The following is a review of “Other Lives” from the second season of True Detective, beware of spoilers.
Just like last season of True Detective, this season has a point in which the show reboots itself. A point where the case is reopened, and all answers from the first half of the season are called into question by our main characters. This was the episode that rebooted the second season of True Detective – and it did so in an interesting fashion.
The episode opens by telling us that sixty days have gone by since the infamous shooting which resulted in civilians and police officers losing their lives. Nothing’s the same anymore. Bezzerides is suspended, Woodrugh is a detective, and Velcoro now only works for Semyon. The Caspere-case has been closed.
But, of course, it won’t stay closed. I quite enjoyed seeing our three ‘detectives’ reunited. And interestingly this episode was all about confrontations. Velcoro, Woodrugh, Bezzerides, and Semyon all had confrontations in one way or another.
Woodrugh’s scene with his mother was gold. Kitsch’s best scene this season, and his character is starting to become a better buttress for the show to rest on.
“Never too late to start all over.”
Velcoro is the best character on this show, and he’s started over a couple of times already. Now he’s no longer working for the corrupt police department, he questions everything and everyone. He’s clean, he’s angry. But the one moment this show won me back was when it was revealed that Frank Semyon had set Velcoro up. Velcoro is fighting for his sanity, his life – his ‘son’. And Semyon is using Velcoro, he has been using him for a while.
But this episode definitely highlighted the season’s weak link. And, sadly, it is the Semyons. Whenever Vince Vaughn’s Frank Semyon is on screen without any of our detectives, then I just don’t feel interested. Hopefully this change of events will reenergize the show, and help it focus on the best actor this season – Colin Farrell.
B
I’m Jeffrey Rex
I'm Jeffrey Rex 