HBO's True Detective

False dichotomy.

 

I could see how you might make that mistake, but it isn't.

Not every creative endeavor is art
I have never seen a TV show that rises to the level of art.
It is entertainment, and I am doubtful that art could flourish in that industry.

What you should point out is Mencken's false premise that this show is not bound by ideas of fairness or balance because art is not bound by those strictures.


However, I agree with the sentiment that a show about two male cops solving a murder may not need a 'strong female character.'

 

I disagree. There are plenty of examples of TV rising to the level of art. I think at times "Breaking Bad" did. Same for "The Wire." Few complete episodes of "The Simpsons" do, but sometimes there are moments when it does, esp. when they do different things with their opening credits.

Art doesn't have to be pretentious. Theater is often art without pretentiousness. The same can be true of TV. I think that "True Detective" is one of the more innovative approaches to raising TV to the level of art.

 

I don't get the complaint that it doesn't portray strong women.

I mean, just last night there was a memorable scene showing a woman on top.

 

Grantland's Molly Lambert (a woman!) dismisses the "True Detective hates women" argument:

http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/her-looming-shadow-grows-the-women-of-true-detective/

 

I don't think art has to be pretentious.
However, I have never seen a television program I consider art.
I've seen things that are inventive. moving, entertaining, well crafted, but I haven't seen art.

I have enjoyed 'True Detective' very much, with the notable exception of last night's episode, but it's not art.

 

Your definition of art is far too narrow. I don't mean that to say True Detective rises to that level. I'm way behind, but so far I wouldn't describe it that way. But no television is art? Have to strongly disagree there.

 

Was kind of expecting a slower episode last night.

And I didn't mind it at all. I think the next two are going to be quite incredible.

I rewatched Episodes 1 and 2 earlier today and the picture that Rust shows Marty at the end, the "scarred man" is the same picture a little girl from Episode 1 tells the detectives was chasing her through the woods "the spaghetti-faced monster" or something a long those lines.

Marty also sees some disturbing scenes in a video Rust shows him. Could it be Hart's daughter was somehow touched by the evil surrounding what I think is the Tuttle church initiative? Maybe that's the video that makes Marty react that way?

Either way, this is setting up to be a great finish IMO

 

I forget which episode it was in, but the guy mowing the lawn at the abandoned school fits the description of the "spaghetti-faced monster/scarred man" pretty well:

 

Episode 2. And good pull. I was halfway through Ep. 2 and fell asleep.

 

Part of my theory:
Marty's father-in-law is in with the Carcosa-Yellow King-cult, and Marty's daughter(s) has been exposed to some kind of trauma, which led to her using dolls to stage a murder or gang rape scene, drawing the pictures and acting out in some fairly extreme ways as a teen.

 

You and about 10,000 posters on reddit, yes.