True Detective: Season 02 Episode 02 –

The second episode of True Detective, called Night Finds You, aired on HBO tonight. I liked what I saw, and will readily admit to being hooked, but the shocking end to this episode really threw me for a loop. Let’s have a look at some theories – half-baked and otherwise.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I’m stumped about Farrell – it does seem too early for  the lead actor (in star billing) and leading character to be killed off in the second episode… But maybe he was wearing a Kevlar vest. Which I doubt. We haven’t seen in him one earlier.

Second, who could it be that was behind the shooting or had sent or ordered someone to watch Caspere’s playpen. I doubt it was Semyon (Vince Vaughn) who while he may have been pissed at Farrell’s Velcoro – it seemed that it wasn’t necessary to send him up to that house to be killed – especially since Semyon had provided the address and needed to know what Velcoro might find.

Second likely candidate to have arranged it might be Richie Costner as the Vinci Mayor. But then again this isn’t sensible either, as likely The Mayor of Vinci already knows what there is to find. And if the Mayor had Caspere killed for Semyon’s money – why bother with Velcoro?

Which leaves us with the CHP now special investigator – but he doesn’t seem likely unless Caspere’s playpen was located in Ventura where he was. The apartment was no where near Ventura unless the entirety of Beverly Hills had been relocated overnight. He clearly stated that he would be heading south to LA.

Bezzerides? Doesn’t seem likely. How would she know that Velcoro was heading to Caspere’s playpen, plus as far as we know – Bezzerides didn’t know where the playpen was. Ditto for Velcoro’s wife. But Bezzerides clearly hinted at a twisted youth.  2 of her siblings have been incarcerated, and two others attempted suicides. She? She signed on to become a detective? Plus she hasn’t any apparent motive.

I don’t think so but that points us toward Bezzerides father – the self-help spiritual guide, played by David Morse, and mentor up at the commune. But how would he be connected to the land deal (which is the whole story) to buy the land then sell it to the high-speed rail link developers, because his land was a coastal property and the land for the rail link was going up the center of the state.

There’s that sunglasses Doctor who Velcoro and Bezzerides visited. The shrink who treated Caspere. But he didn’t seem the type to do wet work, or don a crow’s head mask (this is true ONLY if you ignore the fact that he had the Crow’s Head artwork on the wall of his office). But I’m working without evidence here. Maybe the Caspere playpen is actually owned by this doctor, who may or may not have something to do with the girl with the facial scars who Ray spoke with,

So I admit to being stumped.

Longshots: Semyon’s wife? One of Semyon’s stooges. Or maybe some relatives of the play-for-pay Miss Tasha, or the actual Miss Tasha?

What have you come up with? What are your theories

Before you answer have a look at this major clue –

This looks to me like a scene we haven’t seen yet. Maybe it is upcoming, and maybe it is a deleted scene. Because the Paul who is the the CHP I referenced earlier, Bezzerides, and Velcoro only met at the tail end of the first episode – and the CHP hasn’t gone out into the field with anyone yet. The mystery darkens and deepens.