Just watched episode 3, the pace is picking up a gear or two. Vince Vaughan gave a superb performance.

Season 1 is incredible. Season 2 was pretty slow to get going but it's worth sticking with. Watched the final episode of season 2 this morning, wow!

I know I'm in the minority - but I prefer Season 2 to Season 1. Perhaps the first series hits slightly higher peaks. But the second is good from the opening episode to the last whereas the first dropped off a cliff in the final third. Thought all the actors really hit their mark - even Taylor Kitsch.

One thing which kind of bugged me with the first is McConaughey's accent. I can't help thinking he's overdoing the phoney Texan drawl.

I'm halfway through season 2 and I'm really enjoying it - it's scuzzy, dark and delightfully convoluted; I wasn't sure I could wear what seemed like an implausible coming together of three such damaged main characters, but the conceit works when you understand the bigger picture - they're together precisely *because* they're damaged. Excellent stuff, well worth the time.

The one criticism I have of Season Two is the plot. It somehow manages to be both convoluted and empty at the same time. Nothing makes any sense and it's very easy to completely forget why everyone is rushing about so eagerly.

The fact that the whole thing succeeds despite a pretty mediocre plot is testament to the actors, cinematography team and the musical score (an earthy, industrial creation which, if anything, seems more suited to Detroit or Pittsburgh than LA).

Vince Vaughn gets a lot of stick (which, admittedly, he often deserves). I don't think he's a particularly great actor. But he makes up for his shortcomings with a ton of charisma.

The minute I heard Colin Farrell had been cast my expectations were pretty low. In many ways he reminds me of Russell Crowe in that he blazed a trail during his early career but has seriously let things slip since he became established.

I recently watched him in Alexander and whilst I really enjoyed the film he was dreadfully miscast. But even wearing a ridiculous blond wig he never plumbed the depths he did wearing that terrible moustache in Michael Mann's godawful Miami Vice.

Thankfully Farrell appears to have learned some lessons (that or he's finally met a director who refuses to put up with his second-rate shtick).

Thought both Rachael McAdams and Taylor Kitsch's characters were a touch underdone. The latter especially had a hell of a lot of possibilities given his post-traumatic stress and sexual identity issues. That said, both did about as much as they could with the latitude they were granted.

Still think it's sub-par Red Riding. But even that's better than most of the trash broadcast on TV these days.