True Detective

So I'm impressed as hell by this show, I wasn't sure about the how the narrative device was going to work but so far it's pretty brilliantly weaved together, I love that it's not so much about the Blair Witch-y murder mystery and more about the way people get unwound by life. Rust/Marty, the people they cross paths with, and the literal spaces they occupy. It's so beautifully shot setting the mood and tone as well as the performances, and the music by T Bone, is as ever, spot on perfection.

I also appreciated the second episode that indulged in some much needed levity when Cohle was called out for his problematic mouth, and then raised his hand when asked a question. Hee. As far as the mystery does go, I'm thinking the young girl at the bunny ranch is possibly the missing girl who supposedly lived with her uncle and then went off with her father.

I'm completely hooked -- Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey are both killing it. I especially appreciate Marty's exasperation when Rust starts waxing philosophic. I plan to tell my 6-year-old that our car is a place of silent reflection the next time he starts rambling.

This is the best fucking show on television right now. JESUS. That was some serious ass chaos, yet beautifully orchestrated and shot. Cohle is so completely out of his mind. I love the vein of dark dark humor too. When Cohle lied to Marty about Maggie "softening" and that he could see them getting back together, just cause he needed Marty to back him up? Wow.

The music this week was fab Boogie Down Productions, Lucinda Williams, and I think Nick Cave? I just realized the director is the same guy who did Jane Eyre, a few years ago, Cary Fukunaga, and I loved that movie, it was also beautifully photographed.

I'm so glad someone started this thread. I am loving this show.

Matthew McConaughey is electric. I sometimes miss what's happening because I'm so fascinated by his physicality. He's so...still. And contained. Tightly wound like an electric cable and maddeningly calm. Woody Harrelson is killing it too.

That last sequence - hot damn. I knew I was on the edge of my seat but I didn't realize until I checked online that the last six minutes were all one tracking shot. I had to go back to rewatch and now I'm even more in awe.

I am glad they're planning to do an AHS type anthology, because detective shows always suck when they have to come up with a brand new case for the same guys to solve. And at the rate they're going there won't be anything left to do with these guys.

Oh and if you haven't check out True Detective Conversations, you should because it's hilarious. The new one about the Lego Movie is particularly giggle worthy.

You have the right to remain alright, alright, alright.

Nice to see Mocanahey acting again after so many lazy RomComs.

the best HBO series set in Louisiana with the word True in the title.

I am really shocked that McConaughey whipped acting out of his bag of tricks, but he's really excellent. The character on the show does remind me a little of, well, MADtv's parody of Millennium (which I can't find on the internets anymore).

The music is also amazing.

Blixie - that website has me giggling like crazy.

I started with the first episode last night, and man this is great. McConaughey and Harrelson are two of my favorite actors, and they're both fantastic in this. I appreciated that the crime scene was only minimally gruesome, as opposed to Hannibal, which I have a hard time watching due to gore.

Harrelson's line about how hard it is being around someone spouting crazy shit all the time, then the cut to Rust (and his O RLY expression) had me laughing so hard.

ONTD has a gif of it (scroll down to the end of the article).

Haha, his expression in the gif is the epitome of "Aaaaaand we're done here."

Another sterling episode, whenever I'm watching I both can't wait to see what happens next and don't want it to end, both in the context of individual episodes and in the season overall. Like I can't WAIT until Sunday, but that next one will bring me closer to no more McConnaughey-Harrelson-Pizzolato-Fukunaga perfection. OY.

I love that Cohle's been playing them for information in his own ongoing investigation. I'm a little bit freaked that he's been working on it for ten years and despite his sharp, shrewd, skills still hasn't caught/ended the killer. EEP. I hope that storage unit is full of evidence at least against the conspiracy that's thwarting him.

I also loved Cohle/Hart's unity on the LeDoux bust, amazing that neither has cracked in the multiple retells, and that Cohle's desire to reinvestigate wasn't about making Marty feel bad for executing the wrong guy, but simply about all the women whose lives have been lost in the meantime, not having got the RIGHT guy.  I died when Rust had the nerve to say shut the fuck up Nietzche, to LeDoux. Pot, Kettle!

