It's both dazzlingly stylish and smart, and surpassingly cruel. Frequently in the same moment. I too resisted until last night when I caught up with the second season in one big gulp. I still find it hypocritical for the FX boss to whine about not being able to find a mass audience for a show this gleefully violent. But there's an awful lot to smile about as well.
Reagan said he saved 77 lives as a lifeguard in 5 months. Possible 911 reference - Flight 77 into 5 sided Pentagon? No? "Caution 9:11" on bridge in Movie "Terminator 2." Both Fargo and T2 directed by James Cameron. Coincidence? "Children of the Sun" song played in episode 1 and at end of episode 5. Are the UFO references and song related? Sun worship symbolism and other occult symbols prevalent. See clock in Bloomquist's home, and prominently displayed owl in garage before Rye's death. Yeah, just all coincidence.
the cute kid from friday night lights. pity theyve made him gain all that unhealthy weight for some roles. very damaging to ones health.
It was his suggestion - butchers are big.
Like "Karl Weathers", "Hanzee" has a name: Zahn McClarnon- a very fine actor on tv's Longmire and in several films.
5
What gives with the car where you put luggage under the front hood, and the gas cap is in the front of the car near the driver's seat?
I believe Carmen Gias also had the engine in the back of the car--thus everything else up front.
And VW Beetles?
1
We thought it was a Chevrolet Corvair, as in "Unsafe at Any Speed".
When references to Flying Saucers appear in Episodes 1 and 5 a real Flying Saucer must appear before the end of the Season. This is an inalterable law in the Fargo Universe. Brace yourselves.
1
Idea about UFO: When Betsey Solverson finds the gun in the snow by the diner, she also finds a deflated metallic balloon. Is it possible that the UFO that Rye sees can be explained by that balloon reflecting off the neon signs of the diner? Why would they show that detail otherwise?
5
Brilliant observation. My first though was, did they have Mylar balloons back in the 70's ???
1
I wondered the exact same thing! It had to have been chosen for more than just an opportunity to communicate a cosmic "Get Well Soon" (if I'm recalling correctly) to Betsy.
The Gerhardts have become weak in the latest generation. But a new crime family is born -- the Blumquists. The Blumquists have lied, stolen (toilet paper), killed and covered up their crime.
And the cover up! In Otto's first scene, he's about to quote the Giant from Jack the Giant Killer -- "I'll grind his bones to make my meat" -- when a stroke stops him before he can finish. The Blumquists instead grind the bones of a Gerhardt and make him meat.
Ed has killed two Gerhardts. When he emerged unscathed from a fire, was he reborn as a new crime king? Is Pegggy the new Floyd?
And the cover up! In Otto's first scene, he's about to quote the Giant from Jack the Giant Killer -- "I'll grind his bones to make my meat" -- when a stroke stops him before he can finish. The Blumquists instead grind the bones of a Gerhardt and make him meat.
Ed has killed two Gerhardts. When he emerged unscathed from a fire, was he reborn as a new crime king? Is Pegggy the new Floyd?
4
Possible - if it was not for their haplessness.
I just keep thinking the UFO is going to take a hand. But maybe it is piloted by red herrings?
And I'm going to have to rerun the DVR. How did one Kitchen brother survive and the other was killed? I missed something.
And I'm going to have to rerun the DVR. How did one Kitchen brother survive and the other was killed? I missed something.
2
Hanzee only knocked him Down / or out. He slit the other Brothers throat & neglected (at least they didn't show it) to kill the one he knocked down. Too Bad Hanzee.
I think he left him alive to deliver the message... ie the head in the box
4
Peggy and Ed communicated by telepathy on the bus a few episodes agol. Maybe the UFO has already taken a hand!!
Is $700 the amount of money Marion Crane takes out of the $40,000 she has stolen to impulsively trade in her car and buy another after she saw the policeman following her car in "Psycho"? I thought of that scene when Peggy suddenly stops her car at the mechanic's place and sells it for $700 in order to hightail it from her dangerous situation.
1
I think you're right.
This show is soooo good.......please say there will be a season three!
3
It has already been confirmed according to Variety interview.
Bruce Campbell was perfect. So many great performances, though, every actor in it, really. I think I still like last season a smidgen better, but I'm loving this one, too. Kind of hoping something happens that brings us back to the present in the last few episodes, so Molly and Lou can solve the last piece of this puzzle together.
2
Well yes last season it was all about Tommy Lee Jones and Martin Freeman; brilliant stuff, and certainly delivered with more humour; albeit darkly. This season does of course also rock-eth, but with such a wonderful and more diverse cast. I am now a big fan of Mr Hawley's work. Bruce Campbell as Reagan made my entire decade, haha.
1
Tommy Lee Jones? Did you mean Billy Bob Thornton?
1
Haha yes, oops
Thanks for the info about the Feliciano song: thought it sounded like Jeff Tweedy, and knew that wasn't decade-appropriate!
It was interesting that the deer-hunting commissioner noted that one doesn't need guns to hunt, and sure enough one of the twins met his end by Hanzee's knife.
Superb blending of family & politics in this episode--we'll have to keep an eye on the competitive dynamic between Dodd & Bear.
It was interesting that the deer-hunting commissioner noted that one doesn't need guns to hunt, and sure enough one of the twins met his end by Hanzee's knife.
