• Home
  • Meetings
  • Events
  • Blog
  • E-Board
  • Around Boston
  • Join
Northeastern University's Film Enthusiasts Club
.

Neel Shah on True Detective: Down Will Come

7/15/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Please note: the following article contains SPOILERS. You have been warned.
Well, this week’s True Detective proves that the show stills had some life left in it. In this reasonably effective episode, the three officers managed to make some headway on the homicide investigation.

In my opinion, one problem with the first three episodes of the second season is that the three detectives seem to make little progress in the mystery, and aimlessly wander in circles, lost in their own misery and trauma. However, “Down Will Come” manages to remedy this problem by finally providing a major break in the investigation, thanks to a lucky find in a pawn shop. The officers finally have a tangible suspect and quickly follow in pursuit.

However, this lucky break in the case is not actually the most interesting part of the episode. The most interesting part of the episode is watching Officer Woodrugh’s ever increasing self-destructive spiral as he wakes up from a drunken night with a male prostitute, only to find that his bike has been stolen and his rather shady past with the mercenary group “Black Mountain” has been revealed to the media. Watching him struggle with his own self-loathing over the war crimes he committed in Afghanistan and his shame over his own sexuality is compelling and heartbreaking. Woodrugh hasn’t broken quite yet, but the way his character arc is playing out, I anticipate an emotional climax very soon. In addition, Woodrugh was not the emotional star of the episode, as Velcoro has a small but very touching scene with his son.

There were many elements of this episode that I loved: the great emotional plotlines, the progress of the homicide investigation, and the brutal shootout scene at the end. There is one major concern I have that keeps on growing from episode to episode: How will they manage to neatly tie up all the major plotlines by episode eight? The issue is that there are way too many plotlines to follow; the homicide investigation, the theft of Semyon’s money, the missing girl, Velcoro’s child, Woodrugh’s trauma and many others. I fear that True Detective has become rather over ambitious, and will not be able to cleanly or even satisfactorily close off the series. The fact that I have this concern halfway through the season does not bode well. My hope is evaporating.

Grade: B-
This article is part of an ongoing series. Click here for a review of last week's episode, and check back each week for a review of each new episode.
Click here to read Neel Shah's review of season one of True Detective.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    AJ Martin
    Andy Robinson
    Anime
    Anthony Formicola
    Anu Gulati
    Arjun Agarwal
    Arzu Martinez
    Ben Garbow
    Brandon Isaacson
    Brian Hamilton
    Carter Sigl
    Dan Simeone
    Discussion
    Elizabeth Johnson Wilson
    Eliza Rosenberry
    Emily Fisler
    Erick Sanchez
    Eric Tatar
    Essays
    Festivals
    Gabrielle Ulubay
    Haley Emerson
    Here's Some Movies
    Ian Wolff
    IFF Boston
    IFFBoston 2015
    Interviews
    Isaac Feldberg
    Kunal Asarsa
    Library
    Lists
    Marguerite Darcy
    Marissa Marchese
    Mary Tobin
    Meghan Murphy
    Mike Muse
    Mitch Macro
    Neel Shah
    Netflix Instant Watch
    Parth Parekh
    Patrick Roos
    Profiles
    Reviews
    Short Films
    Television
    This Week In Movies
    Tyler Rosini

    Want to Write for Us?

    Contact NUFEC President Ian Wolff at nufecblog@gmail.com if you're interested in writing for this blog!

    Archives

    April 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.