there's a classic big name family with dark secrets kind of setup. and then the dramatic events unfold as the main character, who is the black sheep or scapegoat, returns. he resents his family but finds himself gravitating toward the unresolved conflict. the series is a lot about exploring the complexities of perpetrator/victim, the effects of trauma on personality development, and the dynamics of manipulation. the main character is basically a vortex of evil. his disregard and coldness, which he feels perfectly righteous, enables him to exploit every piece of information and come out on top every time, seemingly without any planning. he just is what he does. he doesn't have to hide his schemes; he's got a hold on everyone and puts them in stalemate. i'd type him as an extremely unhealthy Ne dominant. anyway all of this makes for a very powerful impact imo. it's a nice, deeper and more honest twist on the popular hyper-intelligent psychopath/autist/sigma-male trope which has been very prevalent lately, in Sherlock, Nightcrawler, The Infinity Game and more (Doctor Who may be mentioned). it's refreshing to see a character like that not relying on encyclopedic knowledge, superhuman feats of perception/deduction or a simplistically singular devotion to some intellectual craft - instead just acting intuitively within a believable interpersonal context. they've really did a good job creating a fully-fledged character like that, with depth and soul. True Detective succeeded aswell. the main reason why they succeed is a focus on the personality of someone with such intelligence, rather than the processing power. this also hints at the intelligence itself way more effectively; the personality is the result of a hyper-powered ability to rationalize and thus to find purpose within oneself in opposition to the external. and of course it's a prison. etc.
almost as much as the new season lol
