Mann meets Elroy meets Chandler meets Lynch meets Rockford (hey, what do you know Frank, Ray did make like Rockford!). Remixed by Pizzolato's DJ equipment, creating a whole new spin on the assembled parts.

I see your point there. McConaughey's delivery of that monologue (and Harrelson's underrated support in that scene) were the highlight of the finale, and better than any individual moment in this one.

Paul was. He did more digging and detective work than Ani or Ray, and he was a god warrior. He was the True Detective of the season.

Yes! I get the idea for the Arabic chanting in Cohen's original, but the True Detective versions without it are far better. Can Burnett release a full-length version?

I honestly expected people to die, but for Frank to somehow survive to make it to Jordan. Even to the end, I hoped that. This was darker than season 1 by a long stretch.

And it's not like Vaughn was bad at gangster moments. His shakedown of the guy in episode 2 after STan and Ivar mug him? His beatdown of Santos? His rather awesome scorched earth scene in episode 7? His killing of Stan?

Oh ****! I drive through Anaheim often to see people in Orange County/Long Beach, and I've wondered what that class building near the Pond was. This makes so much sense.

He basically remixed California noir. All of the elements, like Elroy and Lynch and everything in between, and then created something different. His avoidance of the usual locations and organizations were cool, and I have to say, making the final action scene a shootout in a Redwood forest, was one of the coolest…

I think this season started weak (the first episode wasn't great, although I think that was more a matter of not intercutting the discovery of the body throughout the episode), but it got better after that, progressively so with each episode. I found this finale better than the first season's at least.

And then Lorne Malvo in Fargo the series took the idea of Chigurh and made it even more terrifying.

I liked the death march, but now I really want a Frank Semyon-Rust Cohle sit down.

Agreed. He's been great these last three episodes especially.

I finally realized the choice of Leonard Cohen's "Nevermind." Beyond the fact that it's a great song full of useful imagery for a crime show, it showcases futility. And this season, ultimately, was about futility. Our heroes tried to win, but they were outmatched, cornered from the start, and only boxed in more.

And Frank says "He's gold." #RIPStan

Yeah, his gas line was fine. The tracker was just placed there.

Exactly. Pizzolato took the "retirony" idea (Frank's speech, Ray running late, etc.), usually a bad cliche or trope, and made it work. It created a huge level of suspense for the last half, with everyone in danger and every scene full of intensity.

The salute was great, but was really sold it for me was Ray walking away, muttered "Okay….alright…okay." I don't know why, but that was Farrell's finest moment for me.

There was one part of this season that felt like a direct response to season one, in a subtle way: The treatment of alcohol.

Yeah, Holloway getting shot was a very topical moment. Shame Lenny couldn't have gotten the knife through his eye before the cops opened fire.

I now imagine an afterlife, at a bar, where Ray, Frank, Paul, and Stan hang out.