Did True Detective Season Two just get a Shot in the Arm?

By Reuben Levine | Jun 29, 2015

True Detective is a slow-moving beast. It’s true for season two, and it was true for season one. The second season of True Detective, however, has two more leads to carry plus their emotional baggage. What that translates to, at least for right now, is that True Detective season two is all about tension.

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Like, a whole lot of slow-building tension.

That’s bound to turn some viewers off, but maybe those that have been on the fence about True Detective or dismissed it after the first episode should think again. The second episode of True Detective season two, “Night Finds You,” may have just given season two a shot of adrenaline.

If you haven’t already, you can check out our review of “Night Find you,” right here. Spoiler alert: it was dark. If you tuned in last night, then you probably already know what scene we’re going to be talking about. You know, that scene in which True Detective possibly killed off one of its leads.

We saw a glimpse of the crow mask in the first episode of True Detective season two, and it’s back now in a big way. Unfortunately it was for just about as long as its first appearance, but even more impactful this time. That’s because a man with a crow mask on shot Ray Velcoro at point-blank range. It was a bold move in general, and an especially bold move for True Detective.

Now to get this out-of-the-way: Velcoro is probably not dead. True Detective has been building his personal drama, and it’s very unlikely that he’s going to be killed off in the second episode. He should, however, be out of the game for a bit. Velcoro was absent from next week’s preview, because True Detective wants you to wonder.

Even though we don’t think you need to fret too much, it was True Detective season two’s most exciting and menacing scene so far. The crow mask brings back haunting memories of True Detective season two’s Yellow King, but not in a way that feels harmful to the season. At least not yet.

It feels as if True Detective season two is on a precipice right now, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where it goes.

Next: True Detective season two review, Night Finds You.

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