True Detective Season 2 Episode 2 Recap

I couldn't wait for True Detective Season 2 episode 2. Would I get answers or more questions? Would Mr. Crow reveal himself? Would Weekend at Bernie's continue?

Check out my previous recaps or keep reading to dive into this episode. Spoilers beware.

This episode falls into the problems of the first. The plot advances very little. Maybe the dead end leads are to make it seem real, but at least the mystery is provided some amount of purpose and detail.

The few and proud member of the investigative team.

 Not to worry, we have a top team working on the case, Knifey, Drinky, Punchy, and Popper.

Stains on a ceiling transition to a dead man's eyes. Did rats eat the eyes? Vince Vaughn might think so.

The conversations between characters feels forced and unnatural. We start with a Vince Vaughn monologue on living in the basement with rats as a child. It just feels a little heavy.

'Punchy' is a dedcicated dad.

 'Puncy' Farrell threw no punches, but surely wanted to.

Vince Vaughn shows us the hard road to the top.

 This is what I'd like more of. Developing the characters through actions instead of exposition. I like how this was handled. Vince Vaughn shows provides a primer on how corruption is done.

Feels like the typical Hollywood therapist, or at least how I imagine him.

At least the therapist didn't claim to need a warrant and doctor-patient privilege

The car conversations still leave a little to be desired.

 We get a few car ride conversations that aren't Rust-Marty level, but they are pretty good. At least Colin Farrell "supports feminism by having body image issues."

'Punchy' Farrell learns about police work.

Vince Vaughn's character Frank Semyon shows Colin Farrell how to do police work.You'd think 'Puncy' Farrell would have a handles on this, but he doesn't. It took Vaughn two minutes to get a lead on the case, something the cops couldn't do the entire episode.

More sweeping landscape shots.

Sweeping landscape shots seem to punctuate each location change. A few are fine, but this episode had too many.

Mr. Crow Head returns.

 My favorite part, Mr. Crow Head returns. My least favorite part, he shotguns Colin Farrell twice. Yes, twice. Does 'Puncy' Farrell die? It sure looks like it with point blank blasts, but it seems awfully early to erase him. The thing is, either Mr. Crow was following Farrell which is unlikely, watching the house with a crow head and shotgun ready, or living in the house with the radio playing wearing the crow head. It's one of the last two, but neither seem logical.

It seems a bit early for a shocker ending. Would they kill off Farrell this early? If they don't it's going to feel cheap, and he does have a storyline set into motion. What was Farrell about to find? Tune in next time.