'True Detective': What happened in the surprising new episode
A recent shocking plot development left viewers hanging and may have them newly interested in the new season of the HBO drama, which so far has left some critics and viewers underwhelmed.
'True Detective' stars Vince Vaughn.
Lacey Terrell/HBO/AP
Did 鈥淭rue Detective鈥� just kill off that character?聽
Viewers were left wondering what had really happened at the conclusion of the newest episode of the HBO drama 鈥淒etective.鈥� The newest season stars Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, and Taylor Kitsch as investigators working on a case as well as Vince Vaughn as a criminal trying to make it as a legitimate businessman.聽
Farrell and McAdams are police detectives, while Kitsch is a highway patrolman. They鈥檙e all investigating the death of city manager Ben Caspere. In the newest episode of the show, Vaughn鈥檚 character Frank Semyon dispatched crooked cop Ray Velcoro (Farrell) to a yet undiscovered crime scene to continue his inquiry into Caspar's death. As Velcoro crept through the home a figure in a black bird mask surprised him and shot him twice.
Farrell's character could make a recovery, but if he鈥檚 dead, the show has certainly pulled off a surprising plot twist.聽
Surprising character deaths have been the norm on another HBO drama, the fantasy series 鈥淕ame of Thrones,鈥� which made a name for itself by killing off big-name star Sean Bean in its first season after Bean appeared in many of the show鈥檚 promotional materials. Farrell鈥檚 new starring role on 鈥淒etective鈥� was similarly hyped, though he was presented as a member of an ensemble.聽
If Farrell鈥檚 character did meet his end, his early death 鈥� it鈥檚 only the second episode of the season 鈥� also reflects the new fast-moving TV landscape. Cable shows like 鈥淭hrones鈥� and 鈥淭he Walking Dead鈥� and network programs like 鈥淓mpire鈥� and 鈥淕rey鈥檚 Anatomy鈥� pack more into one episode than other TV shows do in half a season. writer Matt Zoller Seitz looked at 鈥淓mpire鈥� as one example of this practice. 鈥淭he newest, hottest TV-storytelling model is all about fan service, and it throws so much plot at viewers,鈥� Seitz wrote. 鈥淸鈥楨mpire鈥橾 pressed the fast-forward button, piling incident upon incident to the point where each new 鈥楴ext week on 鈥︹�� montage was so packed with intimations of Major Developments that it felt more like a preview of season two, or three.鈥� author Eric Thurm also noted the phenomenon, writing that 鈥渢hese shows blow through plot ridiculously quickly, unafraid to parcel out predetermined story beats to have one story happen at one time.鈥� Thurm pointed out the drawbacks of this model, writing, 鈥淭his type of show frequently burns itself out. It鈥檚 dependent on moment-to-moment plotting, counting on insane thing after insane thing happening, often (though not in all cases) without worrying whether they cohere into a complete hour.鈥�
The newest development on 鈥淒etective鈥� accomplished one important thing: it got viewers' attention after a season premiere many viewed as lackluster. writer Rob Harvilla wrote of the newest installment that 鈥淸there was] not much to report about this episode until this [ending] transpired鈥� Your problem now is this show鈥檚 got very little going for it without Colin Farrell to kick around, but even less going for it if it鈥檚 willing to do the whole fakeout thing.鈥� Meanwhile, writer Sonia Saraiya wrote, 鈥淲ell, that was an ending鈥� ending the second episode of the season by unloading buckshot into your show鈥檚 marquee star until he鈥檚 writhing on the floor is a bold move. Having the wielder of that shotgun be a tall, black-clad figure wearing聽a giant bird鈥檚 head made out of real feathers聽is the type of bizarre risk-taking that made 鈥楾rue Detective鈥� season one so captivating.鈥�
writer Erik Adams was also impressed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hell of a cliffhanger for the second episode of a show that just reinvented itself a week ago,鈥� Admas wrote. 鈥淚t鈥檚 weird, yes, but it鈥檚 also unexpected 鈥� two habits 鈥楾rue Detective鈥櫬爓ould do well to indulge in more frequently.鈥