True Detective: TV Show Recommendation

[3113]

HBO show on its second episode. Recommend it HIGHLY. Now, understand, I'm pretty jaded by television shows, and when I heard about this one I was really skeptical. Serial killer (been there, done that and that and that...), Louisiana setting (yeah, yeah, "Justified" and several other shows going for that rural setting). Sherlock Holmes-esque partnership (Yawn! Another?)....and starring Woody Harrelson (good but meh) and Matthew McConaughey (never been impressed by his acting before...).

How good could this be?

Incredible. I was blown away. Somehow, they took all those worn tropes we've seen so much of and made them fresh. The setting is both unremittingly bleak, yet stunningly, beautifully photographed so it's like watching a work of art. And the characters are so well drawn, the dialogue just great. (I was delighted to see that the usual "wife" role is not a throw-away-cipher character).

And McConaughey? Not only is he playing one of the most interesting characters on TV, but he's phenomenal. Might or might not be your cup of tea, but it is a brilliantly written, acted and directed show.

 

[Handley_Page]

On our TVs last night was the trailer telling us that "the new season of NCIS" commences next week.
Oh deep joy, after all the (USA only) fuss, on facebook, from CBS.

Should "True Detective" ever make it over here, I'll let you know what the general opinion was!

PS.
I thought "True Detective" was the name of a magazine.

 

[PennLady]

I forgot that was on but want to watch it. Have to catch it On Demand for the first episode, looks like. It looked great and will fill some time before Walking Dead is back. Everything I've read so far has been pretty much a rave.

 

[StrangeLife]

Should "True Detective" ever make it over here, I'll let you know what the general opinion was!

*cough* bittorrent

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I watched the first episode last week. I'm intrigued, but not yet sold. I'll try to catch the second episode tonight or tomorrow.

Is anyone watching Helix on SyFy? That one is pretty good, also, but just as I'm cautiously watching True Detective, I'm also waiting for this one set it itself apart from the rest of the genre. So far, it reminds me of an X-files episode crossed with Resident Evil.

 

[3113]

I thought "True Detective" was the name of a magazine.

It is, and that's the point. They've taken their cue from American Horror Story. Each season will be it's own complete detective story with differing detectives in differing places and times. Just like you'd picked up the magazine. You read one story then go onto the next.

So the writers don't have to hold things back for next season. They don't have to worry about coming up with repetitious crime after crime for these two to solve. It's a very good way to go, I think, and part of what makes this show--already!--so very tight and well written. When writers can concentrate on one season only, making each episode right, well...wow.

 

[HeyAll]

I really liked it. As expected, the quality the writing/directing/acting is very high.

The thing that struck me is how similar it is to the NBC show Hannibal, where you have a serial killer tying people up in satanic looking ways. But that's just how it goes. Sometimes two parties are coincidentally working on the same at the same time, just like here on Lit.

I look forward to the rest of the season.

 

[3113]

Iyou have a serial killer tying people up in satanic looking ways.

This is exactly what I was talking about. It's using a lot of the tropes we've seen before on any number of shows (do you really think Hannibal was the first to have a serial killer with a satanic set up? Among all those CSI—and its copycat--shows, I think I can recall at least seven such). I mean, the Matthew Mc. character is very Sherlock-ish and there's about five current shows starring that type now (not to mention all sorts of past shows like House), and many of them have similar, tragic backgrounds.

But what I find amazing is that while this show checks off boxes that would make us think it just another one of those shows...it's not another one of those shows. Quite a feat given the serial killer/detective story glut of the last ten years. Hannibal included.

 

[sheablue]

I agree, it's really really good. I didn't know it was using the same formula as American Horror Story. That's really great! That means they can get really good actors in there and really intense stories.

 

[3113]

I agree, it's really really good. I didn't know it was using the same formula as American Horror Story. That's really great! That means they can get really good actors in there and really intense stories.

Agreed. I'm not a fan of American Horror Story, myself, but I think the idea of having one season = one story (no continuing characters, setting, etc.) was very clever of them and might be the wave of the future for television. As you say, it allows them to get really good actors with no risk of losing them or their characters (as so many shows do when actors want to leave the series), and focus in on the story rather than on how to keep the series going and going and going. Win-win for writers and viewers.

 

[Porkwarrior]

Meh, after being let down by the first two seasons of The Wire, I'm leery of television recommendations.

I'll put it on the pile.
It is curious, Louisiana seems popular these days (tax incentives?). Wisconsin breeds more serial killers per capita than anywhere else, but I've yet to see a CSI:Green Bay.

 

[PennLady]

Is anyone watching Helix on SyFy? That one is pretty good, also, but just as I'm cautiously watching True Detective, I'm also waiting for this one set it itself apart from the rest of the genre. So far, it reminds me of an X-files episode crossed with Resident Evil.

I just watched the first episode of this today On Demand and will catch eps two and three. (Tomorrow is my birthday and by god, I will be lazy while the kids are in school.) I thought it was pretty good. They kind of threw a lot out, as pilot episodes do, but its enough to make me want to see more.

I thought the cast had pretty good chemistry.

