Story Telling Through the Use of Editing. True Detective

Matthew Guarnieri

            I watch the show True Detective on HBO. The show has a very intricate story, unlike many other shows. The plot has numerous subplots and backstories that make the show much more interesting. The story begins with the two main characters being interviewed by the police in present time. Marty Hart is shown as a clean cut, well-dressed individual while Rust Cohle is portrayed as a disheveled, grungy, unshaven train wreck who appears to have a drinking problem. A large part of the story telling method of this show is that they juxtapose scenes from the present with scenes from the past. The first cut to the past depicts Marty and Rust on their way to a crime scene; Marty looks similar to how he looks in the present but the viewer immediately notices that Rust is in much better shape and he is clean cut and well put together. This high contrast between the past and the present creates a mystery for the viewer as to what happened to Rust, making the story much more engaging.

            The cuts between the past and the present also create an interesting dynamic between the two characters, further enhancing the story. During the interviews in the present, Marty and Cohle talk about each other in a very negative, distant manner. Marty claims that he hasn’t seen Cohle in years. When they cut to the past, Marty and Rust don’t get along very well but they can certainly tolerate each other. There are numerous scenes in which there is a lot of tension between the two and due to what is depicted in the present, the viewer can tell that this tension is leading up to something, adding excitement and suspense to the show. There is even mention later in the show, during the interviews, of some sort of falling out between the two. Basically through the use of editing, and cutting between timeframes, tension and suspense is built.

            One of my favorite aspects of the show is that while it cuts between the past and the present to tell the story, it ultimately catches up to the present, and everything that has happened in the past and all the information obtained from what was said in the present comes together to form the climax of the story. It is very similar to the story telling method of Forrest Gump. The various dynamics of this show certainly enhance the story and draw the viewer in. The mystery as to what happened to Rust, what happened between Marty and Rust, and who committed the actual murder chew at the viewers mind and he story is told in a fantastic way through the juxtaposition of scenes from the past and the present, each offering new information to the mystery. Every scene adds suspense ultimately leading to the reunion of Rust and Marty.

            There aren’t many shows or movies that compare to True Detective when it comes to story telling. It got excellent reviews and ratings due to it’s unique story telling method, enhanced through the use of editing.