World Literature

“True Detective” exploded into violence this week, culminating in an action-packed chase and shootout that left a heap of dead bodies, civilians and crooks alike.

The coincidences also start to pile up this week. For such a big state, California sure is a small world in this show, with main characters sharing deeper than expected connections to people involved in the murder of Ben Caspere.

This episode was also the first time series creator and show runner Nic Pizzolatto shared a writing credit on “True Detective.” Scott Lasser, author of the novels “Battle Creek” and “Say Nice Things About Detroit, ” pitched in to help Pizzolatto hone episodes for this season, according to a Hollywood Reporter article from last year, and now he is a “True Detective” writer. Still, it’s clear that the second season remains a product of Pizzolatto’s vision.

And that means hard-living, hard-drinking, self-loathing cops whose lives are falling apart. Ani is under investigation for sleeping with a subordinate (remember Steve?), and her gambling debts may come into play. She is under departmental suspension, but she is allowed to stay on the state detail. Ray, of course, is a walking disaster, but he’s there for Paul, who just had a night with his old lover/friend Miguel and is now facing new accusations about his time with military contractor Black Mountain. One reporter asks him, “Do you have a history of violence against women?”

It also looks like there’s a bonafide suspect this week — Ledo Amarilla, who is a pimp of one of the women who was at Caspere’s house and stole some valuables before pawning them. Well, maybe not bonafide, but it’s something. Something enough for Ray to tell Frank about it, and Frank sics his dogs on the unsuspecting Ledo. But the cops get to him first, which is how the episode spirals into a bloody mess at the end.