 

[Mello_SixtyNine]

That episode is not going to be erased from my DVR for a long time. There is a fantastic nude scene with Alexandra Daddario. Her all-natural body is ri-goddam-diculous!!! Click below to see the vid in HD:

Link

 

[NekoParks]

HBO show on its second episode. Recommend it HIGHLY. Now, understand, I'm pretty jaded by television shows, and when I heard about this one I was really skeptical. Serial killer (been there, done that and that and that...), Louisiana setting (yeah, yeah, "Justified" and several other shows going for that rural setting). Sherlock Holmes-esque partnership (Yawn! Another?)....and starring Woody Harrelson (good but meh) and Matthew McConaughey (never been impressed by his acting before...).

How good could this be?

Incredible. I was blown away. Somehow, they took all those worn tropes we've seen so much of and made them fresh. The setting is both unremittingly bleak, yet stunningly, beautifully photographed so it's like watching a work of art. And the characters are so well drawn, the dialogue just great. (I was delighted to see that the usual "wife" role is not a throw-away-cipher character).

And McConaughey? Not only is he playing one of the most interesting characters on TV, but he's phenomenal. Might or might not be your cup of tea, but it is a brilliantly written, acted and directed show.

I agree with you about the quality of the show. Started watching True Detective with a jaded POV, but I was quickly intrigued by the depth of writing. Plus the show really understands the unique atmosphere and culture of LA. Some of my family is from New Orleans, so I cringe when a show is set in LA. Usually it's a caricature of the Cajun/Southern culture.

 

[NekoParks]

I just watched the first episode of this today On Demand and will catch eps two and three. (Tomorrow is my birthday and by god, I will be lazy while the kids are in school.) I thought it was pretty good. They kind of threw a lot out, as pilot episodes do, but its enough to make me want to see more.

I thought the cast had pretty good chemistry.

Hey PennLady! Are you and Cruel2B going to resurrect your Game of Thrones thread? I loved reading the comments and links from various posters.

 

[3113]

I cringe when a show is set in LA. Usually it's a caricature of the Cajun/Southern culture.

I understand and I'm not from there, nor have relatives or friends from there But, man, I watch some of these movies/television shows set there and cringe all the same. You can just feel that they're a shameless cartoon.

I'm glad this show is ringing true. I think you know when a setting rings true because even though it has it's own flavor, there's a universality to it; like if the accents were different and the landscape altered, it could be around the corner from you.

 

[3113]

True Detective's "horror" fiction connection: Robert W. Chambers

Apparently, True Detective has been referencing Robert W. Chambers (and not subtly for those who know this author and his works), an obscure writer of detective fiction who edged on horror. His stories strongly influenced H.P. Lovecraft, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman and Robert Heinlein among others.

Check out the article here.

The show is walking the edge of horror and supernatural fiction. Very cool.

 

[PennLady]

Apparently, True Detective has been referencing Robert W. Chambers (and not subtly for those who know this author and his works), an obscure writer of detective fiction who edged on horror. His stories strongly influenced H.P. Lovecraft, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman and Robert Heinlein among others.

Check out the article here.

The show is walking the edge of horror and supernatural fiction. Very cool.

I saw that yesterday and got "The King in Yellow" for my Kindle.

I am so looking forward to tonight's episode. I feel like it at last clicked into gear with the last episode, not so much because of Rust's action bit at the end, but because the viewer is now aware that Marty and Rust are hiding something. We just don't know what, and we don't know if they will continue to do so. Until now, it was all kind of on the up-and-up and now we know there are cracks.

Better set to record, actually.

 

[Tricialen]

I love it...the acting is real....you feel the story....

 

[PennLady]

Hey PennLady! Are you and Cruel2B going to resurrect your Game of Thrones thread? I loved reading the comments and links from various posters.

Wow, missed this. Sorry, Neko. Sure, when GoT is back, I'm sure I'll have stuff to say about it and I hope that site continues doing the episodes as Facebook entries.

 

[PennLady]

So last night's show continued at the same high level as the others. I want the rest of the episodes, right now. I am dying to know what else Hart and Cohle did to cover things up.

 

[Tricialen]

I want to know who the Yellow King is and how he fits in ....it is so creepy....I love it! And Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey are magnificent!

 

[3113]

So last night's show continued at the same high level as the others. I want the rest of the episodes, right now. I am dying to know what else Hart and Cohle did to cover things up.

Oh, my gosh. I LOVED Hart's dramatic description of what happened vs. what we see happen. The way he told it—awesome.

And then there was that moment when he talks about the "good years"...wow—this show has the most amazing writing and acting, but I also have to commend it's direction and cinematography, which is just stunning. It's academy award material if television could win such.

 

[tiny_tits]

I absolutely love this show.

The only criticism is Woody tries too hard with the accent.

 

[PennLady]

I absolutely love this show.

The only criticism is Woody tries too hard with the accent.

I can't say much about the accent, but I found myself kind of fascinated by the way he spoke. It occurred to me that his esses come out like "sh" a lot of the time, as though he's clenching his jaw when he talks. When I consider that to me, Hart is an angrier man than he lets on, it makes sense. To me it's as though he's constantly pushing down his anger, anger at the way things are as opposed to the way he wants them to be.