Comments on: Mahershala Ali Joins ‘True Detective’ Season 3 https://staging2.theplaylist.net/mahershala-ali-joins-true-detective-season-3-20170701/ Mon, 03 Jul 2017 15:00:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.5 By: Jon White https://staging2.theplaylist.net/mahershala-ali-joins-true-detective-season-3-20170701/#comment-154635 Sat, 01 Jul 2017 22:15:00 +0000 http://theplaylist.net/?p=368337#comment-154635 so basically you went to trouble of writing an article, when the star hhasnt officialy been attached to the new season, so basically no real news,

]]> By: buddy https://staging2.theplaylist.net/mahershala-ali-joins-true-detective-season-3-20170701/#comment-154633 Sat, 01 Jul 2017 21:22:00 +0000 http://theplaylist.net/?p=368337#comment-154633 In reply to LA2000.

Some good points, but none of Breaking Bad, The Wire, or Deadwood had a singular director and they fared entirely well because of the strength of the showrunner (in the latter case, Milch, which bodes well for TD). Season 2’s problem was mainly the script and the incompatibility of the particular directors who were at odds to figure out what to do with it.

]]> By: LA2000 https://staging2.theplaylist.net/mahershala-ali-joins-true-detective-season-3-20170701/#comment-154630 Sat, 01 Jul 2017 17:46:00 +0000 http://theplaylist.net/?p=368337#comment-154630 The special sauce of season one was having a single, talented director direct all of the episodes. Virtually all other television shows (including season 2 of “True Detective”) are shot by a rotating list of directors who are charged with orchestrating the actual shoot, but have no say in character, story, voice, or style. The executive producer/creator handles those tasks in an attempt to keep them uniform across a season and series. This process has its efficiencies, but it’s a bit like teaching a high school class with an ever rotating collection of substitute teachers that the class doesn’t really respect or listen to. The cast, writers, and crew are almost entirely charged with responsibility for their own departments and tend to view each new director with a bit of suspicion, particularly if a director attempts to bring his or her own voice to the episode. Consequently, the director is relegated to more of crossing guard than creative contributor.

Season one had such a clear style and voice, something that was lost in season 2. By bringing in Milch, HBO is clearly looking for a firm, producer-centric season 3, but the whole project could be vastly improved by committing to a single, season 3 marquee director who works as creative partner to Milch and performs the duties of an actual director, in the long tradition of motion pictures rather than tv.

I, for one, would love to see what a Matt Reeves or David Fincher or Jonathan Glazer would do with the series if charged with executing a full season.

]]>