HBO's True Detective

[indeedproceed]

I'm a fiend for a good story. I always have been. Books, Music, Sports, TV Shows. Anyway you can get it, I'm addicted to storytelling, world-creating. I even write a bit. I don't mind bad stories, I have guilty pleasures. I watch those crappy shows on the SyFy channel, I read terrible, awful fantasy books when I'm bored. If someone would've shown me Dungeons and Dragons as a kid, I probably would've overdosed on it before 20.

But I have maybe never in my life seen a story told so well as HBO does in their show True Detective. Maybe its because it is so clearly right in my wheelhouse. You want complex characters? Try Matthews McConaughey, fresh off powerhouse performances in Mud, Magic Mike, and Dallas Buyer's club, at the height of his powers as an actor, playing the role of Rust Cohle, a brilliant, existential, violent, highly prinicipaled detective with a hell of a backstory. You want more? Try Woody Harrelson, playing the role of Marty Hart, an equally (but differently) complex detective with really amazing thoughts on family, mortality, and the frailty of the present, the illusion of the future.

You want brilliant dialogue? Here's a gem from Rusty, talking about the death of his daughter (part of his backstory):

The hubris it must take to yank a soul out of non existence, into this, meat. And to force a life into this, thresher. Yeah so my daughter, she uh, she spared me the sin of being a father.

You want good ol' punch em up 'I make my own rules' police stuff? They got that, plenty of it in spades.

I could show you one thing the show does amazingly well, better than well...nearly any AV media I've ever seen, a continuous one-shot scene, no cuts, and you'd think it was an action oriented, and amazing:

Warning, spoilers, language, violence ensue. NSFW or kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

But you want a silence of the Lambs creepy procedural? Yeah bro, they got that.

The show is amazing. Best show on TV. BEST. SHOW. ON. TV.

I almost just wish they'd stop, because I don't think they can get better. But they have, every episode, for 5 straight weeks.

 

[bello_man09]

i really enjoyed it...to great actors...

[footey]

Totally agree with you.  I love this series, can't wait for the next episode. Thanks for posting this.

[fairweatherfan]

I've heard good things about the show, but I've only seen one clip of it.  I did watch it a bunch of times though.

[LarBrd33]

Yeah I've been watching it.  It's pretty good.  The guys on the grantland pop culture podcast debate about it pretty frequently.  One guy thinks it's great... another thinks it's overrated schlock.

But I'm entertained by it.   That one-shot was pretty freakin awesome.  I LOVE ambitious stuff like that.  It reminds me of the movies Alfonso Cuaron makes ("Children of Men"/"Gravity").  He does a lot of those extended one-shots that totally make you feel like your part of the film... like you're in the middle of a ride.

My favorite was this scene from Children of Men:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfBSncUspBk

But obviously "Gravity" was pretty full of those as well.

To see someone try and pull off that kind of filmmaking on TV is really exciting.  "TV" is becoming a really great medium for quality storytelling.  It's telling that Woody and Matt were on board with this. 

It should be an interesting show to follow heading forward.  Each season is supposed to focus on a brand new set of characters and stories... which is why Mcconaughey was willing to do this show right in the middle of his budding McConaissance.  He only had to commit to 8 episodes.

[Chief]

I've really enjoyed every episode. What makes me think it is possibly great is the fact 4-5 people I work with find it slow and boring and would prefer to watch the Following on Fox.

[indeedproceed]

I've heard good things about the show, but I've only seen one clip of it.  I did watch it a bunch of times though.

What are you doing right now? Like right now. This second. Is your wife giving birth? Are you performing open heart surgery? If its not one of those things, you've gotta stop now, and watch it. If you don't have HBO, shoot me a PM.

Seriously, right now. Pencil off the next 6 hours of your life to the best thing you'll watch all year (5 hours to catch up, 1 hour to sit in stunned silence as you digest the majesty.

[indeedproceed]

Yeah I've been watching it.  It's pretty good.  The guys on the grantland pop culture podcast debate about it pretty frequently.  One guy thinks it's great... another thinks it's overrated schlock.

