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True Detective |Season 3| OT

Manus

Member
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So season three premiered this past Sunday with the first two episodes. Anyone else watch? I thought they were fantastic. So much better than season two. Mahershala Ali is just amazing in this and should definitely win something for it.
 

mutt765

Member
I've never watched this show but I'm interested. it looks like its different characters every season so can it be watched in any order? In other words, can I watch season 3 without watching 1 and 2 and not miss anything or are they connected somehow?
 

GoldenEye98

posts news as their odd job
I liked it. It feels like it is taking the best parts of season one while dropping the excessive nihilistic tones (which for me become a bit overdone in season 2).
 

augmental

Member
I've never watched this show but I'm interested. it looks like its different characters every season so can it be watched in any order? In other words, can I watch season 3 without watching 1 and 2 and not miss anything or are they connected somehow?

You don't have to watch the prior seasons as far as I know. If there is any connection between them, I would think it would be S1 and this new S3. The
use of the dolls
so far in S3 reminds me of S1
 

kbear

Member
This will probably get me to subscribe to HBO NOW.

Same here, HBO NOW is great, including the apps on consoles. I’ll be subbing for a couple months when GoT airs in April as well. Can’t recommend that service enough.
 
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Airola

Member
Not sure if I'm going to watch this season.

I got HBO Nordic because of the True Detective hype and was severely disappointed with the first season. Still have HBO though :D

The second season wasn't great either but I liked it more than the first season and when I read criticism for the 2nd season I just thought people are kinda criticizing it for the same reasons I didn't like the 1st season. For me the second season had most of the same problems the first season had but at least the situations were much more interesting and entertaining. Plot-wise the first season was a snorefest. Got a bit interesting somewhere around the fifth episode but the last episode was really really bad (except for the final scene which was amazing).
 

black_13

Banned
Didn't even know this was out, thanks. Loved season 1 but 2 a still enjoyable. And Mahershala Ali is great in everything
 

jonnyp

Member
Not sure if I'm going to watch this season.

I got HBO Nordic because of the True Detective hype and was severely disappointed with the first season. Still have HBO though :D

The second season wasn't great either but I liked it more than the first season and when I read criticism for the 2nd season I just thought people are kinda criticizing it for the same reasons I didn't like the 1st season. For me the second season had most of the same problems the first season had but at least the situations were much more interesting and entertaining. Plot-wise the first season was a snorefest. Got a bit interesting somewhere around the fifth episode but the last episode was really really bad (except for the final scene which was amazing).

The 1st season is amazing TV. The 2nd season is absolute crap.
 

Airola

Member
The 1st season is amazing TV. The 2nd season is absolute crap.

The first season was really corny for my taste (especially the present day Rust scenes were hyper corny - except the absolute final scene in the series which was fantastic - too bad most of the final episode was straight from some mid-tier cliched tv thriller that was more anticlimactic than anything). The first episode didn't have much going on in it but I had hopes for the next episode as the first episode ended with this semi-cliffhanger with the "now let's start to ask the real questions" line, or whatever he said. But then the second episode was just as eventless as the first had been and it didn't get much better in the next episodes either. I don't have anything against deliberate slowness and going with slow pace, but the slow stuff should be interesting too. And no, the overacted underacting of McGonaughey didn't make it interesting at all.

I had really high hopes for the series and maybe my high expectations was part of the reason why it ultimately disappointed me.

I wonder if Season 3 has more interesting plotlines though. The second did better than the first season in that area so maybe the third one does even better.
 

kbear

Member
Absolutely loved tonight’s episode (#5). The scene at the end with Ali and Dorff was phenomenal; acting, writing, everything. The show is really coming into its own now after the last couple of episodes. Hopefully more people give it a look.
 
Im about to watch the 5th episode but i love the name of the episode: "If you have ghosts" . I recognized it as soon as I read it. A Roky Ericson song, covered by the band Ghost:



I will assume one of the 2 versions is in the episode.
 
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kbear

Member
AeonGaidenRaiden AeonGaidenRaiden
Post what you think after, and the end scene with Wayne & Roland.

I feel like the season 2 disaster made people wary of 3 and it’s not getting the hype it deserves, also the long layoff. Then there’s all the timelines that could confuse viewers. The plot isn’t as straightforward as season 1 but it’s rewarding, IMO.
 
