A few months ago, somewhere during the Breaking Bad's finale, I was checking the series' IMDB page to view the whole list of casts and characters. It was then, when I figured the poster of True Detective in the recommendations list. I quickly checked the True Detective's page only to find out that it was an upcoming crime thriller series starring superstars Woody Harrelson & Matthew McConaughey. I was instantly hooked up and added it to my Watchlist.
Now that the show has started running, with 3 episodes already on air, I'd like make some crisp notes about it's first impressions. The show is about 2 detectives investigating the gruesome ritualistic murder of a young girl in the Louisiana countryside. And when Hollywood biggies Woody Harrelson & Matthew McConaughey come together, it definitely ups the curiosity and expectation levels.
The opening title song Far From Any Road by The Handsome Family is a soothing soulful song with relaxing TexMex texture. The song has the sounds you'd normally listen in a small town Mexican bar. Also the opening credits are accompanied by beautiful abstract art imagery, which really goes well with the mystery-themed drama. It's like the classic delicious steak-smooth wine pairing :)
Apparently, the story doesn't quite seem to be groundbreaking fresh. I mean, so far, you must have seen a dozen films centered around a serial killer. This also is a serial killer hunt drama. At first glance, it might feel like "PPffh, I've seen it all". So what exactly makes this series different ? Let's try to analyse.
Right from the first episode, Harrelson and McConaughey make their presence felt. They add tremendous weight to their characters. Both of them pair up as detectives Hart & Cohle, together trying to crack the case of a serial killer. But both of them portray contrasting personalities, quite evidently. The resultant blend gives a unique taste to the juice.
Harrelson stars as a father of two little girls, having Michelle Monaghan as his wife. The trouble with him is that he is adulterous and cheats on his wife. He sees another girl Lisa (played by Alexandra Daddario). She's like the forbidden fruit, which Woody is tempted to eat. Infact, the episode 2 has both of them in a steamy nude scene. This causes visible friction between Woody and Michelle. Michelle plays a loyal home-loving devoted wife.
McConaughey on the other hand, is a detective who currently lives alone. He portrays quite a serious edgy personality who doesn't believe in Christianity (a total contrast to his Tropic Thunder character). He's shown to have lost his kid and his marriage didn't last after that. Perhaps the forthcoming episodes might shed a light on his past personal life. He occasionally goes high on substance, whereby he hallucinates. At office, he rubs shoulders roughly with other Louisiana authorities. Harrelson tries to play a balancing mediator here. McConaughey is also shown to be an astute observant, which gets them crucial leads in the case. On certain occasions, the intensity that he glows is comparable to his character in The Lincoln Lawyer.
These rich contrasting colorful characters add to the depth of the script and storyline. The narration goes back and forth to 2012 and various times in past during their investigation. Perhaps indicating that the case is not solved yet. The slow steady one-clue to next-clue progress reminds you of the exciting cat-n-mouse thrill of No Country for Old Men. The episode 3 even shows a 2-second glimpse of the monster at the end. This has me keep my fingers crossed as both the detectives slowly follow each clue to the next one. I'd expect the episode 4 to garner much higher viewership due to increased awareness.
Season 1 will be having only 8 episodes. Wish there were more :) Oh boy, am really excited to see all the next new episodes.
Rating : 4.95 / 5.00
Now that the show has started running, with 3 episodes already on air, I'd like make some crisp notes about it's first impressions. The show is about 2 detectives investigating the gruesome ritualistic murder of a young girl in the Louisiana countryside. And when Hollywood biggies Woody Harrelson & Matthew McConaughey come together, it definitely ups the curiosity and expectation levels.
The opening title song Far From Any Road by The Handsome Family is a soothing soulful song with relaxing TexMex texture. The song has the sounds you'd normally listen in a small town Mexican bar. Also the opening credits are accompanied by beautiful abstract art imagery, which really goes well with the mystery-themed drama. It's like the classic delicious steak-smooth wine pairing :)
Apparently, the story doesn't quite seem to be groundbreaking fresh. I mean, so far, you must have seen a dozen films centered around a serial killer. This also is a serial killer hunt drama. At first glance, it might feel like "PPffh, I've seen it all". So what exactly makes this series different ? Let's try to analyse.
Right from the first episode, Harrelson and McConaughey make their presence felt. They add tremendous weight to their characters. Both of them pair up as detectives Hart & Cohle, together trying to crack the case of a serial killer. But both of them portray contrasting personalities, quite evidently. The resultant blend gives a unique taste to the juice.
Harrelson stars as a father of two little girls, having Michelle Monaghan as his wife. The trouble with him is that he is adulterous and cheats on his wife. He sees another girl Lisa (played by Alexandra Daddario). She's like the forbidden fruit, which Woody is tempted to eat. Infact, the episode 2 has both of them in a steamy nude scene. This causes visible friction between Woody and Michelle. Michelle plays a loyal home-loving devoted wife.
McConaughey on the other hand, is a detective who currently lives alone. He portrays quite a serious edgy personality who doesn't believe in Christianity (a total contrast to his Tropic Thunder character). He's shown to have lost his kid and his marriage didn't last after that. Perhaps the forthcoming episodes might shed a light on his past personal life. He occasionally goes high on substance, whereby he hallucinates. At office, he rubs shoulders roughly with other Louisiana authorities. Harrelson tries to play a balancing mediator here. McConaughey is also shown to be an astute observant, which gets them crucial leads in the case. On certain occasions, the intensity that he glows is comparable to his character in The Lincoln Lawyer.
These rich contrasting colorful characters add to the depth of the script and storyline. The narration goes back and forth to 2012 and various times in past during their investigation. Perhaps indicating that the case is not solved yet. The slow steady one-clue to next-clue progress reminds you of the exciting cat-n-mouse thrill of No Country for Old Men. The episode 3 even shows a 2-second glimpse of the monster at the end. This has me keep my fingers crossed as both the detectives slowly follow each clue to the next one. I'd expect the episode 4 to garner much higher viewership due to increased awareness.
Season 1 will be having only 8 episodes. Wish there were more :) Oh boy, am really excited to see all the next new episodes.
Rating : 4.95 / 5.00
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