True Detective vs. Se7en - Creating Light Amongst The Dark 

True Detective and Se7en are two of my all-time favorite things to watch. I've seen both many, many times, and I always love the last moments where we get to see the characters change, ever so slightly. Hope you enjoy the video, what movie or show I do in a future video?!

“Every time I think you hit the ceiling, you just keep raising the bar. You are like the Michael Jordan of being a son of a bitch.” God that line always kills me. 😂

Rust Cohle is one of the greatest characters ever written, hands down.

"In order to feel like your child was spared the burden of existence, one has to believe that existence is a burden." Said so simply, yet so masterfully.

People always forget Marty. He's at least half of Cole. The man who can't say yes and the man who is unable to say no

I choked up a little when Rust said the line "if you ask me the light's winning". It's easy to fall into a nihilistic view of the world like he did and his struggle to challenge that view was hard but satisfying to watch.

love seeing the difference between the original script and what eventually made it to screen

True Detective season one was one of the best pieces of television I've ever seen. Great video, thanks!

Have no one seemed to notice that the video is 17 minutes 7 seconds? As stated in the video, True Detective takes place over 17 years and Se7en takes place over 7 days. Nice little Easter egg Michael ;)

Now I want to re-watch both.

Okay, now do The Human Centipede vs. Happy Feet.

"Given how long it's taken for me to reconcile my nature, I can't figure I'd forgo it on your account" is one of my favorite lines in anything. I think it's because it's something I may have thought at one point, given how people try to change who/how you are, even when who/how you are poses them no threat and their only real problem is their discomfort with you not being just like them.

Damn, the final scene of True Detective bring me to silent tears, every time. The massive shift in Rust's perspective makes me feel like there is still some hope for this world.

_"To realize that all your life - you know, all your love, all your hate, all your memories, all your pain - it was all the same thing. It was all the same dream, a dream that you had inside a locked room, a dream about being a person. And like a lot of dreams, there's a monster at the end of it."_ - True Detective might just be my favorite tv show, awesome video once again Michael! I've been toying around with a video on True Detective myself and this was really inspiring, thanks!

As long as there's Lessons from the Screenplay, the light will be winning.

Matthew McConaughey is scary talented. Just pure talent.

“Well given how long it’s taken to reconcile my nature Marty, I can’t figure I’d forgo it on your account” someone give Nic Pizzolato some writing awards please

Great, now I want to watch True Detective all over again.

True Detective was a masterpiece. I'm so glad they didn't do a second season, I'm sure it would have been terrible.

youtube is a fine place and worth when I am watching this kind of videos... I agree with the second part.

I love True Detective, but when Cole said he could 'smell the psychosphere,' I burst out laughing.

JOHN DOE: "Detective.... Detective.... DETECTI-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-IVE!!!!!!!"

This video broke a screenplay I've been stuck on for literal months. I just watched it and it immediately highlighted what I need to do to fix the problem I've been having. Thank you so much.

"Only in the darkness, can you see the stars." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fantastic video, probably your very best yet. Thx for doing these.

I always love your work man. You're a huge inspiration for me. The final scene is Se7en is fantastic. I still want you to do the Before Trilogy.

I remember watching true detective and feeling like it's a visual "Nine inch nails - the downward spiral", much like se7en and other David Fincher's works.

The analysis in this video.... is VERY well done. Often times, by merely watching a movie/show, the artistic motivation and true essence only hits the viewer on a nearly subconscious level. You FEEL it, but to encapsulate it into words can be difficult. This video illuminates how complex, meaningful, and thought provoking a good story can be. Props to the maker.

You literally picked my favorite show and my favorite movie.... I'm beyond impressed

Wow. I haven't watched the video yet, but Se7en and True Detective are two of my favourite pieces of cinema. Thank you already.

Seven is one of my favourite movies. The characters are so strongly realised, and I think Morgan Freeman was born to play Detective Somerset.