But I'm entertained by it.   That one-shot was pretty freakin awesome.  I LOVE ambitious stuff like that.  It reminds me of the movies Alfonso Cuaron makes ("Children of Men"/"Gravity").  He does a lot of those extended one-shots that totally make you feel like your part of the film... like you're in the middle of a ride.

My favorite was this scene from Children of Men:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfBSncUspBk

But obviously "Gravity" was pretty full of those as well.

To see someone try and pull off that kind of filmmaking on TV is really exciting.  "TV" is becoming a really great medium for quality storytelling.  It's telling that Woody and Matt were on board with this. 

It should be an interesting show to follow heading forward.  Each season is supposed to focus on a brand new set of characters and stories... which is why Mcconaughey was willing to do this show right in the middle of his budding McConaissance.  He only had to commit to 8 episodes.

I almost don't wanna look to see what the guys at Grantland say about it, because I like Grantland, but I will end up hating the guy who thinks its crap. It reminds me of people who dismiss Pulp Fiction as over-sensationalized garbage, because they don't get the point. The show is not a true-to-life commentary on American murder investigations. It involves satanic murders, and incredibly unrealistic backstories, and legitimately brilliant detectives who are more obsessed with catching the bad guy than McNulty ever was. Hell you might as well say they're fighting evil.

But man is it good.

[indeedproceed]

I've really enjoyed every episode. What makes me think it is possibly great is the fact 4-5 people I work with find it slow and boring and would prefer to watch the Following on Fox.

You poor guy. You work with people who have terrible taste. I'm sorry man. Probably makes you want to destroy the watercooler, to avoid those conversations.

[indeedproceed]

I've really enjoyed every episode. What makes me think it is possibly great is the fact 4-5 people I work with find it slow and boring and would prefer to watch the Following on Fox.

You poor guy. You work with people who have terrible taste. I'm sorry man. Probably makes you want to destroy the watercooler, to avoid those conversations.

Lol, I meant that to be funny, not snarky, I got caught up. But The Following is so bad. Maybe I'll give it another shot. Maybe it got better. But I watched the first 3 or 4 episodes and I left each one wondering, "WHERE DID THAT GUY FIND THE TIME? HOW MANY HOURS IN JAIL DID THEY LET HIM USE A COMPUTER??"

[fairweatherfan]

I've heard good things about the show, but I've only seen one clip of it.  I did watch it a bunch of times though.

What are you doing right now? Like right now. This second.

I'm wasting time on CB so I can briefly avoid the mountain of work that's going to eat up my next few weeks.   

I am interested though.  I'll probably check it out in March when I have a life again. 

[Jailan34]

I've been watching it since the first episode and it is quickly becoming my second favorite show currently on TV. Really is the golden age of TV right now. Perfect timing too really, Breaking Bad ends, not too much later this show starts. Instant classic.

[LarBrd33]

Yeah I've been watching it.  It's pretty good.  The guys on the grantland pop culture podcast debate about it pretty frequently.  One guy thinks it's great... another thinks it's overrated schlock.

But I'm entertained by it.   That one-shot was pretty freakin awesome.  I LOVE ambitious stuff like that.  It reminds me of the movies Alfonso Cuaron makes ("Children of Men"/"Gravity").  He does a lot of those extended one-shots that totally make you feel like your part of the film... like you're in the middle of a ride.

My favorite was this scene from Children of Men:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfBSncUspBk

But obviously "Gravity" was pretty full of those as well.

To see someone try and pull off that kind of filmmaking on TV is really exciting.  "TV" is becoming a really great medium for quality storytelling.  It's telling that Woody and Matt were on board with this. 

It should be an interesting show to follow heading forward.  Each season is supposed to focus on a brand new set of characters and stories... which is why Mcconaughey was willing to do this show right in the middle of his budding McConaissance.  He only had to commit to 8 episodes.

I almost don't wanna look to see what the guys at Grantland say about it, because I like Grantland, but I will end up hating the guy who thinks its crap. It reminds me of people who dismiss Pulp Fiction as over-sensationalized garbage, because they don't get the point. The show is not a true-to-life commentary on American murder investigations. It involves satanic murders, and incredibly unrealistic backstories, and legitimately brilliant detectives who are more obsessed with catching the bad guy than McNulty ever was. Hell you might as well say they're fighting evil.

