'True Detective' Season 2: New cast, setting, same grim self-seriousness

We could all use a little distance from "True Detective's" first season. Perhaps you found the HBO series to be the most brilliant TV-watching experience you've had in some time. Others (including me) couldn't help but notice that, in spite of some good acting and impressive technical moves, "True Detective" had some undermining flaws, particularly when it came to the writing.