Topic: Fargo (New show from FX/Channel 4)

[Alan_X]

For me it was...

Spoiler

...about empathy. A psychopath feels no empathy. So how could Lester understand the little act of consideration?

[close]

Last episode.

Spoiler

Fantastic little moment where the deputy does her own little Blade Runner-style "Voigt Kampff" test on Lester (train platform, gloves, and so forth).

[close]

Are you listening to 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' on Radio 4?

[MagicHat]

Almost decided to skip this show, glad I didn't. Good nods to the film (which I liked but not as huge a fan of as others seem to be), creating that same atmosphere and love of the... eccentric figures and the normal ones, without being so wrapped up that it became a copy. Got good atmosphere, good setpeices

Spoiler

That killing spree in an FBI watched building was brilliant

[close]

, I loved the mix of the normal people and those that were more stand out,  Billy Bob Thornton was compelling to watch and a real stand out with his clever delivery, strong story that juggled itself well.

Spoiler

Gus getting away with it did feel a off note, the man committed murder and nobody in the police force is querying this? Felt a bit too happy ending.

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[Pistolero]

Along with True Detective this has been the TV highlight of the year.....superb telly from start to finish

[Flash6289]

Gutted it's finished. Finale felt a bit weaker than other episodes as they had to fit so much in and still didn't explain a lot.

Haven't seen the film so it's now on the way!

[McrRed]

Spoiler

Old Nick is surely not too young 

[close]

Doesn't he mention being in the Garden of Eden at one point?

Malvo is truly badass.

[sideshowme]

watched the movie last night.  watched it way back when it was released and remember enjoying it but had completely forgotten everything about it except "yah?  yah!" etc.

a nice wander down memory lane, and suddenly all the little nods in the series become clear.   the movie is much better though, for whatever that's worth; i realise it's nonsense to compare two different media like that, but internal coherence is relevant no matter the artform, and the series is severely lacking.

[kavah]

Last episode.

Spoiler

Fantastic little moment where the deputy does her own little Blade Runner-style "Voigt Kampff" test on Lester (train platform, gloves, and so forth).

[close]

Great. Show. Thanks for that. Nice insight. What was the cabbage, fox,  rabbit thing about?

Ahh - just reading the thread back now.

Spoiler

I was a bit underwhelmed by the last episode, if I'm being honest. I know it wanted to wrap everything up given we won't see these characters again, but even so.

My biggest gripe: Shouldn't Gus be on a murder charge now?  He can't claim self-defence/stand your ground when he broke into Malvo's cabin, waited there and shot someone clearly badly injured.
Unless Chief Bill was working on one last case - 'Yep, clearly suicide to me. Let's have a drink to celebrate'.

And Martin Freeman got to answer his Office Training Day question about the Fox/Chicken/Cabbage (well, bag of corn in the original) 

Still, a tremendous series, and Freeman, BBT, and Alison Tollman deserve all the awards heading their way.

[close]

[Twelfth Man]

Last episode.

Spoiler

Fantastic little moment where the deputy does her own little Blade Runner-style "Voigt Kampff" test on Lester (train platform, gloves, and so forth).

[close]

Was just about to post what that meant. Fuck I'm a replicant!

[sideshowme]

this should turn up frequently in match threads next season...

Spoiler

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[Ray K]

As expected, FX has ordered a new season of "Fargo." And, as expected, it'll follow the "American Horror Story"/"True Detective" model of starting over from scratch.

Per FX's announcement this morning at the Television Critics Association press tour, "The new chapter of the 'Fargo' story will feature an all-new cast of characters, a new time period and a new 'true crime' story that will unfold over the course of 10 episodes."

One aspect of the acclaimed original season that won't change: Noah Hawley, who wrote all 10 episodes of season 1 — and who did a remarkable job of evoking the work of the Coen brothers without seeming like a bad imitator — will remain in charge of the show.

Many viewers had speculated that a second season would deal with the Sioux Falls case from the late '70s that Keith Carradine's character, Lou Solverson, kept alluding to. The mention of a new time period supports that theory, though the "all-new cast of characters" does not. For what it's worth, Hawley has been very cagey about the idea of a Sioux Falls season both times I've asked him.

But with such a terrific first season — and one that drew 18 Emmy nominations — I'm ready to trust Hawley on whatever he tries to do next with this world.

UPDATE: FX's John Landgraf said that the earliest the new "Fargo" season could debut would be fall of 2015, and that there will be "an all-new cast of actors," rather than taking the "American Horror Story" approach of recycling actors in new roles. There will be a panel later today with Hawley and producer Warren Littlefield, so we'll have more detail then.


