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True Detective: Night Country: Part 2 (2024)
A Step in the Right Direction
Everything the first episode did well, this episode did better. It's finally starting to find its identity as a season of True Detective vs some weird amalgamation of American Horror Story/Fargo. I don't mind some supernatural undertones, especially related to the culture of the Alaskan natives, but the first episode was way too blatant. This episode, (with the exception of one scene that was never referenced to again), played it more straight and realistic, which I think plays better with the show's tone.
The setting and set designs are fantastic. The barren Alaskan wilderness feels like it's own exterior force against the characters, that I hope plays a more important role as the show progresses.
Jodie Foster's acting is wonderful even when her character is written a little lazily. I like the trope of the rough seasoned cop who's seen it all, but the "know it all" aspect is overplayed. Kali Reis is also doing a great job, even though her character also seems a little one dimensional.
Lastly, I think the suspense of the show was done a little better this episode as well. The ending of this episode finally felt like an actual True Detective ending. Excited to see where this goes.
American Horror Stories: Rubber (Wo)man: Part Two (2021)
Unsatisfying Rushed Ending
This episode was awful. I understand that anthology series have to work a lot of plot/character development into a small time frame, but honestly if the story you want to tell is that involved, just give it its own season. The characters in these two episodes were all horrible and unsympathetic. The actors all did a fine job, but ultimately there was no redeemable character payoff despite the good performances. The story from these two episodes was such a disorganized rushed mess. I was super stoked about this series, but if the rest of the episodes are of this quality I don't think I'll be able to make it through them all.
American Horror Stories (2021)
Such a waste of potential
So bummed out to see such an interesting idea (Anthology series based on AHS Lore) turn into such a dumpster fire. Everything about these two episodes, except for the set design, was horrendous. The story was uninspired and lazily written full of plot holes and rushed characters. The script wasn't even laughably bad, it was just painful and difficult to listen to. The actors did as best they could with what they had, but when what you have is a plate of hot garbage, there's only so much you can do. I'll give this a few more episodes to see if by divine intervention this show somehow gets better, but there's no way I'm gonna make it through 17 episodes if they're all like this one.
Dark Side of the Ring: Becoming Warrior (2021)
Balances out the A&E Warrior Episode
Dark Side of the Ring always delivers in quality and narrative. I think they did a pretty good job at balancing both the horrible aspects of Warrior as well as a few of his endearing moments. I wish they would've brought in more wrestlers to talk about what it was like working with warrior. I love Jake Robert's, but honestly with what he was going through in the 80s and 90s I don't know that he had any place to cast aspersions towards anyone. Overall I think they could've used a couple more perspectives, but it was a good general look at Warrior from the start of his career to the almost story book ending of his life.
Fargo: Welcome to the Alternate Economy (2020)
A little weird even for Fargo, but promising
Overall not a bad start to a new season. Love the retro setting (season 2 was my favorite) Writing has a lot of Fargo flair, but at times almost goes too over the top for its own good. Jason Schwartzman is perfect, and such a natural fit for the series. As far as the political undertones go, they are definitely not as pandering or hamfisted as some of these reviews are saying, but not as subtle or interesting as past seasons. Excited to see where things go!
True Detective: Now Am Found (2019)
Not action packed, but still a beautifully endearing and poetic ending that ties up all loose ends
This season's finale isn't like the action packed atmospheric climax of the first season's, but instead opts for a more narrative reveal of the built up story arcs that have spanned out through the season. Although it wasn't flashy and jaw-dropping, the more slow paced reveal felt like a fitting ending to match the developed tones that season 3 has been building over the last 8 episodes. There was one scene in particular that built an incredibly haunting and expressive atmosphere that begged for grand revelation, yet it ended somewhat anti-climatically. Despite this, the emotional payoff of the episode certainly delivered. There were several incredibly beautiful and moving scenes that perfectly culminated relationships that we witnessed building/falling through the three different timelines. This episode doesn't go all out with flash, but still manages to finish off this wonderful narrative in fulfilling and meaningful way. A final 10/10 for this amazing season.
True Detective: The Final Country (2019)
Another brilliant episode that brings some answers and 10x more questions
Every time I think this season has hit a ceiling it just keeps raising the bar, it's like the Michael jordan of being an incredible television series. This episode continues the theme of giving some answers and closure to certain plot points while raising increasingly more questions to others. This episode takes it a step further however and slowly begins to reveal the grander powers at work behind this case. The cycling between the timelines continues to be expertly timed in a way that keeps you fascinated in both while not revealing all the cards in either (a method I always admired from season 1.) The cinematography and set design also continues to mesmerize in a way that so expertly, yet subconsciously, evokes the tones of lost hope and forgotten lands. Finally, this episode, much like the previous, ends in a bone chillingly suspenseful scene that begs for intrigue and answers that it won't disclose until the grand finale.
P.S. Throughout this entire season there have been various slight nods and hints to season 1, however this episode definitively linked the 1st and 3rd season in a way that almost felt like a mini climax!!! Finally we know that season 1 and 3 exist in the same world, and further more there was references to another case like the ones from s1 and s3 that took place in Nebraska! (Potential season 4???) Either way I'm incredibly excited to see what Pizzolatto has to offer for the future of True Detective!
True Detective: Hunters in the Dark (2019)
A soft close to the 1980 timeline and an incredible development to the 1990
This episode was perhaps the most thrillingly suspenseful of the entire series thus far. After the climatic shootout of the last episode, this one began slowly tying off the 1980 timeline, yet cracked open brand new interest in the 1990 one. We gain ever increasing detail into the events and characters that have been subtly referenced over the last few episodes. The cinematography continues to mesmerize with angles and lighting that are as crucial to the storytelling as the characters. There was also a scene that seemed almost like a swan song to the ending of the sixth episode in season 1, where Rust was investigating an old worn out abandoned building armed with only his flashlight. The episode finishes with one of the most suspenseful chair gripping moments of the entire series and begs for answers we'll have to wait a painstaking week to receive. A well deserved 10/10
True Detective: If You Have Ghosts (2019)
A heartbreakingly beautiful episode
Perhaps the best episode of this season so far! We're finally given the climax to one of the several story arches that has unfolded throughout the show thus far. We're slowly but suspensefully fed increasingly more and more information about storylines and events that have been hinted and foreshadowed at over the past 4 episodes. There's still much left to be revealed, but this episode seems to really be setting the stage to how the final story will unfold over the next 3 episodes. Lastly, the final 10 minutes of the episode were perhaps the most beautiful and heart wrenching of the entire series. This complicated bond that the the two central actors have been able to portray is simply remarkable!
(Side Note: the nod to season 1 with bringing flowers to a dinner party was a nice touch!)
True Detective: The Big Never (2019)
Another fantastic installment which brings even more suspense, discovery and red herrings
This episode is yet another strong follow up to the ever increasingly fantastic third season. With this episode we gain both more insight on the case as it played out over the 20 years, as well as incredibly more questions about who the true suspect/POI the audience should be focusing on is. The themes of racial bias and discrimination become increasingly more evident, yet not in an overbearing way that encroaches on the actual story and narrative. Not as atmospherically compelling as the first two episodes, yet it still maintains that cold sense of mystery accompanied with the Ozarks. Overall another fantastic continuation on this beautifully complex narrative.