True Detective

[Stakesarehigh]

Interesting twist at the end. I thought it seemed too neatly tied up at first. Not as good as the first season, but much better than that season 2 abortion.

I liked the season but hated the ending. A slow burn and hints at a larger pedo ring that turned out to be nothing. Smokey eyed black guy just tells us what happened in the end. No show down with Hoyt. No consequences for them murdering an ex cop.

Overall the weakest story of the three seasons and my god the marriage drama was offensive to my time as a viewer.

Season two had promise but it was a convoluted mess. I still can't explain it with any kind of accuracy

Agreed on the wife bit. Her having something to do with the girl missing would've been a payoff instead of it really just being about him playing through why he made the choices he did for her. That wasn't a big mystery. Men make decisions for the women they love all the time. We don't need all that screen time to understand that.

Thought Ali was great as was Dorff. That's what made season 1 was the relationship between the partners. And season 2 was a little quirky. Not saying season 4 has to follow the partner line but it's probably a good formula.

Just give us a little deeper ending at least once lol

 

[richig07]

I was so excited for this season of True Detective after the first few episodes. I couldn't wait to see all the twists and turns that the mystery would take.

Then, it kind of just plateau'd and coasted slowly to a finish from there. The story went in circles and never came close to anything that could be considered a "peak". The finale was just... uneventful.

I can't believe how much of our time was wasted by the marriage drama. To call it circular and/or redundant is a massive understatement.

I feel like I have blue balls. I kept believing that the NEXT episode had to be the one where we finally turned a corner and it never came.

It still beats the season 2 mess... but I view it as a missed opportunity. Ali and Dorff were great. As was the initial setup and some other moments.

 

[richig07]

I’m convinced that entire season needed Amelia (hays wife) cut out

I would say she should have been nothing more than a total side character, with no great importance to the plot. My goodness, did her scenes just drag ON... AND ON.

 

[Clayton]

I liked the season but hated the ending. A slow burn and hints at a larger pedo ring that turned out to be nothing. Smokey eyed black guy just tells us what happened in the end. No show down with Hoyt. No consequences for them murdering an ex cop.

Overall the weakest story of the three seasons and my god the marriage drama was offensive to my time as a viewer.

I pretty strongly disagree with this. The characters in season two were so bad that I only made it two episodes in.

I also liked the final episode of season 3 quite a bit.

 

[Proud_Okie]

I would say she should have been nothing more than a total side character, with no great importance to the plot. My goodness, did her scenes just drag ON... AND ON.

This. I was almost rooting for something bad to happen to her.

 

[OregonDucks]

It was good, not nearly as good as season 1. I had hopes when they mentioned season 1 guys there may have been a cameo of sorts, or somehow those crimes from season 1 was connected to the crimes in season 3....

Anyways, about the marriage drama throughout the season. Agree with what most have posted about, it was just blah, also he makes this enormously large career sacrifice for her, but afterward there never seemed to be any love between the two, she never seemed to appreciate the sacrifice he made for her and he never really expressed great love toward her as he continued to be a jerk in their relationship, but yet he makes this huge career move when they are just dating? I thought after hearing that we were going to find out their relationship got better, but it never seemed to be a happy relationship.

Also, they never talked about how the wife died? Maybe I missed it? But I was left wondering if she was a casualty of Hoyt? But then again, we never hear anything more about Hoyt after he makes the threat to Wayne....He just, disappears...

Then comes the ending. There's some speculation that Wayne's memory came to when he drank the glass of water and he knew then who Julie was and her daughter and he knew where he was. But kept the story untold as to not stir up what Julie had now. But regardless, doesn't he owe this outcome to his partner who really got screwed by this entire investigation, mostly due to Wayne's persistence?

And then Wayne's son grabbing the piece of paper of Julie's address at the end. Are we to think he took it to further the investigation? He took it to give to the female reporter who was interviewing Wayne?

I don't know, it was a good season, way better than season 2, but nowhere near the level of season 1. Felt like there was a little pay off in the end, but lots of questions left unanswered and some major holes never filled.

 

[Clayton]

It was good, not nearly as good as season 1. I had hopes when they mentioned season 1 guys there may have been a cameo of sorts, or somehow those crimes from season 1 was connected to the crimes in season 3....

Anyways, about the marriage drama throughout the season. Agree with what most have posted about, it was just blah, also he makes this enormously large career sacrifice for her, but afterward there never seemed to be any love between the two, she never seemed to appreciate the sacrifice he made for her and he never really expressed great love toward her as he continued to be a jerk in their relationship, but yet he makes this huge career move when they are just dating? I thought after hearing that we were going to find out their relationship got better, but it never seemed to be a happy relationship.

