S02.E08: Omega Station

[Free]

Whatever happened to Ani's gambling problems?

 

Basically she got completely sidelined after she had sex with Ray, so she can be yet another contrived widowed mother for this show in the end.

[Muffyn]

From the recap:

By the same token, you can't really say creator Nic Pizzolatto drove a promising anthology franchise into the ground; it's more like it drifted onto the shoulder, then sat there long past the time anyone would have feared an explosion. And if you think these metaphors suck, you should have endured that white-dress-white-suit conversation between the Semyons.

 

This made me laugh too much.  The fucking white suit.  If there was a drinking game for this, we would all be hospitalized with alcohol poisoning. Oh, and by the way, Jordan will see Frank in two weeks “or less”.  Yes, “or less”.  How many times did he say “or less”?  First, this sounds wrong.  Second, why didn’t he just say “You’ll be seeing my corpse in a day or two if you stick around” since the foreshadowing was so strong.

 

By the end, I cared so much more about barely bronze Stan than I did about Jordan.

When Ray walked up to his car after seeing his son, the ground under the car was wet.  It was the only wet spot in the whole area. I thought that it would turn out to be gasoline or some other fluid from the car that leaked out when the bad guys tampered with it.   But no.   Conveniently, Ray could see the red light on the tracking device reflected in the water.   Lucky that Ray parked on the only wet spot for blocks.  Lucky that the tracking device was a huge and had a bright red light on it.

 

That really bugged me.  It was like something you'd expect to see in Starsky and Hutch, I swear.

Things are suddenly so much clearer to me. Huggy Bear runs the orgies of big name politicos and signed contracts.  

[Joimiaroxeu]

Every woman that gets pregnant doesn't necessarily plan for it, or even think about it depending on what's going on in their lives. But when it happens they are happy about it.

If this were true there probably wouldn't be newborns found in toilets and trash bins, and there wouldn't be children abused and/or abandoned by their mothers. And women who get pregnant from rape probably aren't happy about it although some probably find themselves able to love the child once he or she is born. I think it's dangerous to assume that every woman will be happy to be pregnant regardless of how she got there. That could be a slippery slope to denying women agency over their own bodies and creating the kind of world Margaret Atwood envisioned in The Handmaid's Tale.

 

I thought the last 30 minutes or so of the finale was great. I kept wondering whether Frank would be able to hold it together enough to walk out of that desert (until he started hallucinating, anyway). I kept wondering if Ray would find a way to kill all his pursuers and escape to join Ani. When we last saw Jordan and Ani winding their way through the crowd I kept wondering if we'd see them getting stabbed or shot because the bad guys had found them by following the reporter. Plus, the presence of the baby upped the stakes. IMO it was some pretty good suspense even though you had to slog through eight hours of muck to get there.

[Bannon]

That scene between Frank and his wife in the beginning was brutal.  Bad dialogue and two actors who seemed to bring out the worst in each other.

The entire first 20 minutes, with Frank and Jordan, and Ray and Ani, muttering excruciatingly bad dialogue, was so hideous that I had to turn it off. I was terrified of seeing another awful dive bar scene, and reading these posts, it appears my fears were well founded.

 

I cannot begin to fathom what some folks see in this show. Given its pretension, I think it might be the worst thing I ever saw,  eventually even destroying the opportunity for a good hate-watch.

[Free]

The entire first 20 minutes, with Frank and Jordan, and Ray and Ani, muttering excruciatingly bad dialogue, was so hideous that I had to turn it off. I was terrified of seeing another awful dive bar scene, and reading these posts, it appears my fears were well founded.

 

They extended the finale to 90 minutes for this.  XD.

[raspberry7]

I can buy Ray and Ani bonding going through the situation they went through.  Doesn't mean they would have lasted as a couple and given their personalities and baggage, I doubt they would have.  Though having a kid together in their situation would probably have kept them together longer.

 

 

Yeah, I found Ani's change to be fast and radical. Okay, I could buy her getting busy with Ray given both their histories and circumstances. And I do get that they were becoming more comfortable with each other, but I didn't buy off on such a dramatic change after one night in the sack -- certainly not to the extent that she apparently felt it when Ray was killed. I rolled my eyes at that one because 1) it was ridiculous and 2) they had just pulled that same bullshit the week before with Paul's girlfriend.

