The latest news in the "True Detective" Season 2 rumor mill has brought up the most unlikely name of them all: Vince Vaughn. The comedic actor is reportedly in talks for one of the four lead roles in the upcoming season of the HBO anthology. According to The Wrap, Vaughn will play a thug-turned-business man, Frank Semyon, in the series, which is set in a fictional California city and revolves around a murder and the state's transportation system.
Reactions to Vaughn's rumored casting have been mixed, especially among the HuffPost TV team. Can the actor best known for his comedic roles actually break into the serious drama game with "True Detective," or is this casting choice (if it happens) a bad idea from the start? We debate:
Erin: All these "True Detective" rumors have made it harder to figure out who the next cast will be than it was to find the Yellow King. Now Vince Vaughn has been added to the list for the lead antagonist. What's your first reaction to this, Bill?
Bill: Without a doubt, the first thing I think about is the movie “Dodgeball” because this is a true underdog story, and you know what, that movie was awesome. I just hope “True Detective” is ready for the hurricane.
Erin: Eh ... see, isn't that the problematic thing? Most people are going to go into Season 2 expecting the comedic Vaughn we're familiar with. Some have probably even been waiting for his usual sidekick Owen Wilson to make an appearance. Besides expectations, I'm just not sure Vaughn has what it takes to pull off a drama role well.
Bill: I'm going to throw out some names right now: Norman Bates, Wes Mantooth, Fred Claus. What do these names all have in common? My boy Vince Vaughn played the hell out of them. The man has more range than Airbud shooting from the three point line.
Erin: Okay, okay I'll give you that. His Norman Bates wasn't that awful ... But have you seen him in "Domestic Disturbance"? -- one of his only dramatic roles. Watch this and THEN tell me what you think!
Bill: Ha, I like the enthusiasm, but using ALL CAPS doesn't scare me. What am I supposed to be seeing here? It's just a scene that's scary as hell and full of more drama than an episode of "The Hills." I feel like Justin Bobby could walk in there at any second, and I'd be cool with it.
Erin: So maybe the best we can expect from Season 2 is "True Detective: The Hills." If so, then I guess I'll just be watching Season 1 again. Can Vaughn even compare to last season's Lawn Mower Man? I know he's not supposed to play the murderer or villain, technically, but I'm expecting and hoping this next season to be just as dark.
Bill: I mean, if you're trying to tell me that Vaughn can't do a better job than Lawn Mower Man in this gem of a scene, I'd have to say, "No," to that argument.
Erin: I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree and let the wedding crasher show us what he's got. Till then, my expectations are low, but I'm dying for him to prove me wrong.
Bill: Bottom line, “True Detective” is a flat circle. All the awesomeness we got from Season 1 will probably happen all over again. Or, worse case scenario, the “Game of Thrones” Season 4 DVD comes out in February.
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