Author Topic: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?  (Read 1603 times)

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nevrwasben

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2021, 07:48:16 PM »
I remember it sucking.
I don’t have the time to rewatch, so ima leave it at that.

EdLawndale

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2021, 08:23:08 PM »
Yeah, it was the only season I could find of "TD" on DVD for cheap so I picked it up right before Covid. I remember it being way below the quality level of the first season when it aired.

At the time, I thought Vince Vaughn wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be and I always like Rachel McAdams. Iirc, it was the writing and directing that went downhill.

I can say, for me, the first time it seemed kinda corny was when the main character got shot at the end of one of the first few episodes and he (predictably) was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

I'm too busy to rewatch now but would love to hear your thoughts when you are done. I am interested in your reappraisal!
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DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2021, 09:24:08 PM »
YES I've been waiting for season two to get its deserved second look. People weren't ready for the themes explored in this season and while some things were rightfully panned (Vince Vaughn cough cough), there is so much in this season that is excellent. Taylor Kitsch, Rachel McAdams, Colin motherfucking Farrell all turn in incredible performances and looking back now that everyone has Epstein brain makes this season MUCH more interesting

palelight

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2021, 09:25:54 PM »
Rewatched it at peak boredom last summer. I hated it even more the second time around and feel like I finished it out of spite to find more things to dislike about it. I'll revisit the thread when you're further along if you wanna compare notes. Godspeed.

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2021, 09:42:16 PM »
This season and Den of Thieves are both great representations of how fucking gross and seedy Los Angeles is. As a lifelong LA hater, i feel this season so viscerally and it's depictions of California politics is too accurate

Bunk Moreland

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2021, 09:43:08 PM »
I liked it better than season 3 🤷‍♂️

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2021, 10:00:26 PM »
I liked it better than season 3 🤷‍♂️

That's a hot fucking take even for me as someone who liked season two

Bunk Moreland

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2021, 11:23:55 PM »
Expand Quote
I liked it better than season 3 🤷‍♂️
[close]

That's a hot fucking take even for me as someone who liked season two
I need to rewatch all of them. I didn’t hate season 2, but I thought 3 was a drag and I can’t remember shit about it.

HisNameIsntWarren

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2021, 01:09:19 AM »
Name a better bully revenge scene. Colin’s character was a straight up savage so I will commend them for that. Otherwise shite.


Welcome to the OC bitch! This is how it’s done in Orange County.

Hinna

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2021, 05:35:46 AM »
i didnt even know there was a 3rd season. must be bad. 1 was gnarly

HeavyAndExpensive

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2021, 05:44:57 AM »
I never liked the first season. It was like the writers thought "how can we have Matthew McConaughey go on philisophical monologues as often as possible" and worked backwards from there.

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2021, 06:04:28 AM »
Name a better bully revenge scene. Colin’s character was a straight up savage so I will commend them for that. Otherwise shite.

Colin is terrifying to behold in this season

NorthShore

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2021, 06:57:44 AM »
I've considered season 2 an unappreciated gem for a long time. People hated it at the time because they wanted another season with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson (which would have been illogical).

Season 2 was really out there in terms of the noir theme and David Lynch inspiration all over the place. Solid performances, tight action scenes and subtext.

I also liked it way better than Season 3. Hopefully in a few years people will rewatch and change their tune, I thought it was amazing!

jamersonbass

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2021, 08:21:03 AM »
The ep in season 3 where and old man Dorff makes eggs for the runt dog, and old man Mahershala reconnect, is better than anything in season 2.

That said, Rachel McAdams is bae, and Colin Ferrel played a great seedy, umm... detective.

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2021, 11:23:11 AM »
The ep in season 3 where and old man Dorff makes eggs for the runt dog, and old man Mahershala reconnect, is better than anything in season 2.

That said, Rachel McAdams is bae, and Colin Ferrel played a great seedy, umm... detective.