Also, they never talked about how the wife died? Maybe I missed it? But I was left wondering if she was a casualty of Hoyt? But then again, we never hear anything more about Hoyt after he makes the threat to Wayne....He just, disappears...

Then comes the ending. There's some speculation that Wayne's memory came to when he drank the glass of water and he knew then who Julie was and her daughter and he knew where he was. But kept the story untold as to not stir up what Julie had now. But regardless, doesn't he owe this outcome to his partner who really got screwed by this entire investigation, mostly due to Wayne's persistence?

And then Wayne's son grabbing the piece of paper of Julie's address at the end. Are we to think he took it to further the investigation? He took it to give to the female reporter who was interviewing Wayne?

I don't know, it was a good season, way better than season 2, but nowhere near the level of season 1. Felt like there was a little pay off in the end, but lots of questions left unanswered and some major holes never filled.

A lot of this speaks to Wayne as a person. He is a very flawed and confused man.

The whole season gives off a vibe that we're all helpless in the grand scheme of things. Even the happy ending is tainted with loose ends. I generally think the main thrust of this season is that if you actually did a study on most people you would find out that they're very disappointing.

 

[OregonDucks]

A lot of this speaks to Wayne as a person. He is a very flawed and confused man.

The whole season gives off a vibe that we're all helpless in the grand scheme of things. Even the happy ending is tainted with loose ends. I generally think the main thrust of this season is that if you actually did a study on most people you would find out that they're very disappointing.

That's deep, I don't know if they meant it that deep, I see them trying to focus more on the storyline and outcome than they do overall character development like that.

Like season 1 both characters were likeable, ended up being dirty, but likeable because their actions were for good. I never felt that attached to Wayne or even West like I did the detectives in season 1. There were times where I was ready to fully embrace Wayne and West, but then they'd never quiet wrap it up to get there.

 

[Breed]

I am the only person on planet earth who thinks the best True Detective was with Colin Farrell

Buck up, homey. There's gotta be at least 1 more gay guy on the planet that feels like you.

As for the rest of us. Yeah, even the show's creator thinks so. Why The 'True Detective' Creator Promises Season 3 Is "So Much Better" Than Season 2

For real though. Season 2 had too much going on, but overall I liked it. The best thing about season 2 imo was Farrell playing against type. Rachel Wiesz(sp) was tight as well and while he was OK. Vince Vaughn playing againt type didn't pull it off as well as Farrell did.

 

[Clayton]

That's deep, I don't know if they meant it that deep, I see them trying to focus more on the storyline and outcome than they do overall character development like that.

Like season 1 both characters were likeable, ended up being dirty, but likeable because their actions were for good. I never felt that attached to Wayne or even West like I did the detectives in season 1. There were times where I was ready to fully embrace Wayne and West, but then they'd never quiet wrap it up to get there.

Nah, I think the intent of season 3 was character development. They gave more plot details on one scene in the last episode with 'black guy with the eye' then they did in multiple episodes.

Season 1 has a couple of advantages when compared to season 3. The interview structure of season 1 really toys with your perception of Matthew McConaughey's character and they really just get nuts with his character in ways that season 3 never attempts.

 

[Breed]

A lot of this speaks to Wayne as a person. He is a very flawed and confused man.

Yeah, she nailed it when she said he limited himself. And she was the best detective in season 3.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

A lot of this speaks to Wayne as a person. He is a very flawed and confused man.

The whole season gives off a vibe that we're all helpless in the grand scheme of things. Even the happy ending is tainted with loose ends. I generally think the main thrust of this season is that if you actually did a study on most people you would find out that they're very disappointing.

that would be fine if it was a whole series where we got to like or dislike the characters... But in an anthology series where we get only a few episodes to learn about a character, we need some sort of payoff...

 

[OregonDucks]

Nah, I think the intent of season 3 was character development. They gave more plot details on one scene in the last episode with 'black guy with the eye' then they did in multiple episodes.

Season 1 has a couple of advantages when compared to season 3. The interview structure of season 1 really toys with your perception of Matthew McConaughey's character and they really just get nuts with his character in ways that season 3 never attempts.

Good thoughts, and I guess they hit what they aimed if they wanted to get the point across that people are all flawed and disappointed if you study them, because I didn't leave that season thinking I really felt good about anyone involved.

 

[Clayton]

that would be fine if it was a whole series where we got to like or dislike the characters... But in an anthology series where we get only a few episodes to learn about a character, we need some sort of payoff...

Which characters do you feel were undeveloped or underdeveloped?

I thought it was good but i am getting the impression that a lot of people were expecting more.

