We've checked out the first two episodes of HBO's True Detective season three, and there is so much to talk about! Reliable unreliable narrators, parallel time structures, two macho, damaged cops who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get hands on with crime, and in the center, a missing persons case with strange, unexplained details. It feels a lot like season one, but Mahershala Ali brings a stellar performance to a character that is dealing with post-war trauma and racism in middle America.

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After three long years off the air, True Detective makes a season three comeback on the backs of Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff. We talk about the show's premise and leads, our feelings about the franchise in general, thoughts on the promotional material and interviews we've read so far, reasons to hope that season three is a return to form after an arguable stumble in season two, and where things might go wrong. See you back here next Tuesday!

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Jim and A.Ron attempt to have a nuanced discussion on the ups and downs of Season Two of True Detective.  We talk about what worked, what didn’t, the possibility of a RenaiVance, and wonder about the identity of the series as we anticipate Season Three.

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Another solid episode prompts us to talk about Season 2’s pacing, the trail of blue diamonds, the fate of the central characters and what a Season 3 starring Jim Carrey might look like.

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True Detective shifts into a higher gear this week with a tense, well-directed episode and we have the opinions to match.  We talk about how bad of an idea it was to infiltrate the party, what Ray should or shouldn’t do about his kid, whether Frank is a poor negotiator, and much more.

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True Detective pushes the reset button on our group of investigators in this week’s episode, “Other Lives”. We discuss our increasing dissatisfaction with the way this season is going, eulogize Detective Dixon as a man who smelled of bourbon and farts, discuss the things we like about Frank and Jordan, the inexplicable appeal of Ray, and of course, discuss the mysteries of this season before taking some deep whiffs of the psychosphere.

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Pyschosphere Supporting Info

Blue vs Pink Cupcakes

Are those the same watches?

Eliot Bezzerides has Kali Ma over his shoulder, hmm…

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A.Ron said that he rented a bungalow somewhere so he’s out of town this week which means we have an abridged version of the psychosphere.  Also, the episode didn’t give us much to go on.  But it does still have a lot of great stuff to talk about and we cover a good chunk of it.

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Supporting Information for the Psychosphere

Image of the bird masks featured in the 1963 film “Judex” that is now available on Hulu Plus.

Animal masks in the “snuff house”

Therapist’s boots

The Raven’s boots

Raven-esque art in therapist’s office

Luna Park in Ass-Pen’s house

The real Luna Park

Photo purporting to be the last living photograph of a victim of the tragic 1979 fire at Luna Park

Picture of strange boat and cloaked figure in therapist’s office

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After seeing the premiere, Jim & A.Ron are lukewarm on season two but still on board and ready for the dots to connect. The psychosphere is a little more subtle but still in full effect. Check out the podcast for our thoughts, your feedback and a big ol’ sniff of that psychosphere. 

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