Series 1 was fantastic, Matthew McConaughay and Woody Harrelson competing to outdo each other in the all-out Southern Drawl contest, a creeping sense of unease despite most of the action taking place in broad daylight, deft use of post Hurricane Katrina landscapes and the whole Southern Gothic feel of the piece.
Series 2 seems to have Colin Farrell trying his hardest to be unsympathetic, some blond detective woman with "issues" and Vince Vaughn playing it straight. Plus some kind of organised crime / city hall / business plot.
I'm going to try again with episode 2, but not holding out much hope.
Anyone want to talk me round?
I liked it, what has helped is eradicating all comparisons to series 1. Admit the story (or lack off so far) is somewhat taxing but I loved the ending where they all meet and that scene shot was amazing. It also has a significantly darker tone to it which again I like. There has been some criticism of the script & cliches, but I don't think series 1 was free from those either - deep south bootlegging church going mysteriously powerful criminals involved in hidden abuses ?
CF - thanks for your thoughts, you're right about the closing scene from Ep 1, that was good, and S1 did have its fair share of clichés - I'm just a sucker for Southern Gothic!
I thought the first series was brilliant and the was disappointed when i saw the casting for series 2 but think it looks like its gonna be a good one after the first episode
Series one was a slow burner too but the relentlessly dark, deeply sinister, undercurrent and quality performances from the two leads held viewer attention throughout. Two may pick up a bit but the characters don't captivate yet. Will probably stick with it in the hope that they do. A few prostitute murders and satanic slayings by inbred rednecks should do the trick.
give it a go, a bad true detective is better than most of the other stuff.