‘Maybe Tomorrow.’
This is it, there only being 8 episodes in a Season, Episode 3 is the point where audiences will decide whether or not they actually want to keep watching. ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ did almost everything it needed to, relationships developed and the case in hand actually became more interesting.
Maybe the biggest positive of this episode was the unsuspecting humour in the writing. I actually laughed a handful of times! This season has been so theatrical and dramatic that humour has become an unnoticed commodity. I mean I’ve definitely smiled at lines in the last coupled episodes, but not laughed like I did this week, ‘Is that a fucking e-cigarette?’ Character development soared through the roof, without being forced might I add. All four of the main characters while not all necessarily ‘developing’ definitely became interesting, Frank and Paul were the two who especially stood out for me. We got to see a physical side to Frank, in this same scene, seconds before the fight, Frank looks scared and soft. So when Frank actually puts down a beating on this guy, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was this a scene wonderfully acted by Vince Vaughan (who up till now I’ve been unsure about) but it presents in which ways the character had to bully others to get him the position he’s in now. On the other hand, there’s Paul. He’s been on the outskirts of the case and normally appearing on screen without any of the other main characters. But that’s what makes his character so interesting, he’s not actually supposed to be there. He’s not a detective and he’s out of his depth. What adds to this dynamic is Paul is the only one who doesn’t have a specific agenda or alternative motives, he’s not spying on anyone. So for me at least, seeing Paul so out of place in pretty much every scene is fascinating.
I don’t have many gripes with this episode, things are getting more interesting as they should. However, even though True Detective doesn’t usually do cliche cliffhangers like the average TV show, there is normally something involving the case revealed by the end, usually investigated next week. We don’t have that here. A strong episode with no real flowing into next week’s, consequently the ending feels abrupt. After a disappointing start, I’m invested in the characters and on going conflicts though.
Words by Eddie Michael