1 | A tale of a turbulent bromance
In the first series of Emmy-winning HBO crime drama True Detective, the tension between the two main cops – Matthew McConaughey’s repressive drunk Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson’s seething family man Marty Hart – was as much of a plot-driver as wanting to find out which crazy redneck was putting twig-dollies in trees. This season has a different dynamic because there are now three officers in the frame. Oh, and one of them is a girl.
2 | Peggy from Mad Men’s new show
The casting of said girl, Sheriff Ani Bezzerides, was the topic of speculation for quite some time, with the choice allegedly coming down to Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) or Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). In the end McAdams won out, as she tries to shift the squeaky clean rep she’s been stuck with since 2004 chick weepy The Notebook. Playing a straight-talking Ventura County Sheriff’s detective with gambling and drink problems on the side should help.
3 | A Southern fried epic
The new series won’t afford as many opportunities for actors to speak their lines in an unintelligible drawl (howdy Matt!) or while pretending to work an imaginary lump of “bacca” round their gums (hidy Woody!) as the location has been shifted from Louisiana to Los Angeles. But there might, like, totally be some other vernacular tics in the mix.
4 | Directed by the same guy
Director Cary Fukunaga might be credited with much of the atmosphere of the first series of True Detective, with his penchant for exploring strange landscapes and restrained, emotionally-charged set-ups. But he’s not coming back for this one – reportedly because the schedule is too gruelling and he’s got movies to make. The new run will feature multiple directors, but it’ll be interesting to see if Fukunaga’s blueprint has stuck.
5 | Funny because Vince Vaughn stars
Aside from McAdams, the stellar cast includes Colin Farrell and Taylor Kitsch as a haggard detective and hotheaded motorcycle cop respectively, alongside Vince Vaughn as a criminal and entrepreneur with plenty to lose. And the reason they get pulled together? A freaky murder, of course. Let the agonisingly slow-burning second series commence!
True Detective: Series 2 showing now on OSN
Article originally published on Esquire.co.uk