# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/21 "2014-01-16T14:37:41Z")
Harrelson and McConaughey are great actors. Nice to see some secondary folk from _The Wire_/_Treme_ (but apparently no major connection between the shows other than HBO). But it is slow. This is a problem. Also, the flashback, jumping around stuff, makes it hard to follow. Sure you can tell the era, but the order of scenes in each era is non-linear. Agh. Will probably stick with it for now, but that’s not saying much. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/22 "2014-01-16T14:45:35Z")
I really liked it. Some of the dialogue really cracked me up. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/23 "2014-01-16T17:27:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > But > > it > > is > > slow. > > This is a problem. I didn’t see it as slow. Scenes were given time to develop, which gave me time to think about what I was seeing and hearing. I prefer it to shows like Justified, which I love, but sometimes it moves so quickly that I get lost. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/24 "2014-01-16T19:16:04Z")
I thought the pacing and editing were terrific. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/25 "2014-01-16T19:45:39Z")
What’s all this Lester Freeman nonsense? I did notice [Big Chief Lambreaux](http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/10/15/treme-3-4-lambreaux_sq-02e9f55eaf141752046aec9bc29c5616ff43814a.jpg) though… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Aeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Aeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/26 "2014-01-17T04:53:21Z")
Some of Rust’s lines (especially those in the car) were hilariously overwrought. Baby’s first Nihilism. He sounded like a college freshman after having taken 19th Century Philosophy 101. Almost as bad as Joe Carroll from _The Following_. Almost. However, for now I am willing to give the show the benefit of doubt that this is being done on purpose, i.e. that his diatribes are meant to be seen as a tad ridiculous. Marty’s reactions - more annoyed than shocked - point to that. In fact I believe that this may be part of his character arc. Like, he - the 1995 Rust - fancies himself to be this world-weary guy who’s seen it all, man. But it’s mostly an act, a defense mechanism due to the death of his child (and other stuff). Something he comforts himself with. Nothing can surprise him, nothing can touch him, nothing can hurt him … anymore. The case, I suspect, will expose his act as being pretty hollow and actually break him for real this time, making him into the man shown in the 2012 scenes. Dollars to doughnuts that it’s the aftermath of the case eating away at him. The last scene of the pilot more or less spells out that he’s fully aware that the killer is still at large. So, at the very least, he put an innocent dude into prison; if not worse. He practically dares the two detectives to get a confession of sorts out of him. The writing is the weak link in this one. For my taste it’s too predictable as of now and downright clumsy in places. You just know that Marty’s nailing that hot lawyer gal (and good for him) given how flustered he acts in the one scene with her. You just know that the pastor dude - who might as well be wearing a nametag: Fundie Scum Jr. III - who’s oh just so conveniently related to the Gov. is gonna put a lot of pressure on the protagonists, hinder their case and possibly contribute to putting away the wrong guy. And of course the 2012 framing device practically demands right out of the gate that a) the real killer is still free (otherwise what’s the point?) and b) that Marty and/or Rust are to some extent in on it (otherwise where’s the conflict?) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/27 "2014-01-17T05:26:38Z")
Not disappointed at all. Looking forward to the next 7 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/28 "2014-01-17T05:36:17Z")
There’s an earlier thread around here somewhere. I’m glad the show has fans here. None of my IRL friends watch the same stuff I watch, and neither does my husband. His ears will prick up (no pun intended) when he hears the HBO announcement warning about Nudity, but this didn’t have the kind of nudity he likes. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/29 "2014-01-18T02:17:50Z")
We just caught up and really enjoyed it. It’s nice to hear genuine Texas accents for once, the pacing is perfect for a plot arc, and the actors are fun to watch. Keep it coming. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/30 "2014-01-18T09:42:19Z")