I didn't buy the Ani/Ray romance, but I think I SHOULD have. To whoever made this not work: You can't sell me a love story between two damaged characters who have been working together for months and have been through multiple life-or-death situations together, and are played by Colin Farrell and Rachel McAdams? Come on. (I attribute the failure-to-thrive of this plot point to non-actor elements, as I think these two actors fared well overall.)

 

Also, I agree that the second coming of "woman feels it in her gut when her man is murdered" had me howling with laughter.

[FemmyV]

I cannot begin to fathom what some folks see in this show. Given its pretension, I think it might be the worst thing I ever saw, eventually even destroying the opportunity for a good hate-watch.

I cannot begin to fathom why people who so dislike a show insist on watching. Have they nothing else to do on a Sunday evening, besides pick at scabs?

[Penman61]

I cannot begin to fathom why people who so dislike a show insist on watching. Have they nothing else to do on a Sunday evening, besides pick at scabs?

Desperate, unjustified, fathomless, unwavering hope.

 

Are we diminished?

[Hobo.PassingThru]

I really did hold out hope that the story would come together. Maybe the next episode would be a great explanation of what I've missed. There was also the chance that the mystery and how the solution to it worked out would be boffo. If that was the case then I would feel like it was worth while to watch.

[Mya Stone]

Let's try to focus more on the show and less on why the viewers chose to watch the show. 

Thanks! 

[kieyra]

The entire first 20 minutes, with Frank and Jordan, and Ray and Ani, muttering excruciatingly bad dialogue, was so hideous that I had to turn it off. I was terrified of seeing another awful dive bar scene, and reading these posts, it appears my fears were well founded.

I cannot begin to fathom what some folks see in this show. Given its pretension, I think it might be the worst thing I ever saw, eventually even destroying the opportunity for a good hate-watch.

I agree with you here, with regards to the hate-watching (I actually stopped several episodes back and am now just in it for the posts of you lovely people. And James Frain).

That said, what I fear is an eventual elevation to a weird cult-favorite status. I can really see it happening, and maybe sooner rather than later, and possibly without as much camp as one would hope. I haven't been on reddit in a long time, but I bet it got worshipped over there.

Edited August 11, 2015 by kieyra

[raspberry7]

(Deleting post as just saw request by moderator)

Edited August 11, 2015 by raspberry7

[Free]

That said, what I fear is an eventual elevation to a weird cult-favorite status.

 

For the fans that did like it, it already is for them.  For everyone else, they were either confused, bored, hated it, and/or didn't care.

[Readalot]

It's been spelled "Catalast" in the closed-captioning all season, so I guess it was intentional.

So does anyone know where that train station where the Ray-Holloway-Leonard-Burriss scene took place is located? It certainly wasn't Union Staion in LA-- it looked more like an airport. And what was Ray's reference to Anaheim all about?

I noticed veteran actor Ronny Cox's name in the credits but I don't recall ever seeing him -- does anyone know which role he played?

its in Anaheim. One point of a triangle including Angel Stadium and Honda Center

[scrb]

Ray should have used Uber.

Edited August 11, 2015 by scrb

[Hobo.PassingThru]

Riddle me this, please:

 

Frank found out about the $12 million and that the Russians were involved. Who were they involved with? Where all of the people in that cabin the Russian mobsters or was there a second party? If so, who? (I'd guess but I'd rather just know for sure.)

 

Also, we are to see those who fled as what? Are they all temporarily out the state or is Ani's family supposed to come back? Are they in danger now? Do we see anything which says it is too dangerous for them to be around? (you'd think but I don't know)

[MrWhyt]

Riddle me this, please:

 

Frank found out about the $12 million and that the Russians were involved. Who were they involved with? Where all of the people in that cabin the Russian mobsters or was there a second party? If so, who? (I'd guess but I'd rather just know for sure.)

Osip and the Russians (new band name) were buying into Catalast and the rail corridor project.

[Philbert]

 

I agree they probably were the lucky ones, but I'm not sure the writer intended us to feel that way.

 

Yeah, I gave up trying to figure out what the writer was trying to say fairly early on. The season had it's moments and I certainly don't hate it but it was pretty dull and not among the best cop dramas that I have seen. Hardly the worst either however. HBO has set the bar on television so high that it frequently can't live up to audience expectations.

