Fans of HBO's hit series "True Detective" have surely noticed character ... he sits next to a bright yellow mug that reads "Big Hug Mug" in red block lettering. "I'm so pissed I didn't go on ...

Following the episode, Scanavino opened up about Carisi's "wake-up call" and filming ... all the work that he'd put in to get from being a detective to a prosecutor, and finally held his hand ...