True Detective S2 E01
The Western Book of the Dead
Recap by Nikole Gunn
True Detective is back for season two and it’s been a long time coming for fans of HBO’s gritty crime drama. Season one achieved cult like status thanks mainly to the pairing of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Can season two measure up?
The producers have made it clear that the True Detective concept was for each season to be a self-contained story, featuring entirely different characters and storylines.
Season two is a very different beast to season one. Don’t expect any Rusty Cohle-eque philosophical ponderings. It will require some patience from viewers, as we get to know “who’s who” and the role they’ll play as the story unfolds.
With four leads to keep track of, things are a little confusing in episode one, so let’s take a look at each of the main protagonists:
Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn)
A shady character, bar-owner, small time crook looking to go ‘legit’ in a transit land deal in the fictional City of Vinci on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
He’s involved with corrupt city official, Ben Caspar, who winds up dead. Semyon has dealings with a Russian gangster/businessman and is friends with a crooked cop called Ray Velcoro.
Raymond Velcoro (Colin Farrell)
Ray was with the LA County Sheriff’s Department before moving to Vinci Police. He’s a drunk, violent and moonlights for Semyon. His wife was raped and bashed, giving birth nine months later to a son. Ray loves the boy and refuses a paternity test, but won’t win any father of the year award. Frank provides him with information on the attacker, seemingly with no strings attached.
Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams)
A sheriff and a tough cookie, who drinks and hooks up, but never gets too close to those she sleeps with. She busts her sister; a ‘performance artist’ on a live Internet sex show. A missing person investigation leads her to a New Age centre, run by her father (David Morse). Her mother committed suicide by walking into a lake. Her decision to join the police force a reaction to a cult-like upbringing?
Paul Woodrugh (Tayler Kitsch)
Woodrugh is a highway patrolman with an apparent adrenaline-fuelled death wish. He’s a newly returned serviceman, who’s been placed on disciplinary leave. He pulled over an actress, who then offered him oral sex. Officer Woodrugh said no, but he’s still in trouble.
After driving at high speed on his motorbike, Woodrugh makes the discovery that brings the characters together. City manager Ben Caspar is found dead with his eyes burned out with acid.
Velcoro, Bezzerides and Woodrugh are brought together to investigate Caspar’s murder, but it’s clear that each agency (State Police, Sheriff’s Department, Vinci Police) has its own agenda. As Ray asks “am I supposed to solve this”?
It poses an interesting question. With corrupt business deals already being exposed by the local newspaper and a corrupt city official murdered, will the powers-that-be want an answer?