[Etta Place]

Things that bothered me:

 

That puddle or whatever that Ray parked over. This is Southern California on what looked like a typical day. If you want a big, isolated, believable puddle, show me a broken sprinkler head, show me a kid playing with a hose.

 

That Ray, wanted man, is still driving around his extremely recognizable, cop-magnet muscle car.

 

That the finale made me think "oh yeah, Paul. Why did he even exist, again?"

 

That when Ani was leaving Laura at the train station and Laura asked, "What will I do?" Ani responded "I don't know," and walked away. Come on, say "I don't know, you'll (have to) figure it out" at least. It was just so weird and abrupt.

 

That salute from Chad. Not only was it completely cheesy, but none of his companions noticed that extremely looong and weird for middle school moment.

[Hobo.PassingThru]

 

Osip and the Russians (new band name) were buying into Catalast and the rail corridor project.

I see. I guess I thought they were already investors.  I thought that like all the crooks who were organized, they already had a piece of the action. That was a lot of moolah that Frank and Ray lost. Maybe it wouldn't have made for better lives in Venezuela, especially since the survivors were shown to be on the run but who knows if all it took was paying off the right people or buying the right protection. Oh, TV, will you ever teach me something which is useful in life, like how to maintain everlasting love without my evil twin screwing up our good thing?

[henripootel]

Osip and the Russians (new band name)

We had several:

Dead Riggins

Happy Burris-day

One-Shot Baby

Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Grave

Ray should have used Uber

Yet another one.

Edited August 11, 2015 by henripootel

[Youngy]

All just such utter bullshit. Who cares? I never got invested with any character, with the exception of Ani. Even her big adventure seemed like an episode of "Charlie's Angels," but whatever. In the end, when everyone started being killed, I couldn't care less. Just wanted it all to be over; couldn't kill them fast enough. I'm sorry ... wanted to be into it, and watched them all. But all the mystery, melodrama and shitty dialogue lost me, and I consider myself to be a sophisticated viewer. So, everyone dies in the end? Screw you. I don't care and I've wasted 8-1/2 hours of my summer.

[Duke Silver]

[snip]

 

Changing subject completely, I do have to say how much I enjoyed the one scene where Frank met Ani.  That whole verbal/non-verbal "Who the fuck are you?" exchange they were giving each other was great.  Poor Ani.  You know she was thinking "How the HELL did I end up in an 'underground railroad' station for illegal immigrants with a known corrupt 'businessman.'  I really should have just kept the job in the evidence locker."

 

Obviously, Frank was thinking, "weren't we crashing a wedding with your sister & my best friend when I last saw you?"

[terrymct]

Here's what I got out of last night's finale:

 

• The bad guys won.
• The women survived.
• The money's gone.
• Three fatherless boys. Two of them born after their dad's deaths.

 

That is all.

 

 

There was also the naive hope at the end that handing the files and story over to a reporter would cause change.   Sort of like the end of at least a dozen other movies or series.  The information is out.  The bad guys will get what's coming to them.  This ignores the fact that that often isn't true.  It wasn't even true in the early episodes of this season.  A newspaper was printing a series of articles on corruption in Vinci.  Did Vinci change?  No, Ray when over to the reporter's house and beat the snot out of him to encourage him to stop looking into the corruption.  Why on Earth would Ani and Jordan believe handing the files over to this reporter (I'm not sure if its the same guy or not) would get the result they expect?

Also, I agree that the second coming of "woman feels it in her gut when her man is murdered" had me howling with laughter.

 

It's a side effect of Ray's super potent sperm.  It causes the woman to have an immediate psychic bond with him, evidently.

[kieyra]

There was also the naive hope at the end that handing the files and story over to a reporter would cause change.   Sort of like the end of at least a dozen other movies or series.  The information is out.  The bad guys will get what's coming to them.

 

 

This was also the backup plan in season 1, and it strikes me that Nic P has a lot more faith in the institution of journalism than in law enforcement. Maybe he's picturing some kind of viral wikileaks blowup, but I'm just not seeing it. 

[benteen]

Obviously, Frank was thinking, "weren't we crashing a wedding with your sister & my best friend when I last saw you?"

 

Geez, I'd forgotten The Wedding Crashers connection.  Would have loved to have seen them crash a party where Ani was the bride.  That would have been funny.

