Tuesday, January 28, 2014

True Detective


We have a new obsession in our Family - the HBO Anthology Series True Detective starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

 
 
 
 
IMDB describes it thusly:
 
The lives of two detectives, Rust Cohle and Martin Hart, become entangled during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana.

 
I describe it as some of the best storytelling and acting I have seen in a long time.
 
Harrelson is fabulous in this movie, but it is McConaughey who is a marvel.  His acting is a dizzying display of tormented man and philosopher king, his physicality at various moments mesmerizing.
 
 
 
 
 
The show will last 8 episodes; Sunday night's was the 3rd.  HBO tends to rerun these things fairly often and I highly recommend you seek it out and catch up.
 
The dialogue on this show is Shakespearean.  You know you are watching a tragedy unfold, but you aren't sure how or why.  All you know is that you can't look away.
 
The series is meant to be an Anthology.  Next season will be an entirely new cast and crime story, which promises to keep things fresh, while retaining the brilliance of creator Nic Pizzolatto.
 
This has surely been the year of Matthew McConaughey, from Mud to Dallas Buyers Club to True Detective. 
 
It is widely expected that one month from now he will pick up his Oscar for his work in Dallas Buyers Club, which unfortunately, I have not yet seen. 
 
But you might as well tell everyone to go home right now for September's Emmy Awards.  The Best Actor nod belongs to him already.
 
Don't you just love it when a good old boy makes good on the early promise of his career?  I do!

 
 
So please - seek this show out.  It is amazing!
 
Have a great day and stay safe out there!  Especially if you are in Southern Louisiana and you run into the two guys up above.
 

42 comments:

  1. Is this the first season of it? I will definitely try to record this, it sounds good!

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  2. OMG! I was going to go outside my "fashion" posts to talk about this show too. I never watched the first episode. I heard it as I was getting ready for something and Husband was watching it. I was hooked and hadn't visually seen any bit of a scene. We watched both 1 & 2 last week and it was awesome! I love MM, of course, since he's a local boy.

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  3. Wish we could get this. Must try to find a way!

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    1. I think I have them pvrd -you could plunk yourself in my basement! - you would LOVE this Mary - you being a true detective aficionada!

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  4. This sounds great! I love a good crime show - although I have to say we usually stick to European crime shows for some reason.... particularly Scandinavian!! We loved The Wire, but a lot of other US shows are just a bit too frenetic and scattered for me. This sounds really good. I'll try to download it from a torrent (shhh!)

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  5. While it sounds interesting, I can't tune in. I don't, can't, watch crime dramas that portray things so close to real life. It may be (probably is) a failing of mine, but it upsets me too much. Many years ago I realized that watching violence or drama about crimes stuck in my brain like a hamster on a wheel. I'd run it over and over in my brain, upsetting myself repeatedly. I must have a delicate constitution but it unravels my psyche, such as it is. In fact I rarely watch network television. I grew up without one and never got into the habit, even though we own several.xo from your whacky friend.

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    1. I hear you Jennifer - I don't watch much dark but this is so well written I've made the exception!

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    2. It also share Jennifer's aversion to watching violence on the TV or in films. It unfortunately rules out many otherwise entertaining shows. I also rarely watch TV and only turn it on if I am looking for a specific program - one of the reasons for too much online shopping! Now on the other hand, it seems the more violence the better for my husband so we must retreat to neutral corners during TV hours. I will check out the show and let him know too.

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  6. Matthew McConauhey as philosopher-king? I'm old enough to remember when that would have required intelligence and dignity.

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  7. I've been reading about this show, I'm going to find it. I tried watching Sons of Anarchy but I thought it was the stupidest show ever. I did try, I watched 4 episodes! Never getting that time back am I.
    I did read that the writing on this is amazing, thanks for the recommendation.

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  8. I didn't get into SoA either. This one is well written and well acted, which is a bit of a rarity.

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  9. Yes! I love this show! MM is a fabulous actor and the story has such intrigue. My husband set it up to PVR at home. He plans to binge-watch after it is all over. Saving for a rainy day type of thing. I have to be careful not to reveal anything about it before then. He did ask how they managed to give WH his hair back but of course it's just the magic of Hollywood.

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    1. Oh I hope he doesn't get any spoilers! A toupee is a good thing sometimes!

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  10. Yes! I started watching this too. I stumbled upon when I was channel surfing and had no idea what it was (movie that I missed? New tv show? Made for HBO movie?) Well, of course now I know but I am surprised at how little fanfare there has been about this series. I'm hooked! MM and WH are so good.

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    1. We kind of stumbled on it too and it is so well done!

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  11. i'm so bummed i don't have hbo. i think he and jared leto will win for DBC. Also fingers crossed for cate blanchett.

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  12. Love this show as well! We've even been saving Downton Abby for Monday night, which is really saying something. MM's lines are just fantastically written & delivered.

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    1. I haven't seen this week's Downton abbey yet - I need to find some time tomorrow!

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  13. Hi Wendy, you sound really excited about this show! We don't have HBO so I won't be watching it; maybe it will turn up on Netflix on day. I am a big fan of detective/crime drama, mostly British, but, like Jennifer above, I can't deal with the really dark stuff.

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  14. Looks great. (I just left a longer post but do not see it anywhere here. Perhaps it is still being approved??)

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    1. Uh oh - blogger must have eaten your comment as I don't do approvals - goes up immediately!

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  15. I like Matthew McConaughey, but all the movie roles I have seen Woody Harrelson in have gotten on my nerves. I think he was brilliant in his Cheers years, but nothing after that impressed me. I will try to record one and see how it goes.

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    1. I loved him on cheers! I don't always love woody either, but I got a kick out of him in zombie land!

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  16. I'm already hooked. As a matter of fact, I had to choose between TV programs ..... and..... I choose True Detective for my Sun night viewing and put off Downton Abbey until the following Sat. It has to be good to make me do that.

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  17. I have heard good things about this, and after your recommendation, I definitely have to track this down and watch it! It sounds great!

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  18. I don't have HBO, but will look for it on Netflix. MM did the cutest interview with Jimmy Fallon when doing press for this--I'm sure it's on YouTube, if you're interested...

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  19. I'm my book MM runs a close second to "our" George. I loved him in the Romcoms: The wedding planner, Failure to launch. I love SJP so that one was a no brainer. John Grisham's a time to kill was good too as one of his early works. WH captured some of our hearts in Indecent Proposal. It was hard to pay attention to Woody though with Robert Redford being such a charmer. I want to see Dallas buyer's club and True detective but it will be hard to see MM looking rough and not being the charming hottie! I always think of a comedienne that thought MM was cute and called him Matthew Mc Con aaa HEY!!!! I really need some audio to get the accent on the long drawn out hey in his name!

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    1. It is a great accent! I don't usually go for the darker stuff, but the acting is so good!

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  20. I have not heard of it at all, but I am very unaware of anything revolving around TV... I have set a goal of more reading for 2014, so it probably won't be for me...

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    1. Oh I do love me some TV, but am being faithful to the reading too! Have read some goodies this month - from fiction to nonfiction to middle grade novels!

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  21. Oh you had me with the first sentence, this is my cup o char.
    I am living in the wrong place!

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    1. I thought of you when I saw the first episode! I bet one of your channels over there picks it up!

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    2. or there is always those pesky illegal sites... ;-)

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  22. I am obsessed. Obsessed with this show. We have to wait an extra week this week for it to air. The acting is so superb. I am truly hoping the ending does not disappoint. I still have not guessed it.

    Jenni

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