Five Emmy Worthy Aspects of True Detective Season Two

The second season of True Detective is over, and the reviews haven’t gotten any kinder. Good reviews, however, are not necessarily the key behind getting an Emmy nomination. Overall popularity, on the other hand, definitely is, and that’s something that True Detective doesn’t have all that much of right about now. At least not compared to where it stood at the end of the first season.

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1. Frank’s Death Scene

This clip may contain explicit language.

Frank’s death may be the greatest sequence that True Detective has ever produced. It’s artistic, poignant, and tragic. There were no light moments in season two, and Frank’s death is especially brutal. Not because it’s particularly violent, but because of how hopeless it is. Frank’s march through the desert as he’s haunted by ghosts from his past is powerful, and actually sad.

The look on his face when he realizes that he’s not going to make it is devastating. throughout True Detective, Frank tries his hardest to fight against his circumstances and build a life for his wife and potential child. His final failure is difficult to watch. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Vince Vaughn to be nominated for Best Actor based on this scene alone, but the entire episode could pull a nomination or Best Direction of an Episode.

2. Frank and Ray at the Bar

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This doesn’t have to be this specific meeting; any meeting between Frank and Ray at the bar would qualify. The quiet, dark meet-ups between the two are some of the best interactions that can be found in True Detective’s second season. It’s not just about the actors here — it’s about the lighting, the direction, the atmosphere.

True Detective has a shot here Creative Arts Emmy’s: Cinematography and Editing. Despite all the problems that viewers have had with True Detective’s plot or its acting, it’s impossible to deny that the editing and composition of these scenes is compelling.

3. Rachel McAdams

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Rachel McAdams as Ani Bezzerides is Emmy worthy, or at least nomination worthy at the very least. McAdam’s tore down the public perception of he as an actor only fit for rom-coms. Ani Bezzerides is a rough, strong character that brings out perhaps the best performance of McAdams’ career. Although her character isn’t quite fleshed out enough, what we do see of Bezzerides is enough to get the point across.

The first season of True Detective was snubbed at last year’s Emmy’s, so hopefully the 2016 show won’t make the same mistake. Just because season two has various issues does not diminish from McAdams’ acting. By the way, there are very few scenes of Bezzerides on YouTube. What’s up with that?

4. The Music

We proved beyond of a shadow of a doubt that True Detective fans love Lera Lynn’s contribution to the season. The music of season two goes beyond Lynn’s haunting folk tunes, but it’s impossible to deny that she’s a huge part of it. In terms of overall music, T. Bone Burnett would mostly score the nomination as Music Director.

There has been no other show in recent memory that has featured music like the second season of True Detective. T. Bone Burnett’s original score paired with Lera Lynn’s dark presence throughout the entire season is one thing that True Detective hit out of the park.

5. The Title Sequence

It doesn’t matter how you feel about season two of True Detective — the title sequence is excellent. Drawing on the same inspiration as the first season’s and done by the same production company, the season two opening features super-saturated colors to create something just as artistically powerful. Of course, True Detective season itself is a dark affair that features very little color. It works in contrast.

Although there were some out there that weren’t down with Leonard Cohen’s song “Never Mind,” the majority of fans that we polled liked the pairing. Not to mention the fact that the last lines of the opening changed every couple of episodes.

Don’t let the negative reception of season two fool you; there are plenty of gems to be found.

Next: Kelly Reilly was underused in True Detective.

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