True Detective season 3

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**Nightlord1987**

So, True Detective is back on HBO. The first season was amazing, and gave us Woody and Matt at their best. The show was very creepy, even after a second viewing.

Season 2 was very different. I enjoy cop stories and gangster movies so I still enjoyed it, but it didnt have the same ambiance as the first. It seemed more like The Wire than True Detective. Vince Vaugn was as much Vince as woody is woody and mat mcaugnahey is Matt. Entertaining, but he didnt carry the same presence.

Season 3 seems to have gone back to the unsettling mystery that you got from season 1. I've enjoyed the first 2 episodes so far and cant wait to see what unfolds.

**Ouze**

I haven't yet watched these as I want to make sure that I don't need to have watched season 2 of this - I thought season one was pretty neat, but I heard season 2 was pretty bad so avoided it.

So, watching this thread with interest.

**nels1031**

Yeah, this season is pretty damn good. The focus is mainly on just the 2 detectives, and 90% of that on Mahershala Ali’s character is a welcome change from the ridiculous overcrowding of season 2.

With that said, not the biggest fan of 3 timelines running concurrently. It hasn’t gotten distracting yet, but as the season goes on, remebering key details or missed clues may get more and more likely. Not to mention how confusing it may get. I disliked the payoff when Westworld season 2 did multiple timelines, so I’m kind of wary of that as a plot device. Though WW had alot more baggage than this show.

Steven Dorf has been awesome as well, totally convincing as a detective . We knew what we were going to get with an Oscar winner in M. Ali, but Dorf is keeping pace as his partner, despite most of the focus on M. Ali. Their differing personalities are great compliments to each other.

Looks like a big battle coming next week!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:
I haven't yet watched these as I want to make sure that I don't need to have watched season 2 of this - I thought season one was pretty neat, but I heard season 2 was pretty bad so avoided it.

So, watching this thread with interest.

Yes, skip season 2. Its not the worst season of tv ever, but it pales in comparison to season 1. Season 3 is a return to form and its been riveting. All seasons are stand alone.

**Lance845**

I didnt even know this started. I need to get on this gak.

**Ratius**

I didnt even know this started. I need to get on this gak.

Same. Will give it whirl this week.

**gorgon**

Season 3 is really interesting in that they've clearly gone back to the formula from season 1. So it's a little same-y on a certain level. But boy, it's a darn good formula!

We may be headed for a pretty big twist in the story. Something is starting to make some sense to me. But we'll see.

**nels1031**

gorgon wrote:
Something is starting to make some sense to me.

Yeah, the delirious visions that elder Hays(M. Ali) had of his past had at least one distinctly different ghost in the crowd.

My guess:

Spoiler:

Though I was way off on my theories in Season 1, and I didn't even know what the mystery was in season 2 because of how scattered it was.

**Ouze**

I've started watching this and you guys are right, it is very solid. Stephen Dorff is really good in this, which is a string of words I never thought I'd assemble in that order before.

**Ratius**

Piled into it last night and enjoying it so far (E3).
Most definitely a return to the 1st season in terms of feel, structure, style etc which is great.
A little drawn out in some scenes and am not keen on the old man/current day plot line - much more interesting are the 1980 and 1990 timelines.
Defo watchable however and a big improvement over S2s convoluted and meandering mess.

**nels1031**

Ratius wrote:

A little drawn out in some scenes and am not keen on the old man/current day plot line - much more interesting are the 1980 and 1990 timelines.

Do you think they inadvertently made the 1990s versions of the characters look younger than the 1980s versions? Its crazy what a new hairstyle and maybe some extra facial hair/makeup can do. Thats been my biggest beef with the time transitions, so far. I feel like a scar or something could have made telling them apart easier from their younger counterparts (plenty of reason for scars coming in episode 5, from the looks of it).

Also, personal sidenote from something that was bothering me since episode 1. Couldn’t place where I saw the actor playing elder version of Hays’ son. Once he got a few more lines of dialogue in ep.4 , it finally clicked that it was Cyborg from the Justice League movies. gak like that bothers me for some reason, when I know the actor/actress and can’t place them properly.

**Ratius**

I also noticed Justin from 13 reasons why was in it as was the Indian guy from FtWD season 3.
A good cast all round I have to say.

**gorgon**

nels1031 wrote:
gorgon wrote:
Something is starting to make some sense to me.

Yeah, the delirious visions that elder Hays(M. Ali) had of his past had at least one distinctly different ghost in the crowd.

