After a strong build-up in episode seven, this finale was an enormous letdown for one reason: it was too depressing!
The program begins with a pair of confessionals. Antigone relates her childhood episode in the woods with her bearded abductor. Ray conveys his guilt over having killed an innocent man. These tortured characters appear to experience a catharsis in opening up about their past.
The program then moves into a series of action sequences with Ray, Ani, and Frank moving against the plotters of the California "corridor" scam. But the problem is that too many of the police are involved for their plan to be successful. Ani makes her escape to Venezuela by boat. But Ray and Frank are not as lucky, both consumed by the vultures, one figuratively (Ray) and one literally (Frank).
Like the series as a whole, this final episode gets bogged down in too many insignificant plot details and characters. Tony and Betty Pitlor, the children of the wacko psychiatrist, are mentioned as important eyewitnesses, yet never appear in the program. Another weakness was in the dialogue. The first season was enormously entertaining with the banter of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. By contrast, script for season 2 was a variation of the Oedipal complex and filled with morose musings that remained on a single, static level.
On the other hand, the strength of the second season of "True Detective" was in the development of three characters: Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell), Antigone Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams), and Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn). It was especially Semyon's character that had some complexity, due to his inherent decency behind the mask of ruthlessness and vaulting ambition.
The ambivalent and depressing ending includes a nearly comical tribute to Paul Woodrugh, for whom a California highway is named in his honor. But the irony is that by the close of the series, the award is given with the public believing erroneously that Woodrugh was murdered by Ray Velcoro. It is not even clear if the L.A. Times reporter will be capable of assembling the evidence provided him by Antigone in Venezuela. The best word to describe this final episode is: inconclusive.
Bummer!
The program begins with a pair of confessionals. Antigone relates her childhood episode in the woods with her bearded abductor. Ray conveys his guilt over having killed an innocent man. These tortured characters appear to experience a catharsis in opening up about their past.
The program then moves into a series of action sequences with Ray, Ani, and Frank moving against the plotters of the California "corridor" scam. But the problem is that too many of the police are involved for their plan to be successful. Ani makes her escape to Venezuela by boat. But Ray and Frank are not as lucky, both consumed by the vultures, one figuratively (Ray) and one literally (Frank).
Like the series as a whole, this final episode gets bogged down in too many insignificant plot details and characters. Tony and Betty Pitlor, the children of the wacko psychiatrist, are mentioned as important eyewitnesses, yet never appear in the program. Another weakness was in the dialogue. The first season was enormously entertaining with the banter of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. By contrast, script for season 2 was a variation of the Oedipal complex and filled with morose musings that remained on a single, static level.
On the other hand, the strength of the second season of "True Detective" was in the development of three characters: Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell), Antigone Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams), and Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn). It was especially Semyon's character that had some complexity, due to his inherent decency behind the mask of ruthlessness and vaulting ambition.
The ambivalent and depressing ending includes a nearly comical tribute to Paul Woodrugh, for whom a California highway is named in his honor. But the irony is that by the close of the series, the award is given with the public believing erroneously that Woodrugh was murdered by Ray Velcoro. It is not even clear if the L.A. Times reporter will be capable of assembling the evidence provided him by Antigone in Venezuela. The best word to describe this final episode is: inconclusive.
Bummer!