I still maintain that the difference between S1 and S2 TD are the caliber of the actors. Imagine if Harrelson has uttered the line about 'blue balls in the heart'... he would have made it true to his character, and though it might have seemed off-kilter and zany, it still would have rang true in the scene. Now imagine if Vince Vaughn had said the line about 'being the micheal jordan of being a sunuvabitch', it would have sounded hollow, forced, and amateurish. Or imagine if Rachel Mcadams had been talking about 'smelling a phsycosphere'. Pizzolato's writing is unique and imaginative, but it takes a nuanced and brilliant actor to bring those words to the screen with any truth. Lightning in a bottle with MM and WH. Not to mention Fukanaga's impeccable directing.

i would love if you did an in-depth analysis of Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men. one of the most complex, frightening characters i've ever seen

True Detective Season 1 remains some of the best television ever made. (It's a shame they never made another season /sarcasm) The last line of the season was a perfect ending. Rust no longer believes that the world is dead, rotted, and all but waiting for oblivion. He gains the understanding that while the light may not be able to banish all the darkness, right now, today, it can still brighten creation even just a little more, and those individual battles are not fought in vain. They point to a culmination in which all that is wrong will be put right. Truly a beautiful ending to a horrifying story.

“You are like the Michael Jordan of being a son of a b*tch” is such a lightening in a bottle line. I imagine that after the writer wrote that down he smiled to himself for a while.

The dialogue in True Detective was mesmerising, Rusty's in particular. It's what was missed so much in the sequel.

gained so much knowledge about movies and stories from your videos, never stop :)

After asking Wisecrack on every video for a breakdown of True Detective, I'm glad you did one instead!

Se7en has been my favorite movie of all time for the last 20 years and True Detective made it up there as well. This video expertly explained why I love them.

Watching your videos, the way you incorporate the stuff about how to structure characters and character flaws makes it so much easier for me to write as an aspiring author. After doing countless short stories, I’m finally getting around to the gritty actual-work-things with my baby of a novel, and having rules to work off of makes it infinitely easier to get my ideas down on paper.

I'm not a writter nor film student, but this RU-vid channel has gone straight up to my favorites.

Recently found your channel and I must say that I am not just learning massive amounts about story and character and the writers who are walking on the edge of greatness, but I am learning about myself and the stories that have been bouncing around in my soul for decades. This particular episode is fascinating to me...this reality of light and darkness and how the darkness works on the soul to lead it to pessimism, passivity or even despair and ultimately causes the human being to cease being purposeful as a vessel of light. SeVen was a film of my younger life, I saw it in the theatre and it was so far beyond my mind at the time. Now...I'm sitting here marveling at it again and True Detective, not for the violence or the gruesome nature of the content, but rather because both are somehow willing to acknowledge that the human purpose is truly to be a light in the midst of darkness. You, sir, challenge me to not just be a passive, entertained, observer but instead to be a sort of sub-plot to the story itself: one who has a character arc that also plays out during the story structure and does not leave unchanged, but challenged, if not altered by the conclusions the story poses. ...I will perhaps take a lot of heat from the YT community for this but I have to say it...I have been rather manic about a passage in the Bible...Genesis 1:2. And the earth was without form (purpose) and it was void (without any life), and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, and God said, "Let there be light", and there was light. That last scene in True Detective...Light and Darkness...I have a lot to ponder. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have a new subscriber.

Hey man, you're doing a great job digging into the real substance of the stories that films tell. Watching your essays makes me want to grow as a person as well as a storyteller.

This video means a hell of a lot to me. Expertly crafted cinematography and writing on par with any Camus or J.P. Sartre classic, these are two pieces of cinematic artistic achievements which explores the meaning of our lives through a decisively dark lens. And comes out with the oldest lesson of mankind : Hope. Michael, your efforts just reminded someone of the reasons to go on. You gift of a person. Thank You

FUCK. YES. I've never clicked on anything faster.

I think part of what makes Rustin Cohl such a compelling character is that his personal 'wound', is communicated in such a way as to make the viewer believe in his world-view. Even if they may have never thought that way beforehand. He's got a very interesting 'cult leader' aspect about him, while still being a solitary character - almost as if he recognizes this aspect about himself and does everything he can to repel others, and not fulfill this potential.

