Ok, so maybe HBO does know what they're doing. In case you were wondering, there are spoilers ahead.
***Spoiler Alert***
This weeks episode of True Detective begins with a somber image of Bezzerides and Ray looking at the remains of the cruiser that was engulfed in flames.
Instantly we jump to Frank and his wife at their house in a scene that I can only imagine is trying to humanize the two of them by showing that they're dealing with everyday problems, such as their avocado trees are dying and his wife still having problems getting pregnant. It becomes obvious that Frank doesn't have time to care about anything other than amassing his empire. "I gotta go to work. If I don't get a new play, the dead trees, the present from the stork, are going to be what they call moot points." It clear that Frank and his lady are on their way out, and they aren't the power couple they were at the beginning of this show. Honestly, it's not for lack of trying on the lady's part. Frank keeps pushing her further and further away every time he goes full blown gangster on someone.
Paul wakes up in a daze, wearing only his underwear, in a bed he doesn't know. When he walks into the living room, he is greeted by his military buddy who proclaims, "We put out some fires last night." After a quick realization and scolding about being who you are, he rushes out into a cab to flee his transgressions, tearing up during the ride. I only call them transgressions because immediately after, we see him on a street corner in LA pacing, screaming "Fuck" to himself over and over and over again at the loss of his bike. When he returns to his hotel, he is mobbed by reporters asking him questions about war crimes that are being brought against him and his platoon. They pry, asking him "Is it true you have a history of hitting women?" Well, this is interesting. In the few interactions we've seen with Paul, the only violence he's displayed is lashing out on his gay, black mountain lover.
We're thrown back to the garage with Ani, Ray and the very dead, very burnt car. Ray explains that what she did by taking Paul to the mayor's house was a big no-no. "I respect the sack, but it's looking to come back on you." In a couple lines we find out how deep-seeded the power control is in Vinci. All of the affluent power players have been there for 100 years making many friends along the way. Ray lets Ani know that when it comes down to it, the State PD will have no problem serving her head up on a platter as a deal. What do you mean the system is corrupt? Are you insinuating that maybe not all cops are honest in this show? *gasp*
Frank pays a visit to a drug ring that looks like a quaint, little bakery, trying to pull the same gangster flow on them. This time however, he's not collecting on real estate that he's already sold and been paid for; he's acquiring drugs to sell in his recently attained club. Don't worry, it's no skin off his teeth. (Ouch) Speaking of poorly timed teeth jokes, there's a whole bit at the end of this scene where Frank tells his new Russian business partners "I've never lost a tooth or had a cavity." I don't know if this is a metaphor or a blatant threat letting them know that HE CAN LITERALLY RIP THEIR TEETH OUT WITH PAIR OF PLIERS AT ANYTIME. They agree to the deal, and it's starting to look like Frank is back in a very bad business.
Paul, stunned and hungover, calls Velcoro to pick him up and tells him about being mobbed by reporters. Velcoro tells Paul, "You're a war hero, one bad night doesn't change that and they don't need to know about." We also learn that Paul is the perfect little soldier and does anything that he's told, and in the end "It doesn't matter." Velcoro has a glove compartment packed full of weed, booze and pills to cure any ailment, and after their heart-to-heart, they're on their way to take Paul to a new hotel.
Frank goes to an old apartment complex that he used to own. He gets fifty shades of gangster on the poor Mexican guy who owns the place now, telling him that he's coming back in and collecting 30% and will be handling collections. I want to know why everyone is so afraid of Frank. This is the third business venture that he's gone to and reneged deals that he's already sold on, demanding a cut. What do these people know that we don't?
Bezzerides and Ray are stalking Mayor Chessani's daughter into a hookah bar to learn more about the mayor. They ask her about Caspere, and her brother. "There's no rules, you see. That's how it's always been." We discover that Chessani's first wife was committed to a psych ward for manifesting schizophrenia and died. Ani tries to console her, telling her that her mother passed away when she was young as we'll They find out that there is a shared link between Caspere and Chessani, and it comes in the form of creepy Doctor Pitlor. The very same doctor who knows Bezzerides and her father. We're left with the warning, "My father is a very bad man."
Ani pays her sister a visit to reminisce on her mother and check in on her. "Why do these memories stay so vivid, I can't remember stuff from last week." Ani tries to scold her sister for what she's doing in the webcam industry, and her sister divulges some information about how she she doesn't do the hooking parties. Sound familiar? These are the same parties that Caspere was attending with the higher class of Euro tricks. Ani proclaims, "I should have been there for you." "Babe, you couldn't even be there for yourself."