[Constantinople]

Why would there be compromising photos of Catalyst, investors or potential investors?

 

If, Catalyst held an "Eyes Wide Shut" party such as the one Bezzerides crashed, wouldn't the security have been handled by Black Mountain, which is now has Catalyst's security team?

 

If so, how would Caspere & Chessani Jr. arrange to take the compromising photos?  Why would Catalyst go along with that?  The "legitimate" people behind Catalyst are already looking to make a ton of money, why would they want the hassle of engaging in bribery that would only result in disgruntled investors?

 

Perhaps C & C blackmailed Catalyst with compromising photos of their executives, but wouldn't it be simpler to just give C & C a larger slice of the development pie to get them to knock it off?

[WearyTraveler]

Why would there be compromising photos of Catalyst, investors or potential investors?

 

If, Catalyst held an "Eyes Wide Shut" party such as the one Bezzerides crashed, wouldn't the security have been handled by Black Mountain, which is now has Catalyst's security team?

 

If so, how would Caspere & Chessani Jr. arrange to take the compromising photos?  Why would Catalyst go along with that?  The "legitimate" people behind Catalyst are already looking to make a ton of money, why would they want the hassle of engaging in bribery that would only result in disgruntled investors?

 

Perhaps C & C blackmailed Catalyst with compromising photos of their executives, but wouldn't it be simpler to just give C & C a larger slice of the development pie to get them to knock it off?

 

I think the photos / videos on the hard drive were not obtained during the large parties.  Caspere just offered very morally questionable services to some of them, which he provided in that other house where the camera was hidden behind a two way mirror, IIRC (the house where Ray got shot by Birdman)

[henripootel]

I think the photos / videos on the hard drive were not obtained during the large parties.

This is plausible but do we have reasons to believe it's correct?  I could see them setting up other honey-traps to get blackmail material, but do we have any reason to believe they didn't use Orgy Mansion Fridays too?  I mean you gotta wonder why these powerful men meet up at Orgy Mansion at all given the liability it exposes them to, and the fact that their business associates are exactly the kind of folks to hide cameras and blackmail later.  

[CodeNameDuchess]

There was a plot, but nevermind. Best unintentional comedy of the summer! I doubt Nic was going for that, but some of his dialogue was just deliciously, hilariously bad.

 

By the end, I cared so much more about barely bronze Stan than I did about Jordan.

 

Our beloved Stan, may he rest in peace, was golden and the MVP of the season.  He was a master of alchemy, changing lead into Stan. 

[Hobo.PassingThru]

Ray could have pulled a thing where he gave his car away and let the SUV tail the car while he stole another car.

 

Granted it wasn't a seedy neighborhood but if there had been a chance for him to escape that way instead of being hunted down like a sad folk singer trying to depress themselves in front of no one except the owner of the bar--who takes off to another country to avoid listening to the depressing folk singer, then Ray could have gotten away if he had pulled a switcheroo with the car.

[Lemons]

For the fans that did like it, it already is for them.  For everyone else, they were either confused, bored, hated it, and/or didn't care.

 

Maybe people expected way too much, that's why they hated it?  I did have to read people's recaps, etc to help me know what was going on.  I had to do the same with the first season, I found that one equally confusing.  But both were worth it. 

 

There are so many bad dramas on TV, especially the basic networks, that I look forward to premium cable dramas.  Anyone recommend a good drama on cable or Netflix?  I liked The Killing on Netflix, otherwise not much.

[polyhymnia]

OMG, I was doing the same thing only I actually DID scream at my TV.

 

I can't believe that Ani got custody of Jordan.  I think I would rather have been shot.

 

I think this might have been worse than I had imagined it would be. 

 

I was more perturbed that Paul's girlfriend was stuck with Paul's mom.  She didn't seem to be a big enough jerk to deserve that fate.

 

The contrast of desert, redwood grove in the mountains, and ocean was nice.

 

Did anyone else see vultures following Frank's blood trail in one shot?  And don't you wonder what ever happened to the diamonds in Frank's pocket?

 

The shootout at the house of drugged hookers was satisfying but also absurd.  All those guys running out of the lodge into the maw of machine gun fire was like something out of a bad kung fu movie when all the bad guys take turns getting beaten up.

