True Detective Season 2: 5 Awesome Moments (And 5 That Sucked)

10. Awesome: The Main Cast

Despite all of its shortcomings, the main cast of True Detective's second outing (Colin Farrell's Ray, Rachel McAdams' Ani, Taylor Kitsch's Paul and Vince Vaughn's Frank) all put in solid work. Far from pulling any Mcconaissances, the four main leads instead delivered sturdy performances, with moments of the spectacular only occasionally thrown in. 

Best of all is Colin Farrell, who, after seven years of sh*t, reminds us how good he can really be. His Ray is a coiled snake of a man; a man ready for violence and good at it. His best moment is an nonviolent gesture, though; a break of a smile when he's on the phone to Ani in the car. It's a tiny, ultimately touching moment—the denouement of the actor's best role since In Bruges.  

Vince Vaughn, who many doubted could play serious after a decade or so in the comedic-bro-wilderness, does similarly good work here, especially so considering the pressure on him to perform. And while his Frank gets the majority of Pizzolatto's self-serving monologues, Vaughn plays them well and with sincerity, ensuring that no fault lies with him.

McAdams and Kitsch are just as good, the former lending a toughness to her range, the latter proving he can really act if the project is right. Both Ani and Paul excel in the action scenes, so credit the actors with that, too.