Agreed. I don't really get the season three dislike here. I thought it was excellent and loved the subversion of expectations from season 1 (S1 leaving off with the main culprit of the killings being caught but the larger dark network is largely still intact and lurking in the shadows while S3 shows there actually wasn't a dark network and it was a tragic accident covered up by wealthy parents)

BallDontLie

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #16 on: July 08, 2021, 11:32:15 AM »
I've considered season 2 an unappreciated gem for a long time. People hated it at the time because they wanted another season with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson (which would have been illogical).

Season 2 was really out there in terms of the noir theme and David Lynch inspiration all over the place. Solid performances, tight action scenes and subtext.

I also liked it way better than Season 3. Hopefully in a few years people will rewatch and change their tune, I thought it was amazing!

That’s fair. It’s hard to come even remotely close to the greatness of season 1, not that 2 was trying. My first couple of watch throughs i had to keep going back to understand some of the side characters stories… I’ll say the acting was and is solid, but the overall story seemed overly ambitious. Still pretty enjoyable… especially once you know what’s going on.

3 felt closer to season 1 IMO… or truer to what it seems like what they were aiming for?
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childhood

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2021, 10:57:28 AM »
Bout to watch episode 2. The show is still setting things up, so I don't have much to report yet. I always liked Colin Farrell & Rachel Mcadams in it, but Vince Vaughn & Taylor Kitsch still make their characters seem really boring to me. The jump cut from TK getting offered a bj, to him immediately getting suspended was really funny though.

I totally forgot David Morse is in it, as the new-age guru guy who is RM's dad. He lives in the same building as my parents, so I run into him sometimes. Weird to see him with the hippie hair.




You guys ever read any Thomas Ligotti?
Basically season 1 was highly influenced by his writing, so much so that it resulted in a lawsuit.
https://www.vox.com/2014/8/7/5975769/true-detective-a-work-of-plagiarism-a-guide

I'm about halfway through this collection of his short stories:
https://1lib.us/book/4704800/e7b428

Gonna start his book of nihilistic philosophy next, which I think is primarily what was drawn from for season 1:
https://1lib.us/book/3609498/5f4dff

Lisa96

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2021, 01:36:53 PM »
people are always shocked when i tell them i prefer season 2, colin farrell did some incredible acting in it, it felt more genuine for some reason, Rust was a great character but less relatable

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #19 on: July 12, 2021, 02:06:05 PM »
Rachel McAdams character lecturing her sister for camming after the scene where she pegged that other cop without his consent is a very funny contrast from episode one as well

beatifk

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2021, 02:33:20 AM »
I remember really disliking this season when it first came out which was a bummer because I'm a diehard Tim Riggins fanboy and was thrilled to see him in something else.

I just rewatched the first episode. Vince Vaughn is absolutely awful. What is he trying to do with this acting style? He's like a cartoon villain. Colin Farrell is good though. But Rachel McAdams, there's something about her, that just doesn't work for me. I think it's because she reminds me of that annoying woman from SNL that was in Ghostbusters, in my mind they're the same person even if I know, in fact, that they are not.

I won't continue.

Season 1 was good, but I'd be curious if it holds up to a 2nd viewing. Season 3 was decent for the 2 leads alone, but I have no desire to ever watch it again.

able

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2021, 02:52:37 AM »
A brief taste of Vince Vaughn’s terrible acting in Season 2
https://www.instagram.com/p/6G3pSGMsQM/?utm_medium=copy_link
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childhood

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #22 on: July 13, 2021, 08:59:15 AM »
Season one is seriously one of my favorite seasons of tv ever, I definitely think it still holds up

Rachel McAdams character lecturing her sister for camming after the scene where she pegged that other cop without his consent is a very funny contrast from episode one as well

Oh is that what you think happened there? I always assumed she tried to do some s&m or knifeplay type stuff with him


Episode two starts with an extended Vince Vaughn monologue...great  ::)
I did like the line that was like "Sometimes I think I died in that basement" though

I'm starting to like Taylor Kitsch's character more, but I realized he reminds me of James Hurley from Twin Peaks. Undeniably attractive guy with dark hair, who nonetheless still winds up being boring and uncharismatic, and is weirdly obsessed with his motorcycle.