 

Really glad Frank got to shoot Osip.  What did he say to Frank . . . "You're like a son to me?"  REALLY bad choice of words.

I think it would have been helpful to have a clearer shot of the Catalyst guy.  I knew it was him but it was quite fuzzy.

 

Did I hear Ani tell Ray that she could tell he hadn't done it in a while because he had been so . . . urgent?  She meant he came fast didn't she?  Damn.  That was cold. But, as we find out at the end, what he lacked in duration he made up in potency.  One shot and BAM -- baby.

 

Is it just me or was Ray's realization that the second kid from the the jewelry store heist was the set photographer rather abrupt?  I read some speculation about that on these boards but seriously would anyone who doesn't read episode synopses and message boards stand any change of remembering that there even WAS a set photographer?

 

So . . . is anyone else disappointed that we never found out exactly what "traditions" of the "Chassani patriarchy" Tony's mom was unable to cope with?  That's a revelation I was sure we were going to see at some point.

 

 

These things and the hard drive meaning exactly jack squat.  No extortion potential because it had some magical security protocols and self-erased.  It would have been nicer if somehow that got leaked after Frank and Ray were killed, sort of apart from the information that the journalist had.  You would think Burris and Calloway (the chief) would know about Caspere's security protocols so wouldn't have been worried about recovering the hard drive and would have reassured the Catalyst exec that all was well.

 

I also didn't know the sad scar lady was Felicia and when Ray called Ani and then told Felicia goodbye?  Really? Because, well, that made me laugh.  I am so very glad that the folk singer of doom got one more long montage AND walked out with her guitar.  I was worried she and ByeFelicia were going to get killed.

I thought (with the exception of the long, long, long train station goodbye) that VV did much better with the last two episodes.  Bitter, snarky, angry Frank was a more believable Frank.  I thought he did good work in the mansion with Ms. Chessani but I'm not sure why he was there but/for to let us see the body.

Ray dying at the end of the clearing was a nice bit of something, I guess.

Honestly, there was a story here somewhere and possibly a good one but it either needed more episodes (please don't throw things at my head) to develop/end some of the plot threads OR to pare it down to the basics and make it leaner.  I didn't hate that any of the main characters could potentially die.  I thought it was a bit fitting that Frank gets away with the heist but is undone by lesser gangsters in the form of the Cisco Kid and his boss.  I like that the diamonds are out there in the desert.

I'm not touching the baby part of the story, though.  That did make me roll my eyes.  I thought it nice that the redheaded kid was actually Ray's.  Another redhead in Venezuela but being Frank's would have made just as much narrative sense to me.  I think it sold Ani short.  (I wish she had found out a little more from her last visit to Rick Springfield - once again, lots of plot threads not really meaning much which happened last season as well)

Eh.  I have other thoughts but none that haven't been expressed better by the rest of you.

[represent]

 

I also didn't know the sad scar lady was Felicia and when Ray called Ani and then told Felicia goodbye?  Really? Because, well, that made me laugh.  I am so very glad that the folk singer of doom got one more long montage AND walked out with her guitar.  I was worried she and ByeFelicia were going to get killed.

He never told the scar lady goodbye, he spoke to her about saving Ani, he made her promise to save Ani. It was all about Ani, how did that conversation seem like he was saying goodbye to Felicia. He decided to collect from her and told her that she owed him and basically saving Ani could pay the debt. Did I miss something when he told her to do whatever it took to get Ani on that boat and when he told Ani she'd need a restraining order to keep him away...

 

That being said, I liked that lady, so sad. I was like why can't she find someone. But I was glad that Ray and Frank took care of her and that she had that bar. Which she was clearly using to help fellow illegal immigrants, no matter what ones stance is on immigration. But that's a whole other conversation.

 

 

Did I hear Ani tell Ray that she could tell he hadn't done it in a while because he had been so . . . urgent?  She meant he came fast didn't she?  Damn.  That was cold. But, as we find out at the end, what he lacked in duration he made up in potency.  One shot and BAM -- baby.

I don't think she was implying that she was unsatisfied with his performance, it sounded like she was saying that it was intense as he was saving that shit up for some time and making up for all that time lost. Making up for lost time sounds like one has put their all and then some into said project(s). 

