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Fargo: The Series

Gary

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE9kvEak0f0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NB0YQBQWI
 

The Thread Killer

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Nobody has commented on this season so far here, I am not sure if that is because people don't like it or if there is a falling off in activity here. Either way, it's unfortunate.

I have really been enjoying this season, and in my personal opinion it has been more enjoyable to me than last season. I thought the first season was pure brilliance, and although I did enjoy last season, I didn't like it nearly as much. I know her character was meant to be annoying, but I found it hard to sit through the scenes with Kirsten Dunst's character. SO ANNOYING. Also, I thought the whole UFO subplot and consequent payoff was goofy and kind of weak. There were plenty of positives - Ted Danson's performance for one, but overall I didn't care as much for Season Two as I did for Season One.

I have been loving this season so far. Every actor has nailed their part, Ewan McGregor has been better than I thought he would, Michael Stuhlbarg has been a revelation and David Thewlis steals every scene he is in. As far as I am concerned, he has managed to equal Billy Bob Thornton in the creepy yet strangely compelling villain department.

Unfortunately, viewers don't appear to agree with me.

It wasn’t a good week for FX’s “Fargo.” After falling out of the Top 25 last week, the series stayed outside of the top of the night once again, taking another hit, falling one-tenth from its previous 0.3 to a 0.2 this time around.

Credit: zap2it.com

Now, it sounds like we won't get a fourth season:

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf says it’s possible that Fargo may not return for a fourth season on the network. Here are highlights:

On how far will Fargo continue: “There may never be another Fargo. Unless Noah has an idea for Fargo that he thinks he can make as good as the prior three. I think once people get to the end of this [season] they will find that it is thematically different. It’s really about the moment we live in now.”

It sounds like he is trying to make it sound like they are running out of stories to tell or something, but I am sure the real reason for his waning enthusiasm has a lot more to do with the lagging ratings.

This sucks. As far as I am concerned, this has consistently been the best show on television as far as depth of writing, character development and acting. If this show gets cancelled I am going to be pissed.
 

Zetterberg is God

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I've been enjoying it as well, and living in Calgary it's been cool to see so many recognizable spots in this season (to me anyway it seems like more than the previous two seasons). Was pretty surprising to see
Ray get offed

Will be a shame if this is the last season.
 

Youth N Asia

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While I'm enjoying the season, I kinda understand if it's not connecting with people. This season just feels off and I can't provide an explanation to why I think this way.

I hope it doesn't get cancelled. I think the only chance to save it would be to get a big A list star to headline season 4. Fargo's casting has been nothing but home runs thus far.
 

Brocklock

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I think Noah Hawley's involvement with Legion might have something to do with this show possibly being done. It does feel like he's pre occupied this season.

I've only seen three episodes so far, but the pacing feels off. The first two seasons were paced pretty briskly, but this feels so slow and I can't give a shit about either Ewan or the sci fi writer yet and the big event in the first episode felt pretty small compared to the crazy murder scenes in the previous season openers. David Thewlis seems like the clear standout so far and Carrie Coon is very likable. I'd enjoy it if Ray Wise would pop in again, but Mac from Always Sunny was distracting. He dropped his accent mid-way through his scenes and was basically just Mac during the bar scene which was kind of amusing.

I imagine the show will pull me in as I heard the fifth and sixth episodes are great. So, I bet I'll be changing my tune soon enough.

Second season is one of my favorite seasons of anything. Thought Dunst was terrific as was everyone in the cast and it was paced so well. The UFO stuff didn't bother me one bit.
 

treble

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This whole thing feels just like its been treading water for the first half of the season. I like almost all of the characters and the acting has been great, but it feels like they just keep throwing things in the way to hold things back. The sex tape, the new chief not wanting Gloria and Winnie to investigate the murder any deeper because reasons, Varga seemingly being invincible just to make something difficult for someone else.

Hopefully what happened at the end of the last episode kicks things off a bit.
 

Gary

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treble said:
This whole thing feels just like its been treading water for the first half of the season. I like almost all of the characters and the acting has been great, but it feels like they just keep throwing things in the way to hold things back. The sex tape, the new chief not wanting Gloria and Winnie to investigate the murder any deeper because reasons, Varga seemingly being invincible just to make something difficult for someone else.

Hopefully what happened at the end of the last episode kicks things off a bit.
I could see Varga suffering a similar fate Mike did last season, but among other things this isn't a show that falls under any easy predictions.

I also don't understand why they have to make the character so disgusting. Like, I wanted to change the channel when he was doing his own dentistry last week.

Michael Stuhlberg as Sy is the high point of the season for me so far. Everything he says or does is memorable ("Feminine Hygiene Deployed as a Weapon!")
 

The Thread Killer

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Gary said:
Michael Stuhlberg as Sy is the high point of the season for me so far. Everything he says or does is memorable ("Feminine Hygiene Deployed as a Weapon!")