DaleSr

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #23 on: July 13, 2021, 09:18:16 AM »
Season one is seriously one of my favorite seasons of tv ever, I definitely think it still holds up

Expand Quote
Rachel McAdams character lecturing her sister for camming after the scene where she pegged that other cop without his consent is a very funny contrast from episode one as well
[close]

Oh is that what you think happened there? I always assumed she tried to do some s&m or knifeplay type stuff with him


Episode two starts with an extended Vince Vaughn monologue...great  ::)
I did like the line that was like "Sometimes I think I died in that basement" though

I'm starting to like Taylor Kitsch's character more, but I realized he reminds me of James Hurley from Twin Peaks. Undeniably attractive guy with dark hair, who nonetheless still winds up being boring and uncharismatic, and is weirdly obsessed with his motorcycle.

Yeah from context clues, it seemed like she put something up his butt, but i mean she does love that knife of hers and knife play could certainly be in play

InternetDaddy

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2021, 09:43:07 AM »
A brief taste of Vince Vaughn’s terrible acting in Season 2
https://www.instagram.com/p/6G3pSGMsQM/?utm_medium=copy_link

I hate Vince Vaughn, he definitely hindered my enjoyment of season 2. I remember thinking it sucked when it came out and stopped watching a few episodes in (although I loved that scene where Colin Farrell beats up the bullies dad, lol). I went back and re-watched it last year after going through season 1 again and honestly really enjoyed it. It's way different and that's okay. I think if they had gotten someone besides Vince Vaughn I would have liked it even more, and probably wouldn't have given up on it the first time around.
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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2021, 10:11:33 PM »
It’s a piece of shit. The only defense I can muster is that an HBO exec said it was rushed, which was clear from the sloppily edited trailer and the straight-up-silly writing and acting.

The idea of the highway cities scheme, the story of the kids/killers, Rachel McAdams’s character in general, all had some good stuff, but never expanded beyond good potential. It was a boring first draft of a story.

And a lot of the most characterizing stuff about the season was lifted from other film/tv/art. The Twin-Peaks-style Elvis dream sequence, the Eyes Wide Shut masked orgy, etc. The LA noir story isn’t a new genre, and this one took more than it delivered.

Of course, as mentioned, this is after the tall order of following up season 1, but this wasn’t a Photosynthesis-to-Mind-Field situation. This was more like a post-exodus Alien video where you’re working to take inventory of what you like rather than being blown away by it.

I liked season 3. May have needed the shitcan buffer of season 2 to like it more. Would rather have seen a continuation of the season 1 story or the cult behind it.

Donkey Lips

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #26 on: July 14, 2021, 07:55:12 AM »
I enjoyed season 2, but that was the first I'd seen of True Detective. Missed season 1 when it was originally released. On its own, it was fine. Velcoro was a solid character with interesting faults and I really liked his arc. Vince Vaughn/Frank felt really out of place. You could cut that entire storyline and it probably won't alter much with the story. It felt like somebody in production knew Vince Vaughn and just wrote him into the story after the fact.

Having said that – going back and watching season 1 made me understand why people hated season 2. They're just not even close to the same in terms of pacing and storytelling.

Season 3 was just fantastic. Didn't feel anything like 1, but it was great on its own.

BallDontLie

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2021, 09:01:25 AM »
I think Vince was a producer or helped write it, but i could be totally wrong… but yeah maybe if they had recasted that role… Vince Vaughn will Vince Vaughn

What i liked about 1 and 3 was it focused on two main characters mostly who were more fleshed out. Better pay off at the end IMO.

2 seems to get a little better the more times you watch it. Understanding all the damn storylines.
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Lisa96

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #28 on: July 14, 2021, 09:09:58 AM »
okay i'll smoke a small bowl and listen to Rust wax poetic and then try to remember to respond to a post in this thread

Bunk Moreland

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Re: Rewatching True Detective: Season 2 - A Reappraisal?
« Reply #29 on: July 14, 2021, 09:35:32 PM »
Semi off topic, but I watched Galveston, a movie based off of the book of the same name, written by Pizolotto. Was alright. It was Netflix or hbo I can’t remember.