Read more at http://m.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/fx-orders-fargo-season-2-featuring-new-setting-new-characters

[Rattleduser]

billy bob reminds me of mulligan o'hare

watched the first two and it's decent

[johnybarnes]

Anyone highlighted the Tim/Gareth scene from the office about getting the chicken and fox across the river?

Kept thinking during the Fargo scene 'Blood bath'

[Flash6289]

Didn't think much of the film having watched this. 

[telekon]

Oh, real nice. Saw the first episode last night and it's real, real nice.

I lived a year in northern Minnesota and for me it's worth it for that in itself, let alone the great acting by Martin Freeman, the script and everything else. There's something special with rural and very cold places. You wonder why anyone would desire to live there.

It's quite remarkable that even half of these events actually happened. Then again, "based on" can mean a lot of things.

Loved the film to bits and it's by far the best from the brothers in my opinion. Can't wait to watch the rest of the series! You betcha!

[telekon]

The first episode or two of the series I think is brilliant five star stuff...

Spoiler

but then it goes haywire. And from there it gets really messed up in episode 6. All stab and everyone dies like they hired Tarantino or the writers from the Saw films. It just didn't fit in to the mood of the first few episodes. It's too over the top and they sold out in some regards in my opinion. It's as if they couldn't keep the psychological tensions and reverted to brutal violance. It just looked cheap and I think it was disappointing.

It's still a very good show in my opinion but in episode 7 when Malvo goes on a killing spree in the office it's like they're killing a lot that was good about the show and just turns to sensationalist action. We already knew that Malvo was a deranged psychopath; why not explore his person as opposed to this action-horror Hollywood stuff?

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[Ray K]

The first episode or two of the series I think is brilliant five star stuff...

But Episode 6 is Buridan's Ass.  That was the best episode of tv this year.

[KERRYKOP]

Aces!

Any idea when series 2 will be on our televisual screens?

[telekon]

But Episode 6 is Buridan's Ass.  That was the best episode of tv this year.

Care to add reasoning to that, or respond to my comments? 

[Ray K]

Care to add reasoning to that, or respond to my comments? 

Not really. As Mark Kermode would say, I'm right and you're wrong.   

Spoiler

It's this episode that made me feel for characters who I previously hadn't. It's easy to love Molly - she's, well, Aces. But for the idiot gym instructor friend of Malvo, trussed up in a chair, waiting for his doom? And Lester's hard-ass brother, about to get royally shafted? Not so easy. This episode manages that.  Gus is too timid to be natural police - he's trying to be a proper cop, to do the right thing, - but now he's responsible for shooting Molly? That's tough.

The shootout between the two guys from Fargo and Malvo is pretty much tonally in line with Coens film.
The well-laid plans of the bad guys are falling into place. Characters depth is being added (Lester's well-plotted malevolence) at the same time that the plot is moving on and the tension is rising. That's the sign of great writing and directing.
I actually shouted out 'Nooo!!' at the end. Can't remember doing that before to a TV show. 

Comparing it to the writing in Saw is honestly one of the most asinine comparisons I've heard.

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Not that Emmy Awards are a great indication, but this episode got the prize for best direction too.

[telekon]

Not really. As Mark Kermode would say, I'm right and you're wrong.   

Spoiler

It's this episode that made me feel for characters who I previously hadn't. It's easy to love Molly - she's, well, Aces. But for the idiot gym instructor friend of Malvo, trussed up in a chair, waiting for his doom? And Lester's hard-ass brother, about to get royally shafted? Not so easy. This episode manages that.  Gus is too timid to be natural police - he's trying to be a proper cop, to do the right thing, - but now he's responsible for shooting Molly? That's tough.

The shootout between the two guys from Fargo and Malvo is pretty much tonally in line with Coens film.
The well-laid plans of the bad guys are falling into place. Characters depth is being added (Lester's well-plotted malevolence) at the same time that the plot is moving on and the tension is rising. That's the sign of great writing and directing.
I actually shouted out 'Nooo!!' at the end. Can't remember doing that before to a TV show. 

Comparing it to the writing in Saw is honestly one of the most asinine comparisons I've heard.

[close]

Not that Emmy Awards are a great indication, but this episode got the prize for best direction too.

Spoiler

I agree that Lester's scheme really moves the story forward and ads depth to his character, and later even more so when he visits Sam Hess' wife. But the bloated action stuff doesn't speak to me, and if anything, lessens the dramatic impact the initial killings had; it really inflates the currency of the drama when it makes such malevolence and absurdity commonplace.

And how is the comparison to Saw not relevant? The guy taped to the exercise machine is exactly the kind of doomed dilemma they run over and over in those films. Tacky and sensationalist. To each his own, I guess.

