Geekscape Recaps: True Detective – “Other Lives”

We’re back with another True Detective recap! This episode certainly had a faster pace than the previous few. We hit a time jump, by sixty-six days, since the shootout that happened at the end of Down Will Come. The plot has moved forward and we’re finally starting to see some things begin to connect. I won’t summarize the entire episode, but will instead focus on some of the more important aspects.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Ray Velcoro

Sixty-six days hasn’t really changed Velcoro. Sure, he quit his job, gave into Frank’s offer of being hired as muscle, but his priority hasn’t changed. Once again, Velcoro’s son is the center of his attention. Since quitting the force, money has become an issue and now, more than ever, it would seem Velcoro is afraid of losing his son.

Eventually, we find Velcoro sitting across from his ex and her legal team. The judge orders a paternity test, which angers Velcoro because he knows he’s not the biological father. After the session, Velcoro’s lawyer informs him to secure more cash to fight for his son.

Velcoro goes to Frank looking to earn some more money. Frank asks him to shadow a suspected mole within his group. During this surveillance, Velcoro stumbles upon the mayor’s son, Pitler, and Frank’s associate in a meeting to inspect girls. It would seem as if these are the girls who attend parties as escorts up north. This was first mentioned by Bezzerides’ sister. Later in this same episode, Bezzerides asks her sister if she can get her into one of these parties.

The next day, Velcoro meets with Bezzerides, Woodrugh, and Katherine Davis, the state attorney. After wanting nothing to do with it, Velcoro’s arm is twisted by Davis. She informs him that she can help him keep custody of his son. Velcoro then states that they should all start with the search for a camera and a hard drive that was never recovered during the original investigation. The only thing missing from the meeting was Jack Shephard screaming, “WE HAVE TO GO BACK!!!”

Each of the investigators begin to depart, but not before Velcoro learns something about his past. Davis informs Velcoro that the man who raped his the mother of his child had been captured and his DNA matched with evidence from the assault. This is big because, up until this point, we thought Velcoro took his own revenge with the help of Frank. Frank set him up.

The Hard Drive

Now that Velcoro, Woodrugh, and Bezzerides are on back on the case, Caspere’s hard drive has become more important than ever. During Pitler’s interrogation, which was conducted by Velcoro, it is mentioned that Caspere and his associates would regularly throw parties for wealthy individuals. These individuals presumably had interactions with some of the escorts brought in for the parties, only, Caspere and his associates would record them so that they would in turn have dirt on whoever showed up.

One can now assume that this hard drive, and its contents, may have lead Caspere to his demise. In any case, Velcoro and company aren’t the only ones looking for it. Catalyst, the land firm dealing out plots of land for the high speed rail system Frank was involved in has interest in the hard drive too.

In fact, he’s offered Frank the chance of his lifetime: The land he wants for the hard drive. It’s going to be interesting considering Frank and Velcoro won’t be on good terms.

Detective Teague

Teague, if you remember, wasn’t really a team player. Now, we know why. It’s apparent Teague planted the watch for Woodrugh to find that would eventually set up the shootout at the end of the last episode. We also learened that Teague was conducting a side investigation, possibly covering up tracks. Anyone who had their suspicions of him should feel justified, especially after we saw him spying on Woodrugh in the third episode.

Unfortunately for Teague, he didn’t know just how expendable he was to his boss. Of course, Bezzerides, Woodrugh, and Velcoro were supposed to die with him.

Assorted Musings

It would appear as though Bezzerides dropped her E-cig habits.

Pictures of George Bush with the Vinci mayor return!

During the scene in which Woodrugh visits mother with an Oedipus complex, a picture of her as a dancer can be seen in the background.

The shack location may be where Caspere was tortured and killed. If you think back to when Velcoro and Bezzerides inspected Caspere’s body, you’ll remember that Caspere’s genitals were blown off. He probably sat in this chair right after it happened.

Regardless, this shack is certainly not where the car carrying Caspere’s body departed from in the first episode. If you remember, the car departed from an apartment close to the 101 in Hollywood. Also, judging by the abandonment and lack of clean-up, it would seem as though this shack is not a regular location to conduct their business.

Last, but certainly not least, a popular theory is that the bartender may be a big part of whoever our true detectives are chasing.

Have questions? Comments? Share below! Until then, see you next week!