The story and characters feel like they're lifted directly from James Ellroy's 'Black Dahlia'.

Taylor Kitsch's whole closeted homophobe shtick, the dirty cop seeking redemption, the tightly wound detective just looking to pop off.

I like it.

I like the show a lot.

California is this sepia-tinted, rusting suburban nightmare; the characters are all incredibly, horribly burnt shells of human beings; and the crooks seem a lot more competent than the cops. I like the acting, and seeing Collin Farell occupy this wrecked shell of a man is great. And Vince Vaughn is good -- I don't care what anyone says, he conveys so much ontological angst and self-doubt, I almost want to hug the poor bastard. Part of him really doesn't believe anything around him is real, that he's still trapped in that basement. And that last scene where he walks home with a pocket full of teeth, and looks out the corner of his eye at his wife, who he's not quite sure he can trust -- if she's even really there at all -- was good. Better, even, then when he goes in with the pliers.

But I kind of hate that I feel like he pickpocketed James Elroy's characters.

I'm still all in.

But now I have reservations.