Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Well, I think Pizzolatto warned us that the character might change...all that talk about a hard won optimism...and Malone, among others, saw the (inevitable?) arc of redemption in one of his posts...

Personally, I liked it. No tricks, it's not the garbage that the lazy writers of "The Following" are turning out...but, yeah, the optimistic ending is definitely going to disappoint some fans of Cohle's character. The near death encounter with his daughter was a bit too manipulative for me.

But overall it was a hell of a show. That plunge into "Carcosa" was enough to make me forgive a somewhat tacked-on happy ending.

It was a stunning piece of work in general.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

It was simple but I've not been more terrified in my adult life.

Did Cohle's character change? He didn't fight "bad guys" just because. He always believed in "light and dark".

I'd also like to point out that it isn't a happy ending: they survived...with "acolytes" (and perhaps more) still in the woodwork.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

I thought it ended perfectly...I was a little worried that the end confrontation would fizzle when Childer's house turned out looking like it was ripped from Texas Chainsaw Massacre (I love original film, btw; it's just been over-used)...but the chase through the ruined theater was amazing and Rust's final visions were enough of a nod to the Yellow King mythos for me...

I also think a single optimistic comment from Rust is hardly a sign of redemption...the "warm darkness" sounded like his death wish had intensified...

Given that Rust, Marty, and the Tuttle clan all survived, I wonder if a future season will pick up the story.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

I think Cohle’s character did change somewhat. Pizzolatto’s comments about”hard won redemption” didn’t come out of nowhere. The Rust I knew from 7 episodes would poo-pah those feelings he experienced as he lay dying…attribute them to the brain and body shutting down, and then quote scientific studies to back him up. (I remember in CATHR Ligotti complaining about Seven’s final scenes being softened by Morgan Freeman’s reading of a Hemingway quote…I wonder what he thought of TD’s ending.}

But, however you view it, the final episode delivered and I’ll leave nitpicking to people who get paid to nitpick. It was a great show and Speaking Mute may be right about a possible return for the guys.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Does anyone know the location of the catacombs/ruins where the final episode was shot? I've been looking around on the internet without much luck.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Druidic, those are some excellent, well founded thoughts you present there in your post.

I won't press the off-topic more after this, but only wish to add a few more thoughts, probably already obvious to you. But still, to further clear my mind. Yes, The Dunwich Horror cover is wonderful, and while I don't technically picture Wilbur like that, Coye's illustration has a symbolical quality that captures an essence. And he also grabs Wilbur's grotesque proportions very well. Further, this more abstract approach leaves room for the reader's own imagination to roam. Naturalistic images are definite, and therefore tie down the imagination.

It's not like Coye couldn't draw. He could draw realistic too. But he chose to distort to present a mood, something deeper than mere surface. He also did som fine sculpture.

The modern masses are usually vulgar, and judge the quality of a work of art only by how realistic and precise it can be.

I have nothing against naturalistic painting otherwise, but it works better standing on its own as a self-contained medium. (The most talented naturalistic artists are able to instill depth and soul into their work by subtle emphasis.) In some cases, if it happens to coincide and harmonize with my own imagination, then it works on a book cover.

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Hi guys, signed on just to comment on this thread:

The ending to the show (or first season at least...) is abysmal, not only from a storytelling point, but especially from the perspective of the characters.

Not to spoil anything for the people who have not seen it yet, but the final 15 minutes were so disingenuous and so untrue to the character of Cohle that I think it is ridiculous to drag Ligotti into this. What has been posted in this thread before is indeed true: the pessimism depicted in the show is nothing but a fad, a flashy way to create interest. Which is fine of course, because that's the point of entertainment. But it was very foolish of me to think that Pizzolatto or anyone else involved in the show was every interested in pessimistic philosophy beyond its entertainment value.

This show does not make a difference, despite its promise in the first episodes. Like basically any other show, it ends in untruthful Optimism, even though it took a detour through Cohle's pessimism to get there. In a few weeks, everything will be back to normal until the next pseudo-pessimistic fad takes the stage, and the copies of TCATHR that were sold because of the show will rot in somebody's attic, forgotten.

But then of course, "pessimism without compromise lacks public appeal." It was foolish of me to think that there was no compromise to be found on this show..

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Watch Blake's 7, they all die in the end

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

Well, seems like I don't need to watch it anymore, then. Also, I'm sure it's for the greater good...

Re: Writer Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of ‘True Detective’
 

No, they're just killed relatively pointlessly...it's pretty satisfying...it's a more entertaining show than True Detective too