HBO's True Detective series discussion thread

[PottedMeat]

I don't think they did. If they did, I missed it.

when hart/rust were talking about what they've been doing for the past 10 years - marty said he stayed on 4 years after the fight

 

[Kev]

I didn't realize Hart was no longer a cop. Was that mentioned before this episode?

Kinda implies it when he tells the 2 black detectives "when you get out, stay busy"

 

[Kev]

I was very let down by episode 7 because I expected Rust to show Marty a video of his daughter being assaulted, not the other girl. I thought that was going to be the king in yellow payoff moment that drove marty mad, and setup a screw the law showdown with whatver is left of the cult. I also thought Rust may have already seen it (or something else) and snapped leading to him killing Tuttle...

But like Don Vito said, the ending is shaping up to be a little too straightforward and therefore anticlimatic (after all that heavy symbolism infused dramatic buildup).

I hope I am wrong and shit my pants in surprise at the finale. Marty's daughter is still a loose end, and maybe Rust was lying about his involvement with Tuttle's death...

It's still good TV, but it may fall short of greatness.

I have no problem if there isn't a huge "twist" at the end. Not everything needs to have a twist ending to be good.

As for his daughter, I think she had to have seen a copy of that tape they both watch. I don't think she was actually a victim. She probably found something in her grandfather's house.

 

[Spineshank]

Spoiler

If it was the same guy how the hell would rust not remember the facial scars that are their only clue as to the guys appearance. That seems really odd for him to forget. Also with his having all the evidence I could see him being one of the guys in masks at the end of it all.

When Rust is talking to him at the school he has a beard. So it would cover up the scars.

 

[TwiceOver]

I really hope something happens in the last episode. This reminds me so much of "The Wire" all the buildup and back story forever until nothing happens.

 

[smackababy]

I have no problem if there isn't a huge "twist" at the end. Not everything needs to have a twist ending to be good.

As for his daughter, I think she had to have seen a copy of that tape they both watch. I don't think she was actually a victim. She probably found something in her grandfather's house.

I think the wife's family is related, and they just don't know it. There is still room for a big twist, and with them showing the scar faced man, they are setting it up to be epic. It will either be fantastic or M. Night Shamwow failure.

 

[smackababy]

Spoiler

The more I think about it, the more I believe Hart has some involvement. He is convinced of Rust's innocence before even seeing the tape. He looks for women online. He is known to hook up with the "crazy ones" and never for long. He has a boat (twice as many missing near a bayou). He keeps calling Rust's theories conjecture; he is dismissive about the sprawl. I also think Rust knows, but is trying to eliminate everyone else involved as well, having gone crazy and is merely seeking vengeance against the Yellow King.

 

[TheFamilyMan]

Spoiler

The more I think about it, the more I believe Hart has some involvement. He is convinced of Rust's innocence before even seeing the tape. He looks for women online. He is known to hook up with the "crazy ones" and never for long. He has a boat (twice as many missing near a bayou). He keeps calling Rust's theories conjecture; he is dismissive about the sprawl. I also think Rust knows, but is trying to eliminate everyone else involved as well, having gone crazy and is merely seeking vengeance against the Yellow King.

Spoiler

I don't think Marty is directly involved. Yeah, he may troll for women online, take some easy & crazy skanks here and there, and generally seem to have little regard for women, but I don't think he's involved directly. He just doesn't come off as the 'pagan wear a beast mask & diddle little girls' type. What I think we will find out is that his ex-wife or her family (both blood relatives as well as new in-laws) are involved. I think the daughter on the meds may have seen or been through something, hence the meds.

I think his being convinced of Rust's innocence before seeing the tape is just a confirmation of what he's known for 20+ years now...Rust was a better detective than him. I also think his challenges to Rust's theories as 'conjecture' and how much sprawl this case may actually have are his ways of reaffirming to himself what he already really knows...Rust is right. Marty seems to me to be the type that won't admit someone is right until he is whacked across the noggin with picture/video/confession/etc.

I also don't think Rust suspects Marty or believes Marty has any involvement. I do think he is using Marty to eliminate as many as possible but that's his downfall...he's in a never-ending spiral because he truly believes this thing is so huge while, at the same time, trying to eliminate as many as possible. He has become consumed with the case and it has become his 'white whale'. He's been so affected by it and let it eat at him that he's past justice is completely down the path of seeking vengeance against the Yellow King.

Also, him having a boat doesn't really solidify anything for me. Hell...it's bayou Louisiana...you can't throw a rock without hitting someone that has a boat.

 

[Wingznut]

Just caught up with this series today, and it is freakin' brilliant.

As for whether it ends with a big twist or not, I don't care. Either way, I just hope we're not disappointed.

Did anyone notice that Rust basically said he was going to cash out after solving this case?

 

[zinfamous]

I really hope something happens in the last episode. This reminds me so much of "The Wire" all the buildup and back story forever until nothing happens.

wat?