My personal favorite is after the unfortunate incident with Varga and Sy's coffee mug:

"Enemies are at the gates…inside the gates, fornicating with our cookware!"
 

devo

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treble said:
This whole thing feels just like its been treading water for the first half of the season. I like almost all of the characters and the acting has been great, but it feels like they just keep throwing things in the way to hold things back. The sex tape, the new chief not wanting Gloria and Winnie to investigate the murder any deeper because reasons, Varga seemingly being invincible just to make something difficult for someone else.

It's interesting to read this, because I loved the first half of the season (save for the shit with the chief, which is as cliche as cliche gets) and have been dismayed at how thoroughly things have gone off the rails since then. I couldn't even get through the last episode for how quickly and drastically it descended into trite horror movie nonsense, with all of Varga's henchmen acting like extras from The Purge instead of operatives of a multi-national conglomerate. I don't mind some element of them playing with their food - that's what makes it fun - but when you put them in animal masks for no reason and have them do run-by slashings of bound, defenseless prey, that's when I can't suspend my disbelief any longer.
 

The Thread Killer

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I agree, the show has kind of fallen off a cliff over the past couple of episodes - which is a real shame because prior to that I was really loving this season. There is only a couple of episodes left so I am going to see it through, but it's too bad things have taken a bit of a turn.
 

treble

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I thought the first half of the last episode was pretty good. I don't think the bowling alley scene really fits with what the rest of the series has been about up until this point, but I liked what was going on before that.

I just keep hoping that more season 1 characters will show up at this point.
 

Mickey Massuco

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I think Fargo might be the best tv show of the past decade. The fact that nobody really seems to recognize its greatness makes me feel like it's the most under-appreciated at the very least.
 

Angle-plex

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Loved season one and two, could not get into season three at all. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
 

Youth N Asia

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I think 3 suffered because 1 and 2 were absolute homeruns. It got off to a slow start and if you’re calling the first two seasons 10s then it’s probably still an 8
 

Mickey Massuco

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I agree with that, I'd say Season 3 is closer to a 9 though. I also think Burgle is the best protagonist of all three seasons. Her character had more depth than either of the Solversons, and Carrie Coon nailed the part.
 

Angle-plex

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Finished season three. Some good stuff but didn't get the "I can't wait to watch the next episode" feeling of the other two seasons. Don't think Billy Bob will be beat.
 

The Thread Killer

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Did anybody here see the Season 4 premiere last night, and if so what did you think? I haven't watched it yet, but I have it saved on my PVR. I'll probably get to it later today or tonight.
 

Youth N Asia

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I’m two episodes back at the moment. But I was really hoping Chris Rock would be better in this. I’m just not buying him in this roll one bit. Season started slow but picked better as it’s going along.
 

treble

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Maybe this show just isn't for me anymore. I watched every episode, but didn't care at all about what was happening. Couldn't have told you the names of pretty much any of the characters (Doctor Senator is the exception). I popped for Bokeem Woodbine at the end and then read that most people had figured out that Satchel would grow up to be him 10 episodes ago based on Rabbi's last name (which, again, I couldn't be bothered to remember).
 

Brocklock

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That's the vibe I've generally been hearing. It sounds like casting Chris Rock was kind of a misfire from what I'm reading too. I will watch probably watch it eventually. Season 3 was a bit of a letdown and the quirks of the show were starting to wear on me with the mysticism seeming forced compared to the other two seasons. It still was good after a slow patch of episodes but it didn't feel like appointment viewing anymore.

Season 1 and 2 are still awesome and 2 is still one of my favorite television seasons. Season 3 didn't have the large amount of great characters that Seasons 1 and 2 had, and from what I've read 4 is even worse in that aspect. 3 still had Nikki Swango, the return of the guy from Season 1, and David Thewlis' disgusting villain. It's hard when you have as incredible of a start as Fargo Season 1 and 2 were to stay at that level.
 
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Youth N Asia

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It wasn’t a bad season of tv, but it wasn’t at all memorable. The first two seasons of this series were both 10/10. So 3 and 4 just feel like big letdowns. I don’t remember much of 3 in general.

The story just didn’t grab me at all this time around. I really didn’t care at all for any of the characters. The mob war/peace/war stuff was dull. And it shouldn’t matter but the setting was just bland. Seems like most of the season just took place in a few drab locations.
 

Gary

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This season was good...if it was any other show. Seasons 1 & 2 (especially 2) are the ideal TV show for me, and season 3, while not as good, is still some great TV. This was easily the weakest season thus far. It's well acted...but there's way too many characters, it rarely feels like it has any kind of real arc to it, and it feels like it's trying to say something, but for the first time in the show's history it didn't know how to. As YNA said, it wasn't bad, but at the end I was left wondering what was the point of it all.
 

King Kamala

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I think moral is Chris Rock is never going to becoming a compelling actor in a scripted series. He's tried everything. Being a writer-director in vein of Woody Allen and that didn't work. He tried Broadway and that didn't work. Now he's star on one of the most acclaimed TV dramas of past 10 years and it's indisputably worst season of show. Most people would be fine with settling for being one of the Top 10 GOAT stand ups and yet---
 
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