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AeonGaidenRaiden AeonGaidenRaiden
Post what you think after, and the end scene with Wayne & Roland.

I feel like the season 2 disaster made people wary of 3 and it’s not getting the hype it deserves, also the long layoff. Then there’s all the timelines that could confuse viewers. The plot isn’t as straightforward as season 1 but it’s rewarding, IMO.

They at least made the characters look different enough in each arc so it isnt too tough to figure out, thankfully

I’m digging season 5 so far. I was definitely a bit weary after the train wreck of season 2
 
i think im about halfway or slightly more through... its pretty good. though so far its not dramatic enough for me. i dont have that much care for any of the relationships really. Ali is doing a great acting job, but i think the writing/storytelling is pretty weak. also, the time hopping isnt as effective as season 1. feels too much. also seems like they are trying to recreate the magic of season 1, but with a racial element forced in and the case kinda taking a backseat role. factor in the whole wife story and the vet story. something just not connecting for me. maybe i'm missing tying elements as ive started to second screen during viewings. it just isn't coming together as strongly in my opinion. I want more time spent on the crime solving. every time the wife or son/videographer shows up I just expect its gonna be a slog for the next 10 minutes. its probable i feel this way though because i begin to zone out when these scenes go on for too long without getting much accomplished, so maybe i miss things...though I dont feel I do, other than building more of a connection to the characters?

even though a lot less scene time, i do feel for the Native American dude more though. im very empathetic whenever his scenes come on. in fact I feel more for him as a vet than I do for Ali.

will ride it through though. really want to know all the answers about the girl.
 
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AeonGaidenRaiden AeonGaidenRaiden
Post what you think after, and the end scene with Wayne & Roland.

I feel like the season 2 disaster made people wary of 3 and it’s not getting the hype it deserves, also the long layoff. Then there’s all the timelines that could confuse viewers. The plot isn’t as straightforward as season 1 but it’s rewarding, IMO.

Great episode, especially the emotional ending. Ready for some kick ass :D I agree...True Detective is the slow but creepy tone, kinda like Twin Peaks back in the day. Season two lost its identify, i watched the whole thing but it was a very...non true detective season. The first season set up the tone perfectly.

P.S. no song :(
 

kbear

Member
Let me just add the makeup is absolutely peerless, even in hd. At the very least the show is gonna win every golden globe related to makeup and costumes, it’s just amazing how real they made it look. Add to that the fact that it wasn’t just 70 yo guy makeup, they had to do this for multiple timeframes and make it distinguishable while retaining the realism. Just a phenomenal job there, can’t imagine how long that shit took.
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
Not feeling this season and concur with ThatStupidLion ThatStupidLion . It's fundamentally not very dramatic. The characters don't have strong motivations or conflicts or interesting philosophical perspectives. The time skipping, while impressive in terms of makeup and effects, doesn't aid the narrative, in stark contrast to the brilliant structure of Season 1.

The press is calling this season a return to form, but I see it as far weaker than either S1 or S2. I watched S2 for the first time recently, divorced from all the post-S1 hype, and thought it stood on its own very well. S2 explores interpersonal themes beautifully, the barriers we put up and the traumas we hold inside, how it shapes the paths we take in life.

Here in S3, Hayes essentially has no internal conflict, and neither does his partner. He's totally unconcerned with his tours in 'Nam and at peace with it all, nothing haunts him, and even this big mystery case file seems more like a passion project than something that consumed him. Hell, his wife is more obsessed with it than he is. There's just his Alzheimer's plot device, which has not had much tangible impact on anything so far. For a stoic loner LRRP Vietnam vet who wanders around in the woods following tracks, Hayes is so...vanilla.

A lot of people complained about S2 not being True Detective, but this season's the one that has lost its mojo as far as I'm concerned.
 
Yeah it's definetely weaker than S1. But it's also miles better than S2, so I guess it's okay? I like it so far, really curious to know wtf happened to the girl and who killed the boy.
 

DiscoJer

Member
I'm really enjoying it. I didn't watch the first two seasons, only watching this because of the D&D link (they made a couple of fake D&D books for the show)

With that said, I don't really like the relationship between Hays and his wife. It's more boring than anything else. OTOH, between Hays and his partner is very well done (never realized Dorrf could act) and the mystery is interesting.
 