But man is it good.

I think the last 3 podcasts they've had some healthy debates about it.  Andy Greenwald was the one who was down on the show.  But he didn't think it was flat out crap... he just felt it wasn't interesting.  He brought up some great points about what he felt were the flaws in the show.  Then they had 2 more podcasts where he basically had to backtrack, because of fan backlash.  Lol.

I really like that podcast, btw.  They both make up some great points about some of my favorite shows. 

[Chief]

I've really enjoyed every episode. What makes me think it is possibly great is the fact 4-5 people I work with find it slow and boring and would prefer to watch the Following on Fox.

You poor guy. You work with people who have terrible taste. I'm sorry man. Probably makes you want to destroy the watercooler, to avoid those conversations.

Lol, I meant that to be funny, not snarky, I got caught up. But The Following is so bad. Maybe I'll give it another shot. Maybe it got better. But I watched the first 3 or 4 episodes and I left each one wondering, "WHERE DID THAT GUY FIND THE TIME? HOW MANY HOURS IN JAIL DID THEY LET HIM USE A COMPUTER??"

No, no, I agree. I love good television, so I don't watch CBS. If you don't know these terms or names, we probably don't watch the same shows:

Mother of Dragons
Yellow King
Brown Coats
Bada Bing
Heisenberg
Barksdale
The Gem Saloon
Art Vandelay
Drama and Turtle

[indeedproceed]

Yeah I've been watching it.  It's pretty good.  The guys on the grantland pop culture podcast debate about it pretty frequently.  One guy thinks it's great... another thinks it's overrated schlock.

But I'm entertained by it.   That one-shot was pretty freakin awesome.  I LOVE ambitious stuff like that.  It reminds me of the movies Alfonso Cuaron makes ("Children of Men"/"Gravity").  He does a lot of those extended one-shots that totally make you feel like your part of the film... like you're in the middle of a ride.

My favorite was this scene from Children of Men:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfBSncUspBk

But obviously "Gravity" was pretty full of those as well.

To see someone try and pull off that kind of filmmaking on TV is really exciting.  "TV" is becoming a really great medium for quality storytelling.  It's telling that Woody and Matt were on board with this. 

It should be an interesting show to follow heading forward.  Each season is supposed to focus on a brand new set of characters and stories... which is why Mcconaughey was willing to do this show right in the middle of his budding McConaissance.  He only had to commit to 8 episodes.

I almost don't wanna look to see what the guys at Grantland say about it, because I like Grantland, but I will end up hating the guy who thinks its crap. It reminds me of people who dismiss Pulp Fiction as over-sensationalized garbage, because they don't get the point. The show is not a true-to-life commentary on American murder investigations. It involves satanic murders, and incredibly unrealistic backstories, and legitimately brilliant detectives who are more obsessed with catching the bad guy than McNulty ever was. Hell you might as well say they're fighting evil.

But man is it good.

I think the last 3 podcasts they've had some healthy debates about it.  Andy Greenwald was the one who was down on the show.  But he didn't think it was flat out crap... he just felt it wasn't interesting.  He brought up some great points about what he felt were the flaws in the show.  Then they had 2 more podcasts where he basically had to backtrack, because of fan backlash.  Lol.

I really like that podcast, btw.  They both make up some great points about some of my favorite shows.

I listened or watched something on Grantland where they just took apart the Showtime Liev Schreiber show. I had liked it before then. Not loved it, but I was entertained by it. I could not watch it after I watched the thing on Grantland.

It was kind of like the first time I saw Green St Hooligans, and recommended it to all my friends (they all loved it), but then read a piece that said the movie was basically a thinly veiled gay love triangle between Frodo, the guy from that biker show, and another british actor I couldn't recognize. Suddenly, I couldnt' see anything else in the movie when I rewatched it..the longing looks between the guys, the clearly jealous jilted 'friend'..then it just seemed silly.