I thought Matthew M's acting in the interrogation scene was masterful stuff. The way his entire face changed when the guy mentioned the Yellow King was really something.

One bit of his I really liked was when he was sitting in the room where he's been questioned by the two other detectives (who've gone out for a bit of a confab) and he's got his head tipped up, looking at the ceiling, but when he hears the detectives coming back in, he does this slow roll of his head forward to look at them. The expression on his face was just so gone, it was chilling. Like, you just don't want to know what he's seeing on the inside of his own skull, you know?

I totally know which part you are talking about! I know that from the beginning it's been speculated that maybe Cohle is in fact involved in the murders (not that I agree), but subtle moments like the one you mentioned are so much more chilling if they come from a person who is not a killer, but a much more ambiguous, haunted soul.

My husband and I were saying at first that the reason we were "responding" so much more to Cohle is because he's clearly the meatier role of the two leads, which is still true enough. But the more episodes I watch the more I realize how easy it would be for that part to come across as hamfisted if done differently. I hope McConnaughey is recognized for his work here.

Matthew is getting a ton of press about this role, and he deserves all of it. I will say, though, that I've been equally impressed with Woody because he's doing some outstanding work with the Hart character. I think he's been showing how underrated he is as an actor as he's one of those guys who (for me, anyway) always seems to be playing a version of himself to a greater or lesser extent when he's on the screen. Like, I find he doesn't disappear into roles like some other actors can. He can be really lazy in a role, taking the easy way out by gravitating to certain types of characters and I think it's easy to forget about the talent he has. With Hart I think he's just been a powerhouse and giving an amazing performance. There's so much going on with that character and he's at least as fucked up as Cohle is but doesn't know it (or won't admit it). I've gone from rooting for him to wanting to slap him so hard for being such a dick; one episode I'm afraid for him and then the next I'm afraid *of* him. Just brilliant work.

If there's one thing I love about this show (and there are so many) is that I truly don't know how it's going to play out. The whole thing is so nuanced and intelligent, so utterly unlike what I thought it was going to be (i.e. much more of a straight up serial killer/detective show) that I just sit back and allow myself to uncover the pieces bit by bit, much like Cohle and Hart are. It really is such a treat to sit down for an hour and be so enthralled and also challenged by what's on the screen. The bar for television shows just keeps on going up and up and up.

I was just fixated on Woddy's contemporary Pink Floyd T-Shirt.

If you put my memories of Southern Alabama up on screen this is what they would look like.

True Detective makes a best seller of a 119 year old book. I just downloaded it to my Kindle, but I'm a little afraid to actually read it.

Haven't seen the latest episode yet but I had to share this: time is a circle.

Finally watched all 6 episodes and OMG! So amazing. Between this and Dallas Buyers Club I want Matthew to win every single acting award there is available. He is simply breathtaking. He just disappears into Cohle. Just amazing and awe inspiring stuff.

The acting (all around), writing, music, direction....its just top notch stuff. Such a fantastic show.

I read somewhere that everything you need to figure out the mystery is in the first episode, so I just rewatched it. I feel almost as in the dark as before, but I did notice something

Spoiler:

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I want Matthew to win every single acting award there is available. He is simply breathtaking. He just disappears into Cohle. Just amazing and awe inspiring stuff.

Yes, this. He's incredible. It's amazing how someone so sparkly and charming can look so dead behind the eyes. His physicality and intensity are amazing. That scene with Maggie was painful.

Also, Rust Cohle + Carrie Mathieson = made for each other?

Can Matty Mac EGOT in a calendar year?

Maybe put out a quick bongo album?

Dazed and Confused Broadway musical/cast recording.

That is not how I saw it ending, but damn, it was satisfying. I can't believe

spoiler:

McConaughey broke my heart in that final scene.

I was seriously questioning the direction of this episode after the opening sequence, which included the creepiest sex scene in recent memory, but I was really pleased with the way things wrapped up.