# True Detective - HBO - McConaughey / Harrelson \[SPOILERS\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697 "2013-06-11T03:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/321 "2014-02-27T13:09:22Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I also keep forgetting Lawnmower Guy as I theorize. My suspicion is that he’s the actual killer; similar to LeDoux he played a role in the conspiracy, but where LeDoux fixated on little kids, Lawnmower Guy ritualistically killed adult women. Sorry for the daft question, but who is Lawnmower Guy? Only dude I remember mowing someone’s lawn would be Rust, but I suspect that’s not who you mean…? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/322 "2014-02-27T13:25:38Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Sorry for the daft question, but who is Lawnmower Guy? A couple of episodes back, Rust shows up to a run down old church to see what happened to the reverend and the congregation. The church is shuttered and in disrepair. A guy is mowing the lawn in a mowing tractor. Rust asks him who he’s working for and why he’s mowing the lawn of a run down, dis-used building. Guy says he’s just been doing it recently as a way of keeping the neighbourhood from looking run down. I think he claimed he works for the municipality, or something. Really don’t know if there is any significance in that scene beyond being another dead end in an investigation full of them. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/323 "2014-02-27T13:55:47Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > A couple of episodes back, Rust shows up to a run down old church to see what happened to the reverend and the congregation. The church is shuttered and in disrepair. A guy is mowing the lawn in a mowing tractor. Rust asks him who he’s working for and why he’s mowing the lawn of a run down, dis-used building. Guy says he’s just been doing it recently as a way of keeping the neighbourhood from looking run down. I think he claimed he works for the municipality, or something. > > Really don’t know if there is any significance in that scene beyond being another dead end in an investigation full of them. [http://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/reddit.png](http://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/reddit.png) That’s the same disused building where Cohle finds all the paraphernalia later. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/324 "2014-02-27T14:06:47Z")
Yup, it’s one of the schools Tuttle ran for the kids who lived out in the boonies. I do like the idea that there’s a secret society that’s been chugging along under the radar, and the murders are the work of a rogue element springing from it. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/325 "2014-02-27T16:23:24Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > A couple of episodes back, Rust shows up to a run down old church to see what happened to the reverend and the congregation. As mentioned, the building is an old school that was damaged by a hurricane. Lawnmower Guy says that the school was added to his duties by the parish, but that doesn’t mean a church parish. In Louisiana, what most of the country calls a county is called a parish. Wasn’t sure if you knew that so thought I’d mention it. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/326 "2014-02-27T18:20:51Z")
I was sure it was some run down church. At least that’s what I remembered. Clearly I’m not a True Detective. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/327 "2014-02-28T00:19:01Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > [http://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/reddit.png](http://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/reddit.png) > > That’s the same disused building where Cohle finds all the paraphernalia later. Is it too late to take back my guess that the green eared spaghetti faced man wasn’t significant? I still think anybody saying it would by Cthulhu was nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/328 "2014-02-28T00:45:07Z")
> [@HookerChemical](#): > > Is it too late to take back my guess that the green eared spaghetti faced man wasn’t significant? No, but in due time, you’ll probably go back to thinking that, no, he really wasn’t significant after all. And then you’ll think, oh, yes, he really was. And then that he wasn’t. And then that he was. And so on. Wanna know why? … Because “time is a flat circle. And everything we’ve every done or will do, we’re gonna do over and over and over again.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/329 "2014-02-28T02:12:06Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I was sure it was some run down church. At least that’s what I remembered. Clearly I’m not a True Detective. Do what I do! Watch each episode five times with closed caption on. 😃 Why? > [@Steken](#): > > … Because “time is a flat circle. And everything we’ve every done or will do, we’re gonna do over and over and over again.” ---
**Author:** ![Anomie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@Anomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomie)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/330 "2014-02-28T12:26:51Z")
So… this whole thing has to be wrapped-up in two episodes? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/331 "2014-02-28T14:16:34Z")