Superb blending of family & politics in this episode--we'll have to keep an eye on the competitive dynamic between Dodd & Bear.
1
Great episode. I just don't understand why nearly every reference to Reagan seems wrong: the movie titles (except "Cattle Queen"," the co-stars, the studios, the shape of the movie screen in the flashback, climaxing tonight with Campbell's wig. When did Reagan ever have black hair shot through with silver strands?
It's a small price to pay for a sequence like the fire in the abattoir. Bravo!
It's a small price to pay for a sequence like the fire in the abattoir. Bravo!
3
Re the remark about" the rhetorical battle between Jimmy Carter’s sober 'malaise' moment and Reagan’s relentless optimism," I wonder if all the examples of miscommunication and misunderstanding between so many people aren't sort of intended to reflect that about the country at the time. Nobody fully understands what is going on, and look at the attendant body count!
Campbell is, as he is wont to be, wonderful.
Campbell is, as he is wont to be, wonderful.
3
That was quite the episode! In terms of twists and surprise violence it ranks up there with Malvo's stint as a dentist in season 1.
RIP Thing 1
RIP Joe Bulo (Brad Garret - taken too soon)
RIP Gerhardt henchmen
RIP Kansas city henchmen
RIP Fargo Zoning Commissioner
Potential RIP young Charlie?
Future RIP Sheriff Larsson?
Future RIP Betsy Solverson?
Future RIP the Blomquists?
Future RIP the rest of the Gerhardts?
Hanzee for MVP
RIP Thing 1
RIP Joe Bulo (Brad Garret - taken too soon)
RIP Gerhardt henchmen
RIP Kansas city henchmen
RIP Fargo Zoning Commissioner
Potential RIP young Charlie?
Future RIP Sheriff Larsson?
Future RIP Betsy Solverson?
Future RIP the Blomquists?
Future RIP the rest of the Gerhardts?
Hanzee for MVP
4
"Expect the lie about who really killed Rye to unravel in short order."
Not sure what the "lie" is here? Peggy certainly injured Rye, but Ed finished the job by stabbing Rye to death with a garden tool.
Not sure what the "lie" is here? Peggy certainly injured Rye, but Ed finished the job by stabbing Rye to death with a garden tool.
The lie is that Rye was killed by someone known as the Butcher, out of Kansas City. It's what set the spectacular mass killing scene in motion.
3
But Ed isn't a contract killer out of Kansas City and his death was not not accidental during a kidnapping to force terriroty turnover. Floyd wanted confirmation that Rye's death was due to Kansas City, And Dodd provided a big lie.
4
I thought that scene with Lou and Regan at the urinals was superb. Funny and tense and totally tangential. Wonderful episode.
7
For me it was 100% Reagan. Lou tells a bit about his Vietnam Experience & Reagan, being Reagan confuses Lou's "Real" Experiences with his old Movie exploits. Wonderful stuff.
And then, when asked a "Real" question by Lou, one on one - He's got Nothing. Nothing at all.
This scene said it all for me. And the "Big Lies" that have been perpetrated about Reagan ever since.
And then, when asked a "Real" question by Lou, one on one - He's got Nothing. Nothing at all.
This scene said it all for me. And the "Big Lies" that have been perpetrated about Reagan ever since.
2
My mind is easily distracted, and I'm basically wondering how the Solversons--Molly and Lou--wind up way up north in Bemidji from close to Iowa Luverne. I'm assuming mom doesn't make it. Does Lou get the injury in this season that gets him invalided off the State Police? Or does he stay on duty but gets a transfer to as far away as possible from bad memories? I have a feeling Hank doesn't make it either.
At my house we also play the parlor game of who's not going to live through the season. Skip was obvious for his dirt nap. I'm sure Mike Milligan will be gone. Which of the Dodds if any? Ed and/or Peggy?
And does Constance make an overt move on Peggy? We know she wants to, "I got us a room for the seminar."
This is not the first season that references otherworldly events. The UFO was preceded by all those fish falling out of the sky.
At my house we also play the parlor game of who's not going to live through the season. Skip was obvious for his dirt nap. I'm sure Mike Milligan will be gone. Which of the Dodds if any? Ed and/or Peggy?
And does Constance make an overt move on Peggy? We know she wants to, "I got us a room for the seminar."
This is not the first season that references otherworldly events. The UFO was preceded by all those fish falling out of the sky.
In S1, Lou says he got his injury during a traffic stop. Molly recalls that she was pulled out of algebra class to get the news, so she would have been a teenager at the time, long after the events of S2. I'm not clear on when they moved from Luverne to Bemidji, which is 300 miles north.
IT's taken me exactly two episodes to get into the groove of season 2, the Coens deft hand can be seen throughout this episode, especially in the first 10 minutes. Kirsten Dunst breaks my heart she's so completely out of touch with reality her performance is wonderful. It's been a great ride so far.
6
A terrific episode! Hanzee Dent (the Indian) is a curious character. I already can't wait for the next episode!
5
This network really needs to get over its Reagan fixation. And who says it doesn't pay to bring a knife to a gunfight?
5
but...
It's a damned good show and the haplessness of Ed and Peggy, that originally was infuriating begins to grow on me. They are like a special ed couple - you feel for them becuase of their limitations. The Sheriff went a bite into the background... Let's see.
Anyhow - it's darn good even with rotating directors and co-writers.