True Detective - Episode 1.06 - Haunted Houses - Advance Review

     Most of the time when a show is very chaotic it's hard to follow the route of the show. In True Detective's case, however, its chaotic nature is what makes the show the gold that it is for HBO. In essence, our two central characters are both assholes. The only difference between the two is that Marty is a plain and simple asshole, but Rust is a very different kind of asshole. In the last episode, we were fully exposed to level of unreliability that Rust and Marty deliver as narrators. Separating fact from fiction was a true task in episode 5. As I watched episode 6 this week, I realized that I'm still not entirely sure what is fact and fiction. I've decided to organize this review in a slightly different way then, by attempting to sort out the fact vs fiction elements of Marty and Rust's lies. Depending on your ability to read between the lines, you should be able to figure out a little bit about episode 6.

Lie 1: Marty is truly sorry for his affair.

     Marty's early justification for his philandering was not only frustrating, but extremely hypocritical on his part. While he justified it by the horrors he saw at work, he paid not a single thought to what his wife was doing. The only sorrow that Marty ever encountered was that he was caught.

Lie 2: Rust has adjusted to his surroundings.

     While this was never outright said, it has been assumed over our expanded understanding of Rust that he is semi adjusted to his peers. Rust is more like a ticking time bomb of an observer (He's not bald though, Fringe fans). All it's going to take is something to set him off. It's going to come from the exact opposite place you'd expect.

Lie 3: The murder of Dorothy Lange is a closed case.

     This one seems like it should be completely obvious, given the obscure ending to the last episode, but expect some more questioning. The detective style of this series has been extremely different from any other series on TV. Rather than focus on the case, it shows the case through the effects that it has on people. Given that our narrators often fake emotions and lie to us, this can be a little vague at times. While this makes for much more interesting TV, it can sometimes make the story a little tough to follow.

Lie 4: Marty's affair and his wife's attempt at forgiveness has given him perspective.

     I don't think I'm spoiling anything when I say that Marty is going to get a taste of his own medicine in this episode. It really sets up for Marty and Rust's impending "incident" well. (Not that incident, Lost fans). Also, for the keen-eyed, the incident is foreshadowed very early in the episode. If you're a huge fan of True Detective, this is the episode you have been wondering about since day one.

     By the end of this episode, we will lose the basis for the story thus far in a way, but gain a new perspective. While this is a little worrisome given the mass amount of success that the current system has provided, it speaks wonders to the guts of writers to try new things. It's transition is not to be missed. With only 2 episodes left, the finale could end up in the future, the past, or… who knows, it could be both?

Grade: 9.4/10

Tune in to True Detective on January 12 on HBO. Be sure to come back here to SpoilerTV to let everyone else know what you thought of the episode.