I’m afraid it won’t be wrapped up - the ending will be “Forget it Rust, it’s bayou town.” ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/332 "2014-02-28T14:39:21Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > One thing I like about this picture is that it looks like everybody has been Photoshopped into it. > > [http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.QIr.7WIdEcDLhHuXNDULQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/tv/2014-02-20/f7a3b590-9a71-11e3-afa3-f9190e588d51\_crime-scene-pic.png](http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.QIr.7WIdEcDLhHuXNDULQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/tv/2014-02-20/f7a3b590-9a71-11e3-afa3-f9190e588d51_crime-scene-pic.png) Ha… that reminds me a lot of George Constanza’s photobomb: [http://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/186984/Kruger\_beach\_photo.jpg](http://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/186984/Kruger_beach_photo.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/333 "2014-03-03T06:17:29Z")
> [@nate](#): > > Ha… that reminds me a lot of George Constanza’s photobomb: > > [http://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/186984/Kruger\_beach\_photo.jpg](http://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/186984/Kruger_beach_photo.jpg) Link doesn’t work. ☹ BTW, concerning the newest episode, is that the same guy mowing from before? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/334 "2014-03-03T06:32:23Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > Link doesn’t work. ☹ > > BTW, concerning the newest episode, is that the same guy mowing from before? Past the edit window: It IS the same guy! :eek: Reviewing the end of episode 3 where he makes his appearance, you can even see the scars on his face. The camera is on his “good” side. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/335 "2014-03-03T07:04:59Z")
Here’s the best write-up: > **[How ‘True Detective’ Will End: What We Know Up to Episode 7 “After You’ve Gone”](https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-true-detective-will-end-what-we-know-up-to-episode-7-after-youve-gone)** > > Who is the Yellow King? We read the tea leaves from Sunday’s penultimate episode—and predict how HBO’s masterful crime drama will conclude. Spoiler alert! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/336 "2014-03-03T07:33:16Z")
Speaking of good reads writer Nic Pizzolatto tweeted a link to this a few weeks ago. [ **Who Killed the Jeff Davis 8?** A serial killer has allegedly been preying on Louisiana prostitutes. But a new investigation reveals a far scarier theory](https://medium.com/p/d1b813e13581) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/337 "2014-03-03T11:49:32Z")
Wow what a shitty episode. Almost all of it was expository dialogue. I think I saw kind of a friendship montage – Rust and Marty finally become friends. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/338 "2014-03-03T13:48:10Z")
Yeah, that was hands-down the weakest episode of the series. By a long shot. I will forgive it as necessary chessboard set-up if episode 8 brings the quality. But I admit I’m a little fearful that this show \*could \*only be amazing during the slow rising action, and that any payoff must be a letdown. There were moments this week that were interesting and effective, it just didn’t hang together as a whole. I can’t decide if the videotape scene was really effective, or just icky and gratuitous. Woody did an amazing job (I think we can cross him off the suspect list definitively!), but I would have appreciated less video, more reaction. Especially with the microwave baby juxtaposition, his face was enough to convey the atrocity. It was nice to see that the daughters are alive and well, though they certainly seem to be setting up for Audrey to have been a victim. Which resonates with his reaction to the video - how extreme will his reaction be if he finds out his own daughter endured that? Or, it’s a red herring and hey, sometimes a family produces a screwed up kid by virtue of genetics, luck, and everyday traumas like divorce. I do like that they managed to put us in Marty’s shoes - “My failure was inattention.” They sure pulled one over on me with Lawnmower Man! In his appearance at the end of episode 3, you certainly can see that he has some scarring on his face. But with a scraggly beard and that side turned mostly away from the camera, it’s easy to overlook or dismiss. They even have a very sly little moment where Marty beeps the horn, and LM turns toward the car, displaying the scarred side, but it’s a tiny split second. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/339 "2014-03-03T18:38:24Z")
Seems like every other person they talk to drops Childress as a likely person to talk to. The golfing/fishing sheriff mentions Childress. So why do they plan to use the jumper cables on the sheriff instead of going after now deputy sheriff Childress? Torturing a standing LEO at gunpoint as opposed to just going after the guy that everybody else mentions seems a bit off kilter, even for these guys. After reading this thread, I’m going to watch the previous episodes again. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/340 "2014-03-03T19:25:57Z")
Yeah, they got the name of the then-sheriff, Ted Childress, but I believe they decided to jump-start Geraci because he flat lied to Marty about being the person who took the report. If he’s lying, it’s because he knows stuff and is covering up. A sheriff in the jumper cables is worth two in - where the hell is Ted Childress? Maybe he’s dead? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697.md?page=18)