Season one of True Detective was one of television's highlights in 2014, with critics heaping praise on the show's writing, acting, casting, tone, and visual style. First-time show creator, Nic Pizzolatto, delivered such a strong effort, expectations were understandably sky-high for an inevitable follow-up - a mindset that was only magnified when Pizzolatto declared season two would feature an all-new setting, characters, and obviously another incredibly in-depth, thought-provoking story. Upon airing though, the first episode was received with a resounding "Meh" from both critics and fans alike. Rather than a strong follow-up filled with deep and flawed characters involved in a methodically plotted and engrossing mystery, Pizzolatto seemed to have hit the dreaded sophomore slump. Not only were the criticisms from season one not addressed, but nearly every aspect that made the show great was gone and replaced by a poor imitation, still proclaiming itself to be a pseudo-intellectual prestige drama. From the terribly undercooked characters to a completely nonsensical murder plot, here are 10 reasons why season two of True Detective has been nothing more than a bitter disappointment.
10. Everything And Everyone Is Dark And Tortured For The Sake Of Being Dark And Tortured
Audiences enjoyed the whole 'dark and tortured character' shtick, so Pizzolatto decided to add a double serving of it for season two. Somewhere along the way though, he didn't realise that he crossed a line in which 'dark and tortured' becomes nothing more than a joke. The stupendous way that the show goes to show just how broken each of the main characters are suspends the audience's belief just that bit too much. We get that Ray is tortured, but is beating up a kid's dad (in front of said kid) whilst spouting an unintentionally hilarious threat the way to really show it? What about Frank, who immediately spills his guts to Jordan in a weird and out of place monologue about his terrible father after noticing two convenient water stains? Or Ani's world of knives, booze, and an immense hatred of pretty much anything. And let's not forget how Paul deals with his sexuality issues by riding motorbikes in the dark with no headlights or helmet. This constant grimness in True Detective has grown increasingly irksome, and doesn't look to be slowing down. Pizzolatto states that the show is about the characters, but all that unnecessary cynicism has everyone begging for more screen time dedicated to the main mystery. Speaking of which...
My life story is nothing special. I haven't cured ebola, I'm nowhere near stopping terrorism, and I'm still working on that climate change problem.
Instead, all I've done so far is put a few hundred words together in an attempt to make people laugh.
You can follow me at @Fry_ying_pan but don't be offended if I don't tweet back. It's usually because I've spent too long trying to think up a witty response that the reply window has closed.