 

[JumBie]

I need something new and TOP NOTCH to replace Breaking Bad, fingers crossed.

The Wire.

 

[Wingznut]

That six minute continuous shot was so very amazing!

 

[Carson Dyle]

Did anyone notice that Rust basically said he was going to cash out after solving this case?

Yep. Did you catch the song at the end of the same episode? Townes Van Zandt's Lungs.

I think Cohle is living on borrowed time, and that's why he came back to Louisianna to solve the case.

 

[TwiceOver]

wat?

Wat what?

Its been 7 hours of back story at this point. The plotline while good, is hard to follow. Nothing exciting has really happened.

 

[Wingznut]

Wat what?

Its been 7 hours of back story at this point. The plotline while good, is hard to follow. Nothing exciting has really happened.

I have no idea what you would find "exciting", if you don't find this series to be that.

 

[TwiceOver]

I have no idea what you would find "exciting", if you don't find this series to be that.

I guess I just don't "get it". It's a good show, but so far I'm just kinda bored with it. For where we are at, I think it could have all been summed up in 2-3 episodes instead of drawn out into 7.

Maybe it just doesn't keep my attention enough. I'm lost in the story and I constantly turn to my wife asking what/where/who to which she always responds "I don't know", but we are both still engrossed in watching it.

And now that I've typed that I've realized that 7 hours in and I still have no clue what is going on in this show. Ugh, maybe I'll re-watch the whole thing before the final episode.

FWIW I have the same problem with The Walking Dead. The last three seasons could have just not existed as far as I'm concerned. At least now they are moving forward to something.

 

[Wingznut]

For where we are at, I think it could have all been summed up in 2-3 episodes instead of drawn out into 7.

Really, you could sum it all up in 30 minutes. But the beauty of a good drama is all of the interactions along the way... Getting to know all of the intricacies of the people and the circumstances.

You cut all that out and replace it with more action, and you may as well be watching the latest Transformers movie.

 

[TwiceOver]

Really, you could sum it all up in 30 minutes. But the beauty of a good drama is all of the interactions along the way... Getting to know all of the intricacies of the people and the circumstances.

You cut all that out and replace it with more action, and you may as well be watching the latest Transformers movie.

I think the jumping around in time is what is really f'ing with my perception of the show. It doesn't help that they recently jumped forward 7? years which really screwed with me.

 

[Eug]

That six minute continuous shot was so very amazing!

It made me think of Children of Men when I saw it.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Maybe it just doesn't keep my attention enough. I'm lost in the story and I constantly turn to my wife asking what/where/who to which she always responds "I don't know", but we are both still engrossed in watching it.

So you're confused about what's going on, but it captures your attention. So you're complaining about what, exactly?

 

[TwiceOver]

So you're confused about what's going on, but it captures your attention. So you're complaining about what, exactly?

I don't know. And I guess that is my problem. I'm so fucking lost that maybe I have no hope. I had never heard of the Yellow King until the end of EP6 but to Rust and I guess all the Viewers it was a huge part of the plot? I asked my wife, "The Yellow King??" and she (who really likes the show) said "I don't know".

 

[smackababy]

I don't know. And I guess that is my problem. I'm so fucking lost that maybe I have no hope. I had never heard of the Yellow King until the end of EP6 but to Rust and I guess all the Viewers it was a huge part of the plot? I asked my wife, "The Yellow King??" and she (who really likes the show) said "I don't know".

No offense, but this show might not be for you. You have to really be paying attention or your will miss a lot of stuff, like the Yellow King. The story is pretty straight forward IMO, though.

 

[TwiceOver]

No offense, but this show might not be for you. You have to really be paying attention or your will miss a lot of stuff, like the Yellow King. The story is pretty straight forward IMO, though.

None taken. Some shows just aren't right for some people. My attention span after work lately is just gone, so that isn't helping obviously.

 

[zinfamous]

Wat what?

Its been 7 hours of back story at this point. The plotline while good, is hard to follow. Nothing exciting has really happened.

I meant with regards to your saying the same thing about The Wire.

 

[zinfamous]

None taken. Some shows just aren't right for some people. My attention span after work lately is just gone, so that isn't helping obviously.

I think the thing is that with nearly all detective stories, and shows, the cases really are pretty simple, if not a bit obvious in the beginning.

The trick is to show nuance through simple misdirection or even complicated plot structure. When you really look at it, the central plot with True Detective is really quite simple, and in reality would likely be solved rather quickly.

The show focuses on different time periods, however, the nature of false recollections and intentionally misleading narratives--the difference between Cohl/Hart's story and what they really did--the fact that this case and the ability to solve it was simply shut down due to doubt, issues of funding, and simple human stupidity--those chiefs/lieutenants that actually aren't in on the wider plot.

when you piece together the investigation, it really is, perhaps, an hours-worth of content. True Detective is build around narrative, character examination, and story structure. I think it's fair to just write that off as simple trickery, but I don't. :\