In 1995, Cohle and Hart discover that Dora Lange was a prostitute and talk to her employers and co-workers. Meanwhile in 2012, Cohle talks about the death of his daughter and his time as an undercover cop in Texas.
In 1995, animosity between Rust and Marty flares after Rust suspects Marty is cheating on Maggie. Reverend Billy Lee Tuttle (Jay O. Sanders), a celebrated evangelist and cousin of the governor, advocates a police task force focusing on "anti-Christian crimes," including the Lange murder. Marty and Rust's investigation leads them to The Ranch – a remote rural brothel employing runaway girls. Here they discover Dora Lange was a prostitute and talk to her employers and co-workers. One of Dora's friends at The Ranch hands them Lange's diary, which contains repeated references to "Carcosa" and a "Yellow King" (The King in Yellow). Based on forensic evidence, Rust speculates that Dora's killer hooked her on increasing amounts of meth and LSD in order to elicit hallucinations on her. In the wreckage of a burnt-out church Lange attended, they find a wall painting depicting a human figure wearing deer antlers.
Tropes:
- Ad Hominem: How the madam counters Marty's complaints about the underage prostitute.
- Arc Symbol: The spiral found on Dora Lange's body is hallucinated in the movements of a flock of birds that Cohle sees.
- American Accents: Cohle and Marty refer to Dora's place of work as a bunny ranch, a Southern term for a brothel.
- Badass Boast: Rust asserts that he could break Hart's wrists easily while Hart has him pinned up against a wall. Hart's reaction suggests that he's not joking.
- Brutal Honesty: Rust straightforwardly tells Marty he smells like sex. Considering they work in a department of detectives, he's probably not the only one to figure it out, but he's the only one who says it.
- Berserk Button: Marty is incensed by Rust commenting on his sex life. Since he's cheating, this makes sense.
- Casual Kink: Marty shows up at his mistress's with a pair of Kinky Cuffs.
- Corrupt Cop: The madam states that the bunny ranch has an agreement with the local sheriff that lets them operate.
- Disposable Sex Worker: It's revealed that Dora Lange was a prostitute, meaning her death was probably motivated by this.
- Double Standard: Discussed by the madam of the bunny ranch. Hart dislikes the girls selling sex, but there are plenty of girls (including Marty's mistress) who have sex for free.
- Madam: Girls walk this earth all the time screwing for free. Why is it you add business to the mix and boys like you can't stand the thought? I'll tell you - it's 'cause suddenly you don't own it like you thought you did.
- Evil Uncle: The madam implies that the underage Beth's uncle was at the very least molesting her when she was living with him.
- Fanservice: Alexandria Daddario puts the money on display here.
- Friends with Benefits: What Marty's relationship with Lisa amounts to. They both get to have fun and not worry about it. She explicitly notes that she's looking for guys to date seriously instead of him. His failure to understand this will cause trouble later.
- Functional Addict: Cohle buys speed and molly from a prostitute acquaintance. He uses them often, but since he doesn't really have anyone or anything in his life, it's basically the only pleasure he gets, and one he uses to do his job more effectively. Do Not Try This at Home.
- Hypocrite: Marty talks about serving his family and doesn't like the idea of women whoring themselves, but is very happy for his young mistress to put herself out there for him.
- Hallucinations: Rust's drug use leads to him having them, one of which is the Arc Symbol.
- Jailbait Taboo: Marty deduces that Beth (Lili Simmons) - one of the girls at the bunny ranch - isn't eighteen yet. He gives her a $100 and tells her to quit this life. She comes back later.
- Not only that, but Rust snidely asks Marty if that's
him making a down payment.
- Not only that, but Rust snidely asks Marty if that's
- Lesser of Two Evils: The madam sees employing the underage girl as this. The girl was being abused by her uncle; at least now she's getting paid for it, has financial freedom from him, and has some control over what happens.
- Linked List Clue Methodology: Rust and Marty find a church that Dora attended and find a graffito of a naked woman with horns sprayed on the wall.
- Police Brutality: Rust beats up two local boys to find out where the bunny ranch is. Notable in that he tells Marty to wait in the car and takes his coat off. It's also probably the only instance we see in the series.
- Sherlock Scan: Cohle deduces near instantly that Marty is having an affair; he smells a little like sex and is wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday.