I'm really impressed with not only the quality behind these videos, but the obvious love of film you have that is immediately on display. As someone who enjoys exploring themes and lessons and journeys through not only film but other fictional media, it's great to see someone that finds a lot of the same things in cinema and wants a lot of the same things in cinema. I've already subscribed to this great channel and can't wait for more content.

One of few 17 minute videos I enjoyed throughout. Amazing work man. Not only the analysis but the way that it was presented. Perfection. Keep it up!

Great stuff! It is evident that you put lot of hard work into your videos. It is very inspiring for me, as a guy who is very passionate about movies.

I'm so glad I found this video. 2 of my favorite stories in one video. Well done.

I love the longer video. I don't care if it takes longer to make and will never be critical about that, the more in depth look at it that provides more details is definitely appreciated.

I do not see many comments on this but the addition of Carcosa and The King in Yellow was brilliant, which inspired even Lovecraft, really nice touch and made it infinitely more creepy.

I get so excited when I see the notification for these videos and I'm so glad you chose these two powerhouse productions to talk about. These video's inspire me to create as much as I can so I could one day produce something even close to this level of storytelling

True Detective season 1 was an amazing show!!!! Couldn't get enough! Another awesome video! Thanks Michael!

"In order to feel like your child was spared the burden of existence, one *has* to believe that existence is a burden." It never ceases to amaze me how art can so accurately yet subtly capture the essence of the human condition. Thanks for breaking that down!

Wonderful work. One of your lengthier commentaries -- and worth every single second. Thank you for doing this. Please keep it up.

Awesome. I've always wanted you to do something with the first season of True Detective.

Great stuff about two of my favorite dark as hell crime thrillers. Also I love that we've just gotten to a place that saying the words "True Detective" just automatically refers to season one and just forgets that other thing.

Also beautiful work. I'm so thankful for people like you and channels like this really digging into the deep beauty and sadness of these haunting stories.

Strangely one of the most influential and inspirational videos that I have ever watched. Great work! Keep it coming!

One of my favorite parts of se7en is a certain part that makes it such a dark movie that leads up to the end and that’s the fact that every time the characters are outside it’s raining and raining hard, expect for the climax of the movie

I just re-watched True Detective last week and I'm ready to go again. It's a masterpiece!

This is my fav video of yours. Love both of these and you've given a great explanation of the similar character arcs and the satisfying structure that is harder for the layperson to put into words. I also loved your social network vid - the Sorkin writing style breakdown was awesome. I'd like to see you break down Zodiac. While not as as focused of a story as Seven, it seems to be more rewatchable than most crime stories and tbh I'm not sure if that is an intended design choice or a side effect of a its flaws (slow/odd pacing, less iconic characters, lack of closure, etc.). Keep up the good work!

This video is so well crafted. No matter how many times I watch TD and Se7en, I can't get enough of it.

I would say that Crime and Punishment (i know i know Its a novel and not a screenplay) is somewhat similar to these movies. With the only difference being that the main character in CandP is both the protagonist and the villain.

Brother, I've already watched this and (recently) finished true detective season 3, as well as season one, this is even more impactful, than before. Love it! I believe you'd do a great job at breaking down True Detective season 3 for certain. Of this I'm quite confident. If of course, you're even wanting to, haha. Regardless though, been subscribed for some time now, keep it up!

This is probably my favourite video on this channel so far. I pretty much relived emotions from first times seeing Seven and True Detective. Thank you for your effort Michael, you are serving as great inspiration to young writers.

I don't often comment on youtube videos but I would really like you to know just how incredible I find your channel. The insight and seemingly effortless understanding you have of such complex screenplays is astounding, and the fact that you take the time to communicate these insights and ideas to others makes me respect you more than I already would. As an aspiring screenwriter, you never fail to motivate me with your videos to not only keep writing but to keep improving. Thank you so much, and keep up the amazing work!

Two of my favourites stories of all time. Thank you for your work sir

“Nah, it’s a little too late in the game to get started on something like that I reckon, life’s barely long enough to get good at one thing”

I've recently started watching your videos, and I absolutely love them. David Fincher is my favourite director, and you always do such a great job of breaking down his films, and showing all the tiny details that make him so skilled at explaining the weirdness of humanity. Keep making videos!

