True Detective

"I don't sleep; I just dream." It's like if William Faulkner had set one of his crazy nihilist parental characters in the 1990s and made them a central character of an HBO crime drama; in other words, Rust Cole is my new favorite character on TV right now.  That speech he gives to Harrelson's character in the car, that speech...

I agree on the incredible atmosphere, Beema.  This show creeped me the fuck out the way no show in recent memory has managed to do so, and it wasn't even the gruesome stuff (which isn't egregious) that did it, it was realizing how fucked up the characters inhabiting this bleak, comfortless 1995 Louisiana setting are.  Although I'd agree with you that the characters do at this point fit a little too neatly into settled stereotypes.  And some of the episode was pretty predictable.  It came as no shock to me that Cole's daughter was dead, and I too think it's very obvious that Hart is having an affair with attractive-female-character-whom-I'm-going-to-have-to-trust-becomes-more-interesting-than-being-just-a-party-in-a-clandestine-relationship.  I also found few of the reveals in the case itself to be particularly shocking, but on the other hand, I think the episode played well without throwing us any twists that were too batshit insane.  And I trust that the plot will get a hell of a lot more interesting as we go along.  As for the characters themselves, I think they're recognizable tropes, but they're such idiosyncratic variations on those tropes that both Hart and Cole are utterly engrossing every second that they're on the screen, in large part because of how screwed up they are.  But also because Cole's cold, aloof intelligence isn't just a simple reductive "quirky and awkward genius", or "savant on the spectrum" trope, and Hart isn't just "cop who's never at home and having an affair".  There's already a lot more layers to them than that, and those layers seem deeply disturbing and completely at home in this show's aesthetic.

I also enjoyed the religious themes; despite once again playing off of some tropes, whether listening to Cole opine on religion, or squirming at our heroes' indifference on hearing about the vandalism to the African American pastor's church, or enjoying the interaction between Cole and that slimy, menacing Evangelical preacher who's cousin to the governor, that every single moment was fascinating and felt fresh.

So yeah, I'm not usually this full of praise for a show, but I really loved this, and I'm eagerly anticipating the rest of the season.  I'd give this episode an A-, because it was brilliant, but just flawed enough to warrant being significantly remarked upon.

Yeah, I'm pretty stoked to see where it goes from here. I feel like the main characters could have been stereotypes, but Harrelson and McConnaghey, along with the writers, were able to make them interesting and compelling. I'm also a big Michelle Monaghan fan, and not just because she's ridiculously gorgeous, so it's nice to see her on the screen.

What sold me on the series was the dinner at Hart's house. I like how McConnaghey is playing Cole; he's so damaged but he's trying so hard to keep it together. McConnaghey is showing just enough of that struggle to give you an idea of effort Cole is exerting to maintain, and he's doing it without any showiness.

I do think the murder was undercut for me since I watched Hannibal, with its bizarre crime scenes. I'd give the episode a B+. I'd give it a higher score, but I think the show will get even better.

Considering that there's a scene where Woody talks about the various kinds of male stereotypes, I'm really not worried about this show falling into them.

Ask the right fuckin' questions.

Matt, I wanna give you a big mug hug.

Honestly it sound more like an anime title.

Great, now I'm imagining Harrelson dressed up as a magic schoolgirl ala Sailor Moon, and McCanaugeghueheyhey as an emo dope in a spacesuit type thing.

And that wouldn't be a great show how?

Considering just how much of the comments on the show in The Old Country focussed on how Adams' reviews took consideration of the lack of female characters as a focus, I think it's worth noting this:
The first thing we see of Michelle Monaghan, before she says a single word, is her barely-covered ass.

(Yes, I think there's a place for shows which focus on masculinity. And yes, her ass is just delectable. But still worth the reminder, just to see where they go with this.)

I actually gave this 1,000,000 likes, but only one showed up.

THis show
this fucking show

so good

I would be shocked if this turned into a simple "good vs. evil" dichotomy.  The way Christianity itself has been depicted thus far (and in the teaser for next week's episode) usually makes it seem as crazy and cult-like as the fundamentalist characters' perceptions of satanism.  The way that the Christian imagery has been almost inextricably intertwined with Satanic imagery does a lot for this, at least for me, a person who isn't particularly knowledgeable about the Satanism, the occult (or even some of the crazier aspects of Christian fundamentalism), etc. 

That f'ing owl!
I kept waiting for Marty or Rust to comment on it. That thing was so huge and creepy! I feel like I imagined it

I dunno, I certainly don't think people should feel the need to have a child, and if you have some sort of crazy rationale for reproducing like "I want to pass on my superior genes", then that's certainly selfish.  But on the other hand, Rust is also literally a crazy person, and I think most of the people who argue that intentionally having a kid is an act of ego are lacking in the ability to understand that most people just want to have a kid someday, and that that's a completely normal thing (I'm not trying to commit some sort of naturalistic fallacy here, but I don't think I'm doing that by saying that it's normal to want to have kids).  I think that most people who assume that having a kid is an act of ego don't want kids, and don't really understand the mindset of wanting to have kids, so they appropriate this bogus rationale because it seems to them like the only reason they could think of to have kids.  I feel like it's kind of like the "oh, well he went and shot up a bunch of people for the fame and because of violent video games and because kids these days don't have enough Jesus in their lives now that we can't have prayer in public schools" kind of fallacy.  I don't think it should be the expectation that one should have a kid, but apart from certain very religious types I don't think that most people expect people to have kids if they don't want them.  So no, I don't think that wanting to have a kid is an act of ego to any significant extent for most people, and I say this as someone who quite likely will never have kids.  I'm sure there are some people who have kids for selfish reasons, but honestly, I don't see a lot of truth to Rust's claims so much as I see someone with some very eccentric opinions on things.

I'm liking that preacher as being involved. Listen to the sermon: lines like "the stars, and the wind between the stars", "the face you wear is not your own" (or, to put it more King In Yellow, "You, sir, should unmask.")

Rust's monologues continue to straddle the edge of lucidity and awful madness - his stuff on the power of narrative and religion as a virus not a million miles from some of my own perspectives (but I'm not as bleak about it!). Woody's also killing it as a portrayal of male hypocrisy.

I love this show. Two great performances. I'd also like to point out that that Daddario woman is rather fetching; has anyone else noticed?

The only, only problem I'm having is that I can't reconcile 1995 Rust with Rust now. I can't quite pinpoint what it is; maybe that he seems "smarter" in 1995 and Rust Now is more . . . folksy? Rust now almost seems more credible an extension of 1995 Marty. I'm sure it's yet to be covered, but that's it really.