Paul meets up with his recent ex-girlfriend for coffee to apologize, and she drops the pregnancy bomb on him. He looks shocked. She knows he doesn't want it, but she doesn't believe in abortion, and he's thrilled. He suggests marriage and proclaims his love in a very deep, profound proclamation and they kiss. "This is the best thing that could happen."
Ani and Ray go to see her father at the commune to ask him about Pitlor. They find out that Pitlor was part of Chessani's lodge and stayed at the commune for a summer; however, this Chessani is not the mayor — it's his father. This family seems to go on forever and have infinite power. We also discover that Caspere attended the commune and never spoke. Some family pictures pop up of all the the players in a younger, more care-free form. Ani's father tell Ray that he must have had hundreds of lives because his aura is huge and taking up the entire room — green and black.
Seeking out the locations on the map that Ani saw at the mayors house, it brings them to barren land that has been vacated of all farming because of its contamination. It's a mining town, and the state won't pay to decontaminate the land. "Unsafe levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury. "Frank has a meeting with his wife's old friend who is a producer and tries to convince him to buy in on some land. This dude is clearly hitting on Frank's wife. Frank gets up in arms about "dragging his heels" and be given the go-around. The producer leaves with a promise that he's interested and tells Mrs. Semyon to call him. Frank grills her about the interaction and, exasperated, she exclaims, "I was young and he didn't pull anyone's teeth out."
Frank goes into a monologue of desperation, explaining "It's only going to get f**king worse here. Am I somehow giving you the impression I have a choice? Caspere, my life savings, Stan? Congratulations we're club owners again, and you just wasted my time on your fairy, producer boyfriend." I found this scene strikingly powerful. Frank is losing it, and his wife is done with his sh*t.
Paul finds Caspere's watch at a pawn shop and they find an actual suspect.
Bezzerides is sitting in her captain's office being told that she has been filed against for sexual misconduct. "What I do outside work…" Fire flies with Ani's quick temper. She plays the feminist card, "This wouldn't be happening to a man." She's suspended from the office, but can still work on the case. We found out that she has gambling debts and that she slept with her partner. There's a scene between her and her partner showing that she doesn't have any emotional connection with anyone that she sleeps with.
Bezzerides shows up to a briefing, explaining who pawned Caspere's jewelry. There's a Mexican thug who's prints show up all over the jewelry, and he has a laundry list of priors, so they decide to conduct a raid the next day.
Frank and Ray meet at their creepy bar with the same creepy singer. They're going over who's who and who's dead and who has who's money. Frank explains to Ray that he's back into old business. Ray said, "I thought that was behind you." Frank offers Velcoro a way out of the force and to come work for him. "Your talents are going to waste, black rage goes a long way. Sometime your best self is your worst self."
Ray goes to see his son hidden in the back yard so the ex doesn't see him. He gives his son his father's LAPD badge to remember him by and slips into the shadows.
There's a quick scene at the casino with a headhunting call for the Mexican guy who pawned Caspere's valuables. Frank questions his staff to show that he isn't playing games. We find out someone is trying to buy the poker room. "If we walk away now, what do we walk with?"
RAID TIME! The Mexican pimp is in a warehouse downtown, and we see a briefing before hand. The police ask, "Is this much manpower needed?" "Better safe than something else."
The crew shows up quietly,the street is painted midday with pedestrians, workers, and even protestors close by. As the team begins to approach, a gunman appears out of the window with an automatic rifle, instantly blasting two cops.
I'm going to stop in detail here. The next 15 minutes are a blood bath with a mixture of cops, civilians, and thugs being slaughtered on the streets. In the process, a drug lab gets blown up and can be seen all around Vinci. Camera crews come running, creating more people who can be slain. A whole bus full of people are seemingly executed by the Mexicans. The guy who they came there for takes a hostage and starts screaming in Spanish. With no remorse he kills the man which prompts Velcoro and Woodrugh to empty and entire clip into him. The episode ends with Paul, Ani, and Ray standing in shock as reinforcements show up.
Damn, that was gruesome. Also, who else is Velcoro working for? There is no way someone would unload six shots into someone unless you wanted to make sure they didn't talk. This scene is exactly what I was looking for in this show. Hell, this whole episode was. Things are starting to come together in destructive pieces. Frank, Ani, Ray and Paul are desperate and things are getting intense. For the first time in a month, I can't wait until next week.