I quite liked the first episode and look forward to the next seven. The car conversations were some of my favorite parts, mainly Woody’s responses. > [@Aeon](#): > > You just know that Marty’s nailing that hot lawyer gal (and good for him) given how flustered he acts in the one scene with her. > [@AuntiePam](#): > > None of my IRL friends watch the same stuff I watch, and neither does my husband. His ears will prick up (no pun intended) when he hears the HBO announcement warning about Nudity, but this didn’t have the kind of nudity he likes. I was smitten by Alexandra Daddario a couple years ago when she was simultaneously on Parenthood and in the movie Hall Pass. Then last week I saw this:[Alexandra Daddario topless in True Detective](http://www.egotastic.com/2014/01/alexandra-daddario-topless-in-true-detective-an-epic-first-peek-at-alexandras-sweet-teats/) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/31 "2014-01-19T06:54:30Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > He was born in Texas, but grew up in Ohio, so I suspect it’s a bit of both. Reading his Wiki page, I was very surprised to learn that his father was a professional hitman, who died in prison after being convicted of killing a judge. :eek: He also figures in a lot of JFK conspiracy theories. I can’t remember which Doper went to college with Woody, but one did. They said he told people his father was dead. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/32 "2014-01-19T07:22:50Z")
I noticed that in the scenes where Matthew McConaughey was being interviewed, all the stuff on the shelves behind him were 1990’s technology - paper file boxes, old CRT monitors, and some other stuff that I can’t remember now. It had a very 90’s feel although it was supposed to happen in current time. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/33 "2014-01-19T14:29:02Z")
When Woody was being interviewed, was he wearing a wedding ring? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/34 "2014-01-19T16:33:03Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > I noticed that in the scenes where Matthew McConaughey was being interviewed, all the stuff on the shelves behind him were 1990’s technology - paper file boxes, old CRT monitors, and some other stuff that I can’t remember now. It had a very 90’s feel although it was supposed to happen in current time. I noticed that too, and thought maybe they were interviewing him in a store room/junk room. I thought it added some realism. There’s a room just like that where I work. We’re too lazy to take that old monitor to a recycling center, or to take those file boxes to the basement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/35 "2014-01-19T22:25:26Z")
I, too, assumed it was old technology that had been demoted to the storeroom until such time as somebody bothered to dispose of it. None of it appeared to be in use; it was just sitting there. I honestly think it added a nice touch of realism, as well as reinforcing the differences between past and present. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/36 "2014-01-20T00:01:46Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > When Woody was being interviewed, was he wearing a wedding ring? No, we looked for it…at least not on his left hand, anyway. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/37 "2014-01-20T03:29:38Z")
Heh. The King in Yellow indeed. > **[The King in Yellow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow)** > > The King in Yellow is a book of short stories by the American writer Robert W. Chambers, first published by F. Tennyson Neely in 1895. The book is named for the fictional play with the same title which recurs as a motif through some of the stories. The first half of the book features highly esteemed horror stories, and the book has been described by critics such as E. F. Bleiler and T. E. D. Klein as a classic in the field of the supernatural. Lin Carter called it "an absolute masterp There ar... I’m really enjoying this. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/38 "2014-01-20T03:34:14Z")
Woody Harrellson really does look young with that hairpiece. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/39 "2014-01-20T05:57:14Z")
Matthew looks good too, in the “before” scenes. Amazing what a healthy skin tone can do. I was looking for Marty’s wedding ring. I saw a ring on his right hand in the today scenes. And what a stoopid he is! Trying to get his wife pissed off so she’d tell him to leave. Raise your hand if you’ve done that. (It applies to women too.) I think she was more angry because he thought she was dumb enough to fall for it, than she was at him for wanting to go fuck around. The scene the girls laid out was unsettling. I hope that’s from hearing dad talk and not from anything they’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697/40 "2014-01-20T15:09:58Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Heh. The King in Yellow indeed. > [The King in Yellow - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow) > > I’m really enjoying this. Good find. So that’s where “Carcosa” comes from. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-detective-hbo-mcconaughey-harrelson-spoilers/660697.md?page=3)