I think there’s more going on here than city corruption.
Bird masks and statues? Mutilation and public placement of a body? Odd sexual kinks of the murder victim?
There’s corruption, but I think there’s something more in addition to that.
It’s a bad thing to have actors that are known from other shows? First time I’ve heard that complaint. (And David Morse has done a ton of stuff since St. Elsewhere)
They can always pull the “it was a dream” to keep Ray alive.
Yes, if the material is so dull that instead of focusing on the plot, you find yourself wondering where you’ve seen the actor before.
Ugh.
I finished watching all of The Wire, so I guess I’ll tune in for the third episode of True Detective.
One thing I can say is that Farrell looked “fat” in an earlier part of the last episode (he was standing in the squad room while his disheveled partner was talking to McAdam’s character). That makes me think he was wearing a vest, not that a vest would really save you from a point blank shotgun blast to the diaphragm. But this is tv, and so far, bad tv, so anything is possible.
I called it!
I think that scene Ray watched with his dad on TV was from “Detective Story” with Kirk Douglas, where Douglas’s wife turned out to have had an abortion. I’m wondering if that might imply something about Ray’s wife…
Well, I’m glad he’s not dead.
Did the shooter know he wasn’t likely to kill Ray with those shots or did he think they would? (I know almost nothing about guns.)
I’m wondering the same thing. Is it realistic that he’d survive rubber shot at that close a range?
God, I hated that cheap trick, but the episode was better than the 2 that came before. So… kind of a good thing?
Also, I agree with davidm - there is a lot more than just city corruption going on here. Though it is fun to have the City and the State try (seemingly somewhat poorly) to play a chess match against each other, using their chosen detectives for that role.
Thoughts on the field of stakes shown at first episode and opening credits?
Im forming a halfbaked idea:) regarding a burial ground of some sort, either native or “otherwise”. Might play into theme of northern california (Guernyville), the Raven mask and the murders…folks not wanting that land to be used for the train etc.
Im liking the show, should have named it True Red Herrings…ha:cool:
I think the shooter didn’t want to kill Ray but I’m not sure what the hesitation could be. I would think it was a cop that didn’t want to kill another cop but the corruption kind of destroys that theory. I was immediately curious about the shot of the stakes with orange ribbons from the first episode too but according to the preview for next week’s episode, they’ll be going into that.
What a dreary disappointment this season is. 
Was Ray even the shooter’s intended target, or did he just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?
If Ray was the target… who knew he was going there at that time? Someone who wanted him scared and possibly injured but not dead, apparently.
If he wasn’t the intended target who or what was? Was there an intended target?
Is there any reason for skulking around in a mask armed with rubber shot? Perhaps it was a person looking for something who took precautions to avoid being caught or at least identified but didn’t want to actually kill anyone. Thus the mask, to hide his or her face, and the rubber shot to slow down anyone encountered. I don’t think though that the choice of mask was totally random. Someone seems to have an interest, perhaps ritualistic, in birds.
The Controller guy seemed to have a Maltese falcon on the seat beside him on the drive. While the state cop is thinking he sees a weird guy with wings at the corner of his eye.
That’s the bird mask on the seat next to him.
I wonder who and what is on that tape that Velcoro swiped from the apartment?
Also, it took me three episodes to figure out that I have previously seen the actor playing det. Dixon as Dan Daugherty in Deadwood!
Franks and beans!
Oh man, I had no clue that he played Mary’s brother in There’s Something About Mary! I loved him as Dan in Deadwood though. He’s actually in a lot of stuff I watch but the “franks and beans” guy is the biggest shock.
Well, that was quite a shoot out.
I’m not loving the show yet, but I want to know what’s going on, so I’ll stick it out. I think Vince Vaughn is the weakest link in this show. He is just awful in this role.
Indeed.
For anyone who gave up but is still following the thread in case it gets good: It’s still not good, but the last 10 minutes of this most recent episode (episode 4?) is a rollicking good time.
Not a single sustained tracking shot like that sequence from the first season, but it’s a pretty great shootout.