-two, internet chatter be damned.

(I do still think season-one was superior, but that fact doesn't detract from season-two's quality.)

[jpx7]

I think the feel of the season is a lot different. The big difference this year is that a lot of focus has been on a semi-villian (Vaughn) as opposed to the action being focused almost solely on the protagonists as it was last season. Thus, we've seen the same plot line told from different angles. I think it's been a much messier story this year with a lot of extraneous backstory material for each of the cops. Did we need to know about David Morse's character at all? I don't think the rape of Farrell's ex added much. Kitsch's character's gay dalliance while in the Mideast? Just seemed to overload things too much.

To me, that's part of the difference: while last season was this wonderful mélange of Southern Gothic, late-nineteenth-century dark-fantasy, and buddy-cop, this season is more straight-up Los Angeles noir, which traditionally demands some convolution of plot in good measure.

[Dalyn]

I've always liked Rachel McAdams, but something about THIS role makes her...godDAMN...all kinds of sensual.

[jpx7]

I've always liked Rachel McAdams, but something about THIS role makes her...godDAMN...all kinds of sensual.

This, and her turn as Kate / Ophelia in Slings & Arrows. She is pretty similarly wonderful in the latter.

[Dalyn]

This, and her turn as Kate / Ophelia in Slings & Arrows. She is pretty similarly wonderful in the latter.

I've actually never watched that. I will now. Thanks!

[jpx7]

I've actually never watched that. I will now. Thanks!

Let me know what you end up thinking of it; I'm a big fan (but I realize it's not really the type of show with broad appeal). It does have some of the best opening-credits songwriting work of any show I've seen.

[Dalyn]

Let me know what you end up thinking of it; I'm a big fan (but I realize it's not really the type of show with broad appeal). It does have some of the best opening-credits songwriting work of any show I've seen.

Sure thing. Looking forward to it now!

[Tapate50]

I've always liked Rachel McAdams, but something about THIS role makes her...godDAMN...all kinds of sensual.

YUP

[50PoundHead]

I've always liked Rachel McAdams, but something about THIS role makes her...godDAMN...all kinds of sensual.

She's about the last actress I ever thought could play a convincing dirty girl. Boy, was I wrong. She's been in a lot of stuff recently, but this turn could really elevate her out of the "sweet" pidgeonhole.

[bravesnumberone]

Her performance has been the highlight of the season to me.

[bravesnumberone]

That finale was terrible. Might be time to get more writers on the show.

[Runnin]

That was rather depressing. I wouldn't say it was terrible, just very dark.

If they had to kill them at least they could've made it a little more exciting. It was clear for too long they were going to die. I guess the writers felt they didn't deserve any better. At least they both saved their women.

[bravesnumberone]

It was pretty well-directed. Other than that, they rushed like hell to cram a bunch of story in. A real disappointment of a season overall.

[Tapate50]

I don't know, it was ok. Just dark, but I really didn't think those two would make it out with all their baggage.

I didn't see the point of the Mexican Cartel really. I wish they hadn't been involved. I really grew to like Frank at the end and I didn't see the point of him getting loose and then him getting boxed in on the way out of town. Pretty cruel ending.

I guess they were alluding to the story coming out in the future when Adams was telling all to the reporter,but I wish we had seen a little more on that.

[BRule]

That finale was terrible. Might be time to get more writers on the show.

Terrible? Not sure how you came to that conclusion.

[Tapate50]

Here is my rub with the entire show so far (1 and 2):

By the time you get to find out who the "killer\villan" is...the character is a complete throw away. The Yellow King and the guy in the bus station were both complete throw away characters looking back.

[goldfly]

Season 2 was way too Hollywoodish compared to season 1 with not as good writing or production or acting

It still was better than most out there but season 1 was soo good that season 2 was going to be a failure pretty much no matter what in the eyes of fans

[Tapate50]

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/true-detective-season-two-lines-ranked-1723048186

[BRule]

Here is my rub with the entire show so far (1 and 2):

By the time you get to find out who the "killer\villan" is...the character is a complete throw away. The Yellow King and the guy in the bus station were both complete throw away characters looking back.

Does it really matter if the killer/s are main characters or not?

[Dalyn]

I enjoyed it. A brutal but honest story. The end fit that.

[bravesnumberone]

Terrible? Not sure how you came to that conclusion.

How was it that good?