 

I kinda thought Ani might be the sole survivor of the main four especially when they had her father say that she was the most innocent person he has ever known. 

 

And I kinda felt sorry for Jordan, that she didn't get to have a child, especially since she really wanted one with Frank. When they showed her face as she was putting the baby in the swaddle for Ani, she looks at Ani then at the baby, it was like she's lucky what I would give to have a little piece of Frank left.

Edited August 11, 2015 by represent

[Free]

Maybe people expected way too much, that's why they hated it?  I did have to read people's recaps, etc to help me know what was going on.  I had to do the same with the first season, I found that one equally confusing.  But both were worth it.

 

It depends on who you ask, it's very polarizing.

[Cardie]

That being said, I liked that lady, so sad. I was like why can't she find someone.

 

The actress suffers similar sturm and drang as Rafael's sister on Jane the Virgin but at least lives in posh surroundings and has no problem finding lady loves, albeit sometimes psycho killers.

[Michell3]

Really, Ray?  You're being hunted by (presumably) Black Mountain military guys AND you want to send an email with an attachment, so your grand escape plan is to drive out to the most isolated area you can find on short notice?  Couldn't you have driven to a nearby mall and hid in the food court bathroom? At least there'd be wifi.  Ok, I get that Ray was destined to die at the end, as Lynch-ian Dream Dad revealed in an earlier episode, but the way it went down was just...dumb.  I kept thinking over and over, surely there is a smarter way out of this than to drive to a forest and pray to make it out alive, Lone Survivor-style.

 

You see, 2 days later, this is what has stayed with me.  Really wanted him to live and win at something, after he spent the entire season being The Biggest Loser. Kind of like how it was refreshing to see Rust a little optimistic at the very end, after hours of his nihilistic blah-blah-blah.  Instead he's quickly hunted and killed, the bad guys win, AND his freakin' file doesn't even send.  Because he is the Biggest.  Loser. Ever. We get it, show.  Geez. 

 

That being said, CF's more talented than I remember.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Michell3

[DarkRaichu]

I was more perturbed that Paul's girlfriend was stuck with Paul's mom.  She didn't seem to be a big enough jerk to deserve that fate.

 

 

Pretty sure they were only together for the highway dedication ceremony.  IIRC the gf was very close to her own mom.  I could not think of a reason she would choose Paul's over her own mom.

 

 

This is plausible but do we have reasons to believe it's correct?  I could see them setting up other honey-traps to get blackmail material, but do we have any reason to believe they didn't use Orgy Mansion Fridays too?  I mean you gotta wonder why these powerful men meet up at Orgy Mansion at all given the liability it exposes them to, and the fact that their business associates are exactly the kind of folks to hide cameras and blackmail later.  

We were told Caspere organized side parties at that house with masks.  I would think all corrupt higher ups would be in the big party hence any recording there would mean mutual destruction.

[iMonrey]

I couldn't figure out what the paternity test results were telling us. It said "Velcorro," then underneath it said "chance of paternity -99.99 percent. 

 

So, is that a negative ninety-nine point nine nine percent chance that Ray is the father? Or was that supposed to be a hyphen, like chance = 99.99 positive? I take it most people here assumed it meant there was a 99.99 percent chance Ray was the father but that looked like negative 99.99 to me.

 

You know how this should have ended? Instead of going to Venezuela, Ani should have gone to Ireland and met Ray's Irish side of the family, who all turn out to be fat and red-headed.  

[Hobo.PassingThru]

 

I take it most people here assumed it meant there was a 99.99 percent chance Ray was the father but that looked like negative 99.99 to me.

Then wouldn't it have said, "1% chance" or something? The writing on the series was bad but I think they meant Ray was the father. Though, it does bring up the fact that Ani referred to Ray as having "sons," so she was aware of his first son and believed him to be the father but she probably didn't know for sure. Only the mother knows for sure, and she was bummed about it, and she sealed it away from others, as was shown.

[MrWhyt]

 

So, is that a negative ninety-nine point nine nine percent chance that Ray is the father? Or was that supposed to be a hyphen, like chance = 99.99 positive? I take it most people here assumed it meant there was a 99.99 percent chance Ray was the father but that looked like negative 99.99 to me.

