True Detective

This is something special, it has atmosphere that forces the viewer to watch and even though it’s no nerve-racking adventure, it forces you to “turn the page" and keep gulping down the True Detective. Pizzolatto is a cool writer and the stratification into two timelines and their gradual interlinking is a work of mastership. At least so far. The acting duo is a chapter for itself, Harrelson’s Marty is still a regular cop in the best sense, but McConaughey’s Rust is an awesomely twisted bastard. I can’t wait to see the next episode and it’s been a long time since I’ve had that feeling. Season one: Flawless work with characters and the best possible care in terms of screenplay, direction and acting. A light in the darkness, a story that it one of the oldest ever told, but Pizzolatto managed to deliver it freshly and in his own way. The hallucination scenes just go to augment the mysterious, while very realistic atmosphere. Rust is McConaughey’s lifetime’s role and Woody Harrelson certainly doesn’t lag behind. I’m going to miss this pair. No one episode stands out, they all burn with a strong, eternal flame. Season two: Daddy Colin takes the baton and Nic Pizzolatto shows that he has ideas. This case isn’t so dark, but rather ruthlessly realistic. Erring characters, slowly untangling threads and several storylines. The first season was very up front... mainstream. Not this. This is an epicurean performance with the most layered of characters. Spiced with philosophizing about life. Vince Vaughn’s Frank demonstrates the qualities of an actor who spent half his life making faces in comedies, and here he grabs this cool character by the Adam’s apple. The same revitalizing water as McConaughey drank last year. Excellent music. Has to be watched more than once. A sophisticated masterpiece, I’m already looking forward to what Pizzolatto comes up with next time.Season three: Another case separated into three timelines. Pizzolatto already knows that one should not experiment too much and he writes a story more about partnership than cadavers. Two lost kids, lies and money in the leading roles. Ali’s Hayes is brilliantly acted and even better written. A tough guy who wanted nothing and this nothing drove him not to obsession, but to a life that he is slowly but surely forgetting. When the timelines meet it makes for the most powerful moments of the series (the Viet Cong in the bedroom!). Also quality conversations in the car and partner altercations that cut to the quick. For my taste it’s pushed a bit too far into the black, but that seems to be popular these days. The end is realistic again, but this time quite pleasantly. True Detective still means quality that is worth waiting for. (01/13/2014)

Another case branching into three time planes. Pizzolato already knows that just a little experimentation is needed and puts together a story more about partnership than about dead bodies, with lost kids, lies and money playing the lead roles. Ali is great as Hayes and the part is ingeniously written. A tough guy who wanted nothing and that nothing led him not to an obsession, but to a life that he is forgetting, slowly but surely. One of the most powerful moments of the series is when the time planes intersect (Viet Cong in the bedroom!). There’s a return to quality conversations in the car and partner quarrels that cut close to the bone. The ending is realistic, but quite pleasant this time round. True Detective still delivers quality that is worth waiting for. (02/25/2019)

Steve McQueen passed today. Quality plaited by Vietnam. Two sparingly working partners wanting to save effort and memory in the role of unreliable guide on the trail of two missing children. Pizzolato is back on his best form. (01/14/2019)

Mystery in pink... Pizzolato is starting to give answers. "I thought it took God seven days to make the world." "He rested on the seventh." "I always thought he shoulda put the extra day in, instead of half-assin' it." (02/11/2019)

The writing is two levels worse than Pizzolatto. The unsatisfying ending and the stilted linking with the first series are actually more distracting than enjoyable. The creepy atmosphere is solid as well, and the final reveal is quite original. Unfortunately a lot of the motifs are just for show and have no justification other than to create that creepy atmosphere. Too bad. An environmental point driven to awkwardness the moment the creators decide not to reveal what was the cool thing the guys actually found there. Jodie Foster plays an unlikeable wannabe badass, Kali Reis is pretty cool, but those face piercings probably didn’t feel too nice in the freezing cold. The family relationships and trauma were almost useless, and if Night Country had been a movie unrelated to True Detective, they would have done better. I think I'll put Matthew and Woody back on to fix my appetite. (02/19/2024)