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[Fredo C]

Oh, real nice. Saw the first episode last night and it's real, real nice.

I lived a year in northern Minnesota and for me it's worth it for that in itself, let alone the great acting by Martin Freeman, the script and everything else. There's something special with rural and very cold places. You wonder why anyone would desire to live there.

It's quite remarkable that even half of these events actually happened. Then again, "based on" can mean a lot of things.

Loved the film to bits and it's by far the best from the brothers in my opinion. Can't wait to watch the rest of the series! You betcha!

None of it happened. The Coen brothers also opened their film with the words "This is a true story", but only to give a more "real" feel to it. The series do the same.

[telekon]

None of it happened. The Coen brothers also opened their film with the words "This is a true story", but only to give a more "real" feel to it. The series do the same.

Yeah, I read that the other day, that it's 100% fictional. The film actually seem plausible, stranger than fiction and all that.

[Isbloated]

I thought the first season was excellent will be interesting to see if the second season is just as good.

[dave 5516]

Started this last night.

Was trepidatious abut this when I heard it was getting made as I thought this could go bad...an exaggerated version of the film.

Shouldn't have been. Really enjoyed the two eps I watched...it's got a a really nice Twin Peaks vibe about it....I thought so anyway.

[Pistolero]

This, True Detective and Boardwalk's ongoing swansong - TV highlights of the year....which I cant type without singing the Harry Hill jingle 

[Red_Irishman]

Started this last night.

Was trepidatious abut this when I heard it was getting made as I thought this could go bad...an exaggerated version of the film.

Shouldn't have been. Really enjoyed the two eps I watched...it's got a a really nice Twin Peaks vibe about it....I thought so anyway.

You'll end up loving it mate. I was cautious enough to begin with too but couldn't get enough of it after the first couple of episodes.

[just Riggins?]

So Landry Clarke and Kirsten Dunst for season 2, chuffed for Todd.

[Red_Irishman]

So Landry Clarke and Kirsten Dunst for season 2, chuffed for Todd.

Plemons is real good actor. Not gone on Kirsten Dunst, just dont really like her.

[rob1408]

I think Dunst is a cracking actress, she was phenomenal in Melancholia, but I'm not sure she's a good fit for Fargo.

[Yiannis]

Didn't think much of Plemons as Landry but he was very good as Todd. He had his moments in the former but more often than not, he did my head in.

[just Riggins?]

I think Dunst is a cracking actress, she was phenomenal in Melancholia, but I'm not sure she's a good fit for Fargo.

That's why I'm excited about this, and True Detective too.  A few castings where you think nah, not at that level but I'm looking forward to seeing a few surprise us.

[KERRYKOP]

It will be pretty impressive if they back up the first series with another great series. No Billy Bob is a big loss.

[Vork+The Knights of Good]

It will be pretty impressive if they back up the first series with another great series. No Billy Bob is a big loss.

Billy Bob was great, but IMO it was the force of the ensemble that made the first season so fantastic. Without the likes of Carradine, Platt, Key and Peele, Odenkirk, etc. you've just got a more comedically-inclined True Detective starring Billy Bob and Freeman instead of McConaughey and Harrelson. I know everyone raved about TD, but I thought Fargo was miles better. Hopefully they can assemble a similarly talented and eclectic cast for the second season. Probably a much tougher ask than what True Detective has in front of it, but I hope they can pull it off.

[livesound]

I've just watched the first 2 episodes of this, it's decent.

I can't be the only one who pissed meself after Lester runs against the fucking wall?

[Vork+The Knights of Good]

Just announced that season 2 will serve as a sort-of prequel to season 1. Set in '79 and will have to do with the Sioux Falls case. Also mentioned that Ronald Reagan will be a supporting character as the season will take place during his first campaign for President.

http://www.vulture.com/2015/01/fargo-season-two-ronald-reagan.html?mid=imdb

[sideshowme]

can't remember where, but i read that ted danson is going to be in the next series.  might be imagining it though.

[Barefoot Doctor]

can't remember where, but i read that ted danson is going to be in the next series.  might be imagining it though.

Correct. Nick Offerman was confirmed too!

Patrick Wilson will be playing Lou Solverson, who is presumably the lead.

[telekon]

Correct. Nick Offerman was confirmed too!

Excellent choice. He was born to play a Minnesotan. Please and thank you.

[Vork+The Knights of Good]

Excellent choice. He was born to play a Minnesotan. Please and thank you.

He was born to play the character he's been playing for the past 7 years, but I agree it's an excellent casting decision.

[Yiannis]

Nick Offerman? FFS, I can't take him seriously after witnessing him on Parks.