[jpx7]

Does it really matter if the killer/s are main characters or not?

In a lot of traditional noir, killers are minor or marginal compared to the main dramatis personae.

[Tapate50]

Does it really matter if the killer/s are main characters or not?

No, but knowing a little more about them and their side wouldn't hurt. Its subjective I'd say.

In the end of Season 1, they stumbled upon a guy making flowers on his sister wife and then shot him. There was a ton of build up about the Yellow King and he just ended up being a hillbilly nobody cousin of some preacher. Just would like a little bit more of the significance verified.

[Runnin]

Season 2 is getting trashed in the press. Everyone seems to have hated Colin Farrel's and Vince Vaughn's performances. I have to admit that in the first couple of episodes I also had my doubts, but by the end of the season they had won me over. I increasingly found their characters quite believable. The show got better for me as it went on and I think the season ended with the cast doing their best work. Maybe the dialogue and the plot needed some help but it wasn't the actors' fault.

FWIW, the writing and storyline in Season One was just as weird but McConaughey absolutely nailed his character and he and Harrelson had such amazing chemistry that you didn't notice.

[bravesnumberone]

Having a steady director for all eight episodes helped Season 1 tremendously. So even though it had weirdness, nothing ever felt out of place, and it just all ran so much more smoothly.

McAdams was great. Farrell was pretty good. Vaughn was fine, but nothing to write home about. He got better as it went along.

[The Chosen One]

I'm still surprised Ray just gave up like that.

I don't think he fired any bullets from the rifle he was carrying only the pistol. He could've killed Burris, and one of the other guys, then paid off the other guy with all the money he had.

[bravesnumberone]

Not sure why Ray or Frank did half of the crap they did in the finale. Part of why it sucked.

[Dalyn]

Not sure why Ray or Frank did half of the crap they did in the finale. Part of why it sucked.

Because of their flaws. Every idiotic decision they made at the end was rooted in a flaw highlighted earlier in the season, often many times. That's one of the reasons why I called it honest.

[50PoundHead]

Finally got to see the last episode in its entirety and it was kind of predictable. Overall, I thought this year's story was better, but the characters in last year's story were more compelling. My only qualification on the story being better this year is that there were more red herrings than a Communist seafood store. Like I said in an earlier post, a lot of superfluous characters and angles. I would argue that the whole Woodrugh storyline wasn't needed to tell the story (although Taylor Kitsch did a good job with the character). One can argue that added to the intrigue in the classic noir sense and I can appreciate that angle. It was kind of an Occam's Razor story in that all the complexity gets blown away in the end and, in the end, it becomes a really basic story. For Frank and Ray, it just becomes a recognition of their just fate and they accept it. Did it come from the bargain they struck years ago or was it simply in their core natures? I guess that's for the tradgedians to determine.

A lot of folks didn't like Vince Vaughn's character, but I found Frank to be interesting. I used to bartend in a place that had more than a few petty offender wanna-be-big-guy types and Vaughn's portrayal reminded me of some of these guys. They dress it up a bit and spout some street "philosophy," but underneath it all, they are never going to be tough enough to handle the criminal equivalent of big league pitching.

Rachel McAdams showed a range that should serve her career quite well and outside of his portrayal of a country/western pretty boy in Crazy Heart, I can't think of the last time I found Colin Farrell's work disappointing.

[Dalyn]

If they could somehow get Fairuza Balk and Milla Jovovich for season three, I would be grateful.

[50PoundHead]

If they could somehow get Fairuza Balk and Milla Jovovich for season three, I would be grateful.

Nice to see Balk in Ray Donovan.

[Runnin]

Nice to see Balk in Ray Donovan.

Is Ray Donovan any good? I haven't watched any of it yet but have considered downloading it.

[50PoundHead]

Is Ray Donovan any good? I haven't watched any of it yet but have considered downloading it.

Liev Schreiber is really good, as is Jon Voight (although it is really easy to hate Voight's character, which is kind of the point). Really good supporting cast (Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Paula Malcomson, and others). Midway through the third season. I liked the first two seasons, but the creator/producer got bounced by Showtime and a new team was brought in. Third season is a lot more straightforward (and thus far less violent, although still violent) than the first two seasons. I'd give it a watch. Only warning is that Voight's character (Ray's father) is such a manipulative trainwreck that you will want to reach through the screen and strangle him at junctures.