 

[Proud_Okie]

Which characters do you feel were undeveloped?

Hayes' daughter. It felt like the show kept alluding to her absence would mean something, but it didn't.

 

[OregonDucks]

Which characters do you feel were undeveloped or underdeveloped?

I thought it was good but i am getting the impression that a lot of people were expecting more.

Wayne's daughter - they in fact never even remotely told her story. There was at one point Wayne's son gets upset at the dinner table when Wayne brings up his daughter, but we don't really see or hear from her until the final episode and even then there is no story there.

Amelia after 1990 - We don't hear anything about her death, we don't know what happens to her other than she decides to get back into teaching and ditch her second book. Why did she ditch her second book? We assume it was because of Hoyt's threats, but she becomes completely uninvolved with the storyline after 1990. For a show that is so focused on character development, the main characters best Wayne, West and Amelia, they never seem to touch more on Wayne and Amelia's relationship after 1990 and again we don't know Amelia's final outcome. Their relationship was so distant that I thought maybe she wasn't dead and they had just divorced.

West - What was he doing from 1990-2015? He had a girlfriend at one point and bought a house. In 2015 he's suddenly living out in a remote location with a dozen dogs and alone.

Hoyt - Enormous character in the entire plot, he comes across as a very powerful man and a very threatening man, I mean the guy is threatening a detective and his family and even goes to the length that had they never showed an older Wayne in 2015, I would have been on the edge of my seat when Hoyt takes Wayne out into the woods wondering what was going to happen. Then Hoyt suddenly just disappears form the storyline. Also, does he die? what happened to him from 90-2015?

Wayne's son - Hardly any character development on him, other than he is present during the interviews with the reporter and he cheats on his wife with the reporter.

These are things why I think they may not have meant for the season to be all about character development, because they are great writers and I think they would have filled in some of these character holes and gaps.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I’ll say, it was painfully obvious what was going on the moment Hayes and West ran into Mike and Lucy.

Didn’t really need the dream like reveal

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Which characters do you feel were undeveloped or underdeveloped?

I thought it was good but i am getting the impression that a lot of people were expecting more.

I’ll say, it was painfully obvious what was going on the moment Hayes and West ran into Mike and Lucy.

Didn’t really need the dream like reveal

Hear out this theory, and it kind of explains your comment Hockey...

what if the whole season was being told by the 2015 version of Detective Hayes... he is/was losing his memories... and all the flashbacks were his memories... which explains why the whole season was jumbled...

what if, the wife discovered ALL the secrets already, and told her husband... this explains the dream like reveal... and even perhaps why the son looks at the address at the end the way he did... and the wife told him to forget it, to protect them... Maybe that is what drove them apart finally...

other things that may confirm my theory

1. Why the wife's story just disappears
2. The coincidence of Detective hayes just forgetting what he was doing once he got to the house
3. the constant feeling that Hayes knows too much...
4. the final scene of the season, where Hayes goes into the woods, was that inferring that his memories are know all done.
5. the incomplete stories of EVERY character besides Hayes
6. Why Hayes was in EVERY scene of the series...

 

[OregonDucks]

Hear out this theory, and it kind of explains your comment Hockey...

what if the whole season was being told by the 2015 version of Detective Hayes... he is/was losing his memories... and all the flashbacks were his memories... which explains why the whole season was jumbled...

what if, the wife discovered ALL the secrets already, and told her husband... this explains the dream like reveal... and even perhaps why the son looks at the address at the end the way he did... and the wife told him to forget it, to protect them... Maybe that is what drove them apart finally...

other things that may confirm my theory

1. Why the wife's story just disappears
2. The coincidence of Detective hayes just forgetting what he was doing once he got to the house
3. the constant feeling that Hayes knows too much...
4. the final scene of the season, where Hayes goes into the woods, was that inferring that his memories are know all done.
5. the incomplete stories of EVERY character besides Hayes
6. Why Hayes was in EVERY scene of the series...

really good theory, the only hole in that, even if it is from the perspective of 2015 Hayes, is West would have probably been told this within that 25 year gap, so it doesn't make sense for his return and reinvestigation into the whole thing in 2015. Unless you are saying West involvement in 2015 was just a matter of Hayes' memory?

 

[MilkSpiller22]

really good theory, the only hole in that, even if it is from the perspective of 2015 Hayes, is West would have probably been told this within that 25 year gap, so it doesn't make sense for his return and reinvestigation into the whole thing in 2015. Unless you are saying West involvement in 2015 was just a matter of Hayes' memory?

in my theory West doesn't know the truth... The wife made wayne keep the secret even from his partner... and that could have been what drove everyone away from eachother...