I've only seen the 1st episode of this new season. So far it's off to a very flaccid start compared to previous seasons. I find it hard to care about anything happening on screen. This one episode felt like a 3 hour documentary. It would never end. Bad pacing and structure imo.

I will give another 2 episodes a go before I make a final verdict.
 

kbear

Member
I’ve enjoyed S3 far more than S2, but S1 is in a league of its own. With that said, my only concern for this season, and it’s a huge concern, is if two episodes is enough to wrap things up. The quality of these last two eps is gonna make or break the season as everything has been building up to a tremendous finale.
 

GoldenEye98

posts news as their odd job
I’ve enjoyed S3 far more than S2, but S1 is in a league of its own. With that said, my only concern for this season, and it’s a huge concern, is if two episodes is enough to wrap things up. The quality of these last two eps is gonna make or break the season as everything has been building up to a tremendous finale.

Curious what the runtime of the last 2 episodes are...that might give an indication of how this goes..
 

kbear

Member
The last episode was great. Beautifully acted, shot, and written. With that said, I’m still left wondering if one more ep is enough to tie this all together. This season’s an 8/10 for me right now but it would go down to a 5 or 6 if the finale is shit.
 

KOMANI

KOMANI
Did anyone catch that the “inside the episode” for the season finale used a tune from The Last of Us?
 

DiscoJer

Member
Well that was an underwhelming sort of ending.......no grand conspiracies.....just someone fucked up

I went and watched all of Season One (which I had no seen before Season 3). And honestly, that was my complaint with Season One as well.

It builds up to some grand conspiracy, with mystical weirdness (the King in Yellow stuff), and it's
just some inbred weirdo. Which doesn't even make sense of the whole conspiracy and police pressure to close the case.
 
yeah ...well i guess it gave everyone closure but when you think about it
The dude they beat the shit out of and shot and killed really didn't do anything wrong...unless i missed something..it was never confirmed he killed the mother as she was already fucked up
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
"We got an ending, I guess."

Yeah. I guess.

What a dull, ponderous story, and a flaccid denouement.
 

Kadayi

Banned
It kind of played out how I figured a while back. I enjoyed the performances and the film making, but I'm not sure the actual story was worth it.
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
yeah ...well i guess it gave everyone closure but when you think about it
The dude they beat the shit out of and shot and killed really didn't do anything wrong...unless i missed something..it was never confirmed he killed the mother as she was already fucked up

He killed the father when he discovered the daughter's secret room and made it look like a suicide. We can assume he was involved in the mother's demise too, since he paid her off for the kidnapping and she remained a loose end.

Edit:
He framed the Vietnam vet by planting the backpack in his house, too.
 
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mekes

Member
The leads were great, I can’t fault them at all. But man was the season a hard watch. Pizza man is definitely a one season wonder so far. I now hope CJF writes the next season.
 

vpance

Member
I thought it was alright. Part of me liked the fact it turned out be something relatively basic on the sinister scale. I felt the acting and general direction made it a decent watch. And the time jumping always makes something a little more interesting than it actually is.

I was impressed by the old guy make up too, lol. Pretty convincing.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Lets be honest, it just wasn't very good.

It was a meandering, mumbly, shaggy-dog story with characters that weren't charismatic or compelling enough to carry interest.
The interwoven multiple time-lines added nothing, they simply ensured that there was absolutely zero tension to any of the set-pieces because we already knew the protagonists were going to get through just fine.
 

Airola

Member
Lets be honest, it just wasn't very good.

It was a meandering, mumbly, shaggy-dog story with characters that weren't charismatic or compelling enough to carry interest.
The interwoven multiple time-lines added nothing, they simply ensured that there was absolutely zero tension to any of the set-pieces because we already knew the protagonists were going to get through just fine.

It's been like that since the first season though. I'm not getting how people didn't see that back then.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
It's been like that since the first season though. I'm not getting how people didn't see that back then.

Well the first season was anchored by two powerhouse acting turns, and the whole series had a lot more atmosphere and mystery to it all. I really liked S1, second season started decently enough but turned to pure shit by the end, but the 3rd season barely held my interest throughout. I kinda think the high-points of S2 were higher than S3, because the whole run was basically flat.
 
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