True Detective Season 2 Finally Finds Its Form

It’s fair to say that True Detective season 2 has been one of the most divisive seasons of telly in years. After the juggernaut success of season 1, fans worldwide have never wanted a show more to maintain its quality and fill the void left behind by Harrelson and McConaughey. Alas, it hasn’t quite lived up to those lofty standards set last year by the best cop show we’ve seen in an age.

With a meandering plot and certain cast members missing the dramatic chops needed to pull off creator Nic Pizzolatto’s philosophical musings, season 2 has been hammered by critics and fans alike. And for the most part they’ve been right to criticise. Until episode 6, “Church In Ruins” aired that is. True Detective has finally hit form.

For all of its aforementioned flaws, season 2 has had a few victories. Its biggest victory has to be Colin Farrell and his portrayal of Ray Velcoro. Farrell has given us a performance consistently powerful and emotionally-wrought throughout. This was none more prevalent in episode 6 when from the start of the episode Farrell was on his game. During the nervous breakfast table conversation with Vince Vaughn’s Frank Semyon (more on him later), the atmosphere evoked by Farrell’s rage-filled Velcoro was mesmerising. Clutching a gun pointed at Vaughn underneath the kitchen table during their meeting was tension personified from Farrell. It was an utter joy to watch. This is what season 2 has sorely missed – characters railing against each other with a clear purpose. Farrell carried his good performance throughout the episode, from the painfully awkward visit of his son to the grizzled confrontation with his ex-wife’s rapist in prison, Farrell hit every note this episode.

The same can finally be said of Vince Vaughn. His portrayal of Frank Semyon has been a mixed bag so far. He’s not necessarily been bad per se but definitely missing the dramatic weight that his character so badly needs to convince as a hardened yet reasoned crook. This episode seemed to cut Frank’s philosophical musings and get straight to the point of what he wants – answers.

Who killed Caspere? Are his men turning on him? It was straightforward, and Vaughn plays straightforward well. He even nailed the scene with his deceased henchman’s son perfectly, which could have been trite if not done convincingly. Up to this point it never looked like Vaughn could emote anything other than brooding or annoyance, yet here he kindles genuine sadness and surrogate paternal love excellently. It added a shade to him that we didn’t know he had.

However, the main thing that has set season 2 apart from its predecessor is its more ambitious plot. The singular case of Ben Caspere’s murder has evolved into a myriad of prostitutes, stolen diamonds, corrupt land deals and gunmen in crow masks muddying the water with each passing week. This episode finally started to find a direction for the season. We know that Frank’s right-hand man is providing girls on the side for illicit sex parties, which contain the city of Vinci’s high rollers participating within, which Caspere was secretly filming for blackmail purposes. This episode however also gave us some hard evidence for our detectives to use from the mansion orgy in the form of signed contracts that implicated the top brass of Vinci. We also found the missing girl that Ani Bezzerides has been looking for since episode one as one of the sex workers. Pizzolatto’s finally stopped digressing and shifted the mystery into a higher gear.

Season 2’s biggest problem now though with only two episodes left is whether it can successfully finish the job in time. Tying up the various loose ends that are still hanging there (seriously, who is the shooter in the crow mask?) is a tough ask to do in two hours of TV, but after this week’s welcome quality shift it looks a possibility. It’s safe to say that no matter how season 2 ends, it will never live up to the all-encompassing power of Cohle, Carcosa and “time is a flat circle” from True Detective round one, but if it can keep up the pace, prowess and plot momentum of “Church In Ruins” then season 2 of True Detective may end up being a very good, enjoyable season of telly. Maybe we’ll get the world we deserve after all.