“Pain is inexhaustible. It’s only people who get exhausted.”
The biggest casualty from last weeks big shootout was Ray’s moustache. Somewhere in the time skip between the ‘Vinci Massacre’ and this episode, Ray decided to lose the face fuzz. Will we ever know why? Probably not, but we can speculate.
Other less important, non-moustache related things happened in the time skip. Ani has been demoted and is now working in the evidence cage at the station. She also now has to attend regular sexual harassment seminars, which actually leads to a pretty funny scene in which she reveals her sexual *ahem* preferences to the group. Ani just doesn’t give a shit, and she’s so fun to watch. It’d be a real shame if Rachel McAdams ended up back on the romcom scene after this series, she is so great as Ani. And judging from the preview from next episode, it’s going to be a big one (ha!) for her next week.
Everyone’s favourite, totally 100% NOT gay detective, Paul, was excellent this week. As seen last week, he is going ahead with the whole marriage thing. The scene with his fiancée’s Mother was fun as Paul downed alcohol in a desperate attempt to drink the gay away. His relationship with his own mum is just horrible. She hates him for ruining her career and now he hates her for stealing his money. Him shouting at her in her mobile home showed some superb acting from Kitsch. One problem I have with the Paul storyline is with him being sued by the ‘actress’. I mean he didn’t do it right? He’s a well-respected cop with a military past and she’s some washed up bimbo with an ankle bracelet. How has this lawsuit got so far? Is this just another example of the corrupt world of True Detective? Probably but it’s a plot point that makes me want to shout at the screen in defence of poor Paul.
Ray is now working for the world’s most convincing scary man, Vince Vaughn. He goes and collects rent at that crappy motel we saw a few weeks back, but Ray is too nice for this kind of work. One awesome revelation (that many already suspected) was that the man Frank said raped Ray’s wife, was in fact NOT the guy who did it. Which means Ray totally went and killed some random dude, and ruined his marriage in the process. All because of dirty Frank and his lies. Whatever happens next week, Frank is going to have to use his fancy words to get out of having his face smashed in by Ray. And without his moustache Ray has nothing to lose.
The dialogue of the show is better this week. For the most part people speak like actual human beings! Ok not quite, but the dialogue is actually pretty awesome. But there are always exceptions. Like Frank’s “It’s like, uh, blue balls in your heart.” Even I can’t defend that one, that one is just plain bad. But for the most part the interactions between the characters are very well done. The scene in which Frank goes home to his wife was the most convincing acting we’ve seen from Vince all season.
Another improvement was the plot. A lot of the niggling plot points that have been driving people crazy (the commune, sex parties, Caspere, the mayor’s son, the surgeon etc) all came together and turned out to be connected. I feel like the whole plot got a hell of a lot simpler. Basically it all comes down to sex parties for rich folk, something Ani will be looking at next week. The torture cabin in the woods was a nice spooky touch as well, and was reminiscent of the first season. Although the true detectives of this season are heading in a different direction than Marty and Rust, the payoff is building up to be even more impressive than the showdown in Carcosa. There is only 3 episodes left and I can’t wait. Every week when I hear that kickass theme song I get so hyped up.
Hopefully the faster pace, and easier to understand plot, held on to some of the viewers for another week. I strongly believe the ending of this season will be awesome. And even if it isn’t we’ll all remember one thing for years to come. Ray’s moustache.
Reviewed by Jack 😛
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