Logging

TV: True Detective s2 e7

I'm generally pretty good at following crime stuff, but I got utterly lost last night. What's the big deal with the diamond heist from 23 years ago? Who stole them? Who cares? I feel like we found out who killed Casper, but I honestly don't remember whether we met the character or who she is. And so whoever killed Casper isn't connected to the "bad guy" land stealing plot? Also, I totally visually forgot the Vinci PD boss and when he stepped through the shadows and said, "I hear you've been looking for me." I was like...Whaaa....who's this guy? Only later did I recall. I was happy to see Colin F get some poon tang from Rachel McAdams and wasn't the least bit surprised to see Taylor Kitch get killed.

Basically, the main plot can be properly understood as numerous, interweaving plots as it seems every single character (big small, and even unseen) has their own little story and move they're making. I'm finding this structure pretty unsatisfying because it leaves our main characters - the characters we are actually following - as perhaps the least interesting characters of all. They are ten steps behind everyone else and their backstories end up standing completely alone from the main story. I mean...the backstories are OK in and of themselves, but I don't see the connection with the actual story thematically or otherwise. I guess we have to wait for the conclusion. That said, I'd like to bitch about serial TV -- the makers of such TV will often say "wait until the end, don't review a book until it's finished, etc." Did I miss something here? If I wanted to read a book, I'd read a freaking book. TV is an episodic format and you really expect the audience to wait and hold out judgment on a piece until it is complete? I suppose you could make the argument a little better if a show were sold as a mini-series -- but this whole don't evaluate until it's done is preposterous.

Film: Southpaw

Pretty mediocre. I enjoyed Forest Whitaker parts, but a pretty rote boxing movie.