My guess:

Spoiler:

Roland(Dorf) and Hays did some vigilante justice and killed the wrong guy, after they (or their meddling superiors) may have put the wrong people away on two separate occasions. The blonde reporter is on their trail, maybe on purpose or unintentionally.

Though I was way off on my theories in Season 1, and I didn't even know what the mystery was in season 2 because of how scattered it was.

I do think that his condition will prove to be a key part of the story.

Spoiler:

**nels1031**

You just blew my mind, dude.

**gorgon**

If I find the time, I'm going to go back and rewatch some of their conversations.

**nels1031**

Just read a Vanity Fair article breaking down your theory. Very intriguing.

**gorgon**

Oh...haven't actually read that or whatever else people are saying about it. I'm sure they developed the theory much better than me. I just don't trust the character in question.

**Ouze**

We just finished the 4th episode and now I am dying to see what happens next week.

The dialogue is the best part of the show for me - I am constantly snickering at this or that witticism. Really cracking.

**nels1031**

Ouze wrote:
We just finished the 4th episode and now I am dying to see what happens next week.

The dialogue is the best part of the show for me - I am constantly snickering at this or that witticism. Really cracking.

Yeah, and I have largely sworn off the weekly episode format that regular and paid cable still adhere to. Streaming entire seasons over a weekend/week has really changed my viewing habits. I told myself that I’d watch the first episode and if it was decent, I’d record the season and watch it in one go. They roped me in with the 2 episode premiere and now I’m counting the days till sunday.

Only bad part is I have to watch the last bits of whatever gakky movie HBO is playing prior to the episode.

I’ve also sworn off fan theory sites and speculation for the rest of the season(other than discussion here) . I fell down a fan theory rabbit hole after the Vanity Fair article I mentioned above and now I’m worried I won’t be watching with an open mind.

**Ratius**

The time jumping is starting to get on my proverbials a bit.
Its happening too often and some of it is just pointless filler now.
I get TD always moved at its own languid pace but they need to tighten it up for the next few episodes imo.

Frustrating because its solid so far.

**nels1031**

Episode 5 is streaming, fyi.

Guess they didn’t want to go up against some sort of football game happening Sunday.

Episode:

Spoiler:

Can’t believe there are only 3 episodes left :(

**gorgon**

The character I referenced definitely has some secrets, and nothing in this episode changed my mind about that. Did that character do it, however? I dunno.

**nels1031**

Episode 6: Interesting turn of events, I guess. Though a few theories that I liked and thought would blow peoples minds is out of the window now.

**gorgon**

Too many threads have led back to one place. But I still think there's more to be revealed about that character I mentioned. Just too much shadiness going on IMO.

Oh, and...

Spoiler:

**nels1031**

Alot to unpack after this most recent episode. I may have to watch it again to re-process all of it. Many questions answered, but they open a slew of other questions.

And...

Spoiler:

Looking forward to next week!

**gorgon**

It seems like it may be leaning into connections with season 1 more than we realize. And yeah, there was a lot in this episode.

Spoiler:

**nels1031**

gorgon wrote:
It seems like it may be leaning into connections with season 1 more than we realize. And yeah, there was a lot in this episode.

Spoiler:

The conversation with the housekeeper was huge -- introducing Mrs. Hoyt as a key player -- and basically gave us a rough outline for what happened with Julie. So if Lucy (with Dan's help) sold off Julie to the Hoyts to give Mrs. Hoyt a new child, whom she kept hidden in the pink room...that still doesn't explain what happened with Will. Cripes, could Lucy have done it...maybe accidentally (got shoved, fell and hit his head) if Will tried to prevent Julie from being sold? Then perhaps Lucy was the one who posed him like he was in his communion photo. I dunno.

It seems like I was off with regards to Amelia, but it's just odd to me how mysterious they've made her background and how sly her conversations seem to be. Do we even know when or how she died? But with one episode left, it doesn't feel like anything is pointing toward her, so it's probably all red herring material.

Yeah, they wrote that character with a heavy bit of darkness and never really expanded on it. So far, at least.

**nels1031**

Pretty haunting, yet rewarding ending.

Very well done season of tv. Once I process it a bit more I may have a few more thoughts.

**Big Mac**

yep, I've just finished S3E3, looking to finish this season, very good so far.

**nels1031**

Gave this season alot of thought this week while bored at work.

Spoiler:

Great season of TV. Its longform mini-series like this that keep me watching TV and ruined episodic shows that run for many seasons. The story telling is so much tighter, the plots are more complex and the performances are generally pretty good. Not sure I’ll rewatch it any time soon, but its definitely an instant classic.

I hope that if they continue the series, they keep in mind what made this season and season 1 so great.