Only way be isn't dead is if the guy wanted him to not be dead.

I believe the bird mask was seen in the car in the first episode.

Yep

Wise words of the day from Ray:

"A good beating always provokes personal growth"

So far this is a c-level direct to video cop movie.

I wonder if that is why HBO gave it the June-July slot instead of the October-November slot.

Taken from reddit:

I wish you were wrong...

Don't think for a second he's dead, but I definitely didn't see that coming.

And it wouldn't surprise me if this season ends up better than last. There's none of the fake metaphysical bullshit that ultimately had nothing to do with anything. If the last four episodes of season one had been even close to the first four, that show might be hard to top, but it really wasn't all that special by the end, lead performances aside.

"We the people" made season 1 out to be greater than it was.

Pretty sure that is what people liked the most about TD1

It certainly was a strong point. Keg's prediction that this season will top last is a bold one, especially given it's disjointed start...

Friend of me told me he had binge watched season 1 this weekend. He said he liked it.
I had to comment that, for me, a solid 50% of the fun of season 1 was the slow burn and Internet theories from week to week. I think if I'd have binge watched it, I wouldn't have liked it.

The metaphysical stuff is was I liked the most about season 1. I called it fake bullshit earlier because it turned out that's what it was in relation to what the show was actually doing. All the coolness of the first half of the season, the idea that we were seeing the unraveling of some conspiracy with supernatural overtones, completely vanished by the end of the show. The only thing that saved the first season was the relationship between Rust and Marty, built on the work of Harrelson and McConaughey. It started as a really cool looking show, and then ended like HBO's take on a standard procedural.

Now, admittedly, a lot of that was those of us talking up the early eps on the internet, treating the show like it was the new Lost for the first month it was on the air, for absolutely no reason. We know what we're dealing with now, and we can focus on stuff like performance and direction and artistry, and not get caught up in plot theorizing that ultimately ends in blue balls. So I think we could have a steadier, more consistent reaction. We already know Pizzolatto is not a genius.

So basically the reason I'm saying season 2 could potentially top season 1 is that it's just being what it is this time, instead of giving us all this false tease for a month. But in no way take that as a prediction. I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me.