 

 

There is no such thing as a negative chance. it's between 0% or 100%. The kid is Ray's

[represent]

 

I take it most people here assumed it meant there was a 99.99 percent chance Ray was the father but that looked like negative 99.99 to me.

That's why when you read the letter the first line said something about how he, Ray, could NOT be EXCLUDED as the biological parent. That percentage was in the favor of him NOT being excluded as the biological parent. I read that first line of the letter. Which basically means there is a 99.99 percent chance that he IS the biological father. 

 

LOL, I don't know why they have to word it like that, probably so they can sound official and scientific. I would just want a sentence that said hell yeah you're the daddy, nuff said.

Edited August 11, 2015 by represent

[henripootel]

I would think all corrupt higher ups would be in the big party hence any recording there would mean mutual destruction.

Works in theory but in practice, there's a fundamental asymmetry between participants.  For an elected official it's potential disaster but for a mobster, the revelation of sexing up hookers is not such a big deal.  If I'm the mayor or looking to be one, no way I'm partying with crooks who have little to lose and everything to gain.

[Kbilly]

Also, I agree that the second coming of "woman feels it in her gut when her man is murdered" had me howling with laughter.

 

I viewed that scene as her coming to grips with the fact that he wasn't going to make it and she was never going to see him again, not necessarily that she could sense he took his last breath. When Ray started running he initially grabbed the bag, money bursting out, so in some sense he believed that he might make it.

 

People ripped the desert scene and the vultures but I kinda liked when Jordan told Frank he stopped walking long ago and he looked back to see his body. And I hated every moment of Jordan except for that one.

 

Chessani's first name was Austin? I feel like the dad was a more probable Tony and the son an Austin.

 

I too totally forgot about the Wedding Crashers link! I think because Rachel McAdams was really stretching. She did great in this role.

 

True Detective 2: Sometimes your worst self is your best self. Some parts were very clunky but I still liked the season overall.

[Hobo.PassingThru]

 

Chessani's first name was Austin? I feel like the dad was a more probable Tony and the son an Austin.

Exactly.

Writing.

[represent]

I too totally forgot about the Wedding Crashers link! I think because Rachel McAdams was really stretching. She did great in this role.

 

Yes she did. Job well done, she kept me watching that's for sure. HBO has been running Wedding Crashers all month. They've been running VV, CF and RM films all month while TD has been on.

[represent]

 

Only the mother knows for sure, and she was bummed about it, and she sealed it away from others, as was shown.

She was sad that he died not knowing that he was the biological father. She was looking at the life they had together in those pictures, at what was and how tragic it was to see a man that she knew was good deep down, or use to be, fall so tragically. That's how I saw the scene, then she put it all in a tupperware container for Chad I assume. Or she just was putting it away to finally close that chapter of their lives. Chad doesn't need to know right now that his paternity was ever in question. Hopefully that reporter takes the evidence that Ani gave him and in the future it won't hurt so much to look at those pictures knowing that his good name has been restored.

Actually since this story line is based on something that really happened where all the corrupt law enforcement were eventually arrested in some town in CA, then you can take solace that this is what eventually happened in VInci courtesy of Ani and that reporter.

Edited August 11, 2015 by represent

[Milburn Stone]

Exactly.

Writing.

 

Maybe avoidance of cliché?

[FemmyV]

You see, 2 days later, this is what has stayed with me. Really wanted him to live and win at something, after he spent the entire season being The Biggest Loser. Kind of like how it was refreshing to see Rust a little optimistic at the very end, after hours of his nihilistic blah-blah-blah. Instead he's quickly hunted and killed, the bad guys win, AND his freakin' file doesn't even send. Because he is the Biggest. Loser. Ever.

I read an article where a book reviewer (?) described NP's early works as "stridently moral."

Frank really had Ray's number, all along. When dealing with Gena's rape, just because Ray took out the wrong guy doesn't mean he was innocent. Just because Ray FED him the info, didn't make him innocent. And funally, when the slate between Ray and Frank was clear, Frank offered him one last temptation, and Ray took it.

Frank and Ray both could have gone south and lived like kings, but their final choiced doomed them.

[WaltersHair]

I think the reason so many people got upset with the series is because it had so much potential to be great. If it had been outright crappy, then everyone would be like "Nothing to see here," and move on by. There were some good setups and some challenges. I really wanted this to be better, but the finale confirmed how badly I think it went.