The second season was probably the worst TV I have been forced to sit through. Blue ball in my heart and all.

HBO actually did a third season, wife insisted we watch, and... it is really good so far.

There was some discussion a while back about the show, so I thought I would drop by with an update, and leave you guys to your back and forth on Trump.

I've personally stopped watching American Detective shows, finding English language shows from Canada. Australia, NZ, Scotland, Wales, and England more entertaining. I find less high tech and high violence to make better viewing. In other words, Acorn and Britbox versus HBO. I even watched four different Scandinavian mysteries, not even bothered by subtitles. Just so different. There was a French series that was closest to an American style, even had Donald Sutherland. but it didn't last long.

He's mining the same ground as 1. Flawed but virtuous detectives encounter unspeakable horror in the gothic Southern landscape. I'm still watching though, and Cassandra Wilson's version of the old Son House standard, Death Letter, is perfect.

Got a letter this morning

What d'you reckon it read

Hurry hurry

The man you love is dead.

I have watched all of True Detective. Always fine acting but I find that the deliberate pacing is either because of pretentiousness or a great way to reduce scene writing and editing by two thirds.* I agree the English do it better. I consider Bodyguard and Unforgotten A+ efforts. I have to admit, however, that I am enjoying Bosch and it's The Wire alumni.

*I concede that my review of TD may itself be pretentious.

bearister said:

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I have watched all of True Detective. Always fine acting but I find that the deliberate pacing is either because of pretentiousness or a great way to reduce scene writing and editing by two thirds.* I agree the English do it better. I consider Bodyguard and Unforgotten A+ efforts. I have to admit, however, that I am enjoying Bosch and it's The Wire alumni.

*I concede that my review of TD may itself be pretentious.

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The Wire is like Homicide and some other shows where the cast becomes legendary, and one way to get us to watch is to cast former Wire alums. Bosch also is a favorite, a lot owing to Michael Connelly's realistic plotting (he was on the LA Crime Beat for the LA Times for years). I agree with you about the pacing. Its aggravating, but also allows you to come up with all sorts of questions about what is happening because the plot moves so damn slow at times. Also agree about the acting. Ali and Dorf are knocking out of the park.

Season 2 felt like a rush job and a first-draft script with A-list actors in it.

Season 3 much better so far.

Question: True Detective prides itself on gritty realism. That being the case, why in God's name do they have Stephen Dorff wearing that $50 fright wig? It is so distracting to me that I can concentrate on little else and I am missing plot points.

bearister said:

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Question: True Detective prides itself on gritty realism. That being the case, why in God's name do they have Stephen Dorff wearing that $50 fright wig? It is so distracting to me that I can concentrate on little else and I am missing plot points.

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The wigs weren't that great in Season 1 either.

https://www.dmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2015/03/10-best-townes-van-zandt-songs-ahead-of-hometownes-fest-fort-worth/

The Berkeley-raised Cary ***unaga was revealed to be the true genius of True Detective after directing Season 1.

The Berkeley-raised Mahershala Ali is supposedly good in Season 3, but creator Nic Pizzolatto had help from NYPD Blue co-creator and Deadwood creator David Milch.