This was so good man. Thanks for the great content! Really proud to be on of your patreons

This was amazing! I second the comment that said you should do the "Before..." trilogy.

You, every frame a painting and nerdwriter are my favourite channels right now!!!

That was a stunning exploration of narrative. I'm so glad I discovered your channel!

i can't overstate enough how much your videos inspire me and get me writing.

Can you do Westworld next ........??? love your videos

My goal is to make a movie so good, that Lessons from the Screenplay makes a analysis of it. That is my dream

You're one of the only RU-vid channels that make video essays, teaching information that I can actually use in my own work, whilst providing examples and still being interesting at the same time. Keep it up!

thank you for the great video. I really appreciate your editing vision, playing with words while you cant change the pictures; for example in 8:48 you show a scene of True Detective that pictures the real killer and a car start to drive away from him, while you adding the words "The real killer is still out there". this is real art man, a genius work, Im always exited to see such

17 minutes? A new record for longest video on this channel.

Personally, I prefer you to Nerdwriter, mainly because I love movies, but also I feel Nerdwriter tries too hard to sound "smart" or "intellectual" as a substitute for real explanation (or maybe I'm just dumb), but you guys both make great videos; I just think yours are much better.

I think this is the first video I've ever seen of yours, but it definitely made me a subscriber. I'm not really one for movies (I prefer music), but seeing the way you break things down and show the intricate details that a screenwriter puts in to their work is very fascinating! I always get super excited when I see a new video pop up, and can't help but rewatch all of the previous work you've done as well. Keep up the great work, Michael!

Always love seeing a new LFTS video in my subscription box!

As a fan of Cinema in general, and a particular fan of True Detective S01, watching your video made me feel really stupid. More that half of the things your mention in your analysis I didn't see them nor I linked them, and after watching this I kind of felt that I was too obvious to miss. That is, in mi opinion, what makes this and all of your videos so great... the fact that you can show us a deepest and thorough exam of something that we might've seen plenty of times. Keep it up. Nothing like getting baffled with new sights of old thinks we love.

That last dialogue? "Once, there was only dark." It's straight out of Alan Moore's Top Ten comic.

Loved this video, hands down your best. I can't wait to watch these two again and I'm even compelled to try writing something on my own. Thank you for this experience!

this is one of my favorite videos...loved especially the last few lines!! Keep going sir!

I am not so much into audiobook, so I ordered the book directly. By the way, K.M. Weiland has her own RU-vid channel which I also been subscribed to for some time, but it took this channel here to finally get that book!

As always, it's a delight to see your videos. I believe you will love the movie - Memories of Murder. It's more like Zodiac, but you can see vibes of the movie in Se7en and True Detective as well.

I been waiting for you to talk about these film & the series and you combined in one video.Man you legend.

I've seen most of your videos now and really have enjoyed them all! This is one of the best, if not the best, film analysis channels on RU-vid. Keep up the good work and thanks for all the great content!

This channel along with Nerdwriter have become my favorite 🎥 based RU-vid channels

what's in the baaaaax

This is your best one yet. Thank you! I especially loved the observation about thematic connections between the killers and detectives.

Beautiful editing and incredible work. Thank you for this.

Can we get more comparison videos like this? Love it!

cohle says 'what the fucks that Nietzsche' to ledoux because of the 'you'll do this again line' because of the eternal recurrence theme, but Nietzsche only meant it as a way to live your life well, live it as if you'll re do everything again and again and again not really as a metaphysical belief more as thought experiment By the way brilliant stuff, binge watched near all your vids, well done..........

This channel has some brilliant content on it. Thank you! There are so many films I'd love you to do but probably above all others... Gattaca. An exploration around its themes of determinism, nature/nurture, acceptance of fate, dedication and how each of the characters fit in to a deterministic world. A film that is summed up in a single exchange: Vincent: Twelve fingers, or one, it's how you play. Irene: That piece can only be played with twelve.

This has to be one of the BEST videos of the channel so far! Great job!