The Best Of Fargo Season 2
Last night concluded Season 2 of Fargo, which has to be hands down the most underrated show out there. Not underrated in the sense that its some hidden gem that nobody knows about. Season 1 won 3 Emmys and was nominated for 15 more. The people who watch it love it. But its another show that does pretty blah when it comes to ratings. Its not a show that is ever gonna break out of the bubble of television; you’re not gonna see internet memes and photoshops and viral content for Lou Solverson and the Fargo PD. Its not a water cooler show.
Which is a goddam shame for the water cooler because its a fucking awesome series. Season 1 was fantastic and I fully expected it to be a one and done type of situation. A one time TV adaptation of the movie and that was that. But the season 2 prequel I think surpassed S1. Had all the good quirky weirdness of Minnesota and the Dakotas, a huge cast of characters, and just a good, clean “true crime” story with a lot of twists and turns along the way. I didn’t do any weekly write ups on the show but after last night’s finale I wanted to highlight what I thought were the best parts of the sophomore season.
Mike Milligan and the Kitchen Brothers
I didn’t think it was gonna be possible to top Billy Bob Thornton’s Lorne Malvo from Season 1, but Mike Milligan did just that. My favorite character this season. He’s like a 1979 Kansas City gangster version of Leonard Washington from the Chappelle’s show. I could just see him saying “Look here, I’m Mike Milligan…and I don’t get buck naked for nobody.” I could see him telling Lou Solverson “You better check your tone fella. Get your inside voice on before I put you outside.” The conversation he had with the Gerhardt daughter about her finger in her ass was plucked right from Chappelle’s brain. His quiet demeanor and the way he articulated every point he had was that Fargo quirkiness that you can’t really explain why its awesome but it just is. Flanked by the Kitchen brothers with sawed off shotguns and matching hats and coats, the Mike Milligan trio was the highlight of season 2 for me. I know he’s from Kansas City but if somehow Fargo Season 3 can take place outside of Minnesota, I would fucking love Mike’s back story to be the focal point.
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Hanzee
Rather fitting that Landry Todd is in the same show as this crazy ass Injun. Its like passing the torch from one cold blooded television sociopath to another. Hanzee was a one of a kind TV “villain.” Yea, he’s technically not one of the good guys, but I fucking loved this dude. You couldn’t help but feel for him at times when everyone from the Gerhardt’s to random locals shitting all over him despite fighting in Vietnam. You couldn’t help but root for him when he finally snapped and went on his warpath and played both sides against each other. Marching around with that sniper rifle picking people off left and right was awesome. In an era where “good” is debatable and TV viewers are constantly rooting for the bad guys, Hanzee was up there for me. He’s another guy that I wish we could get more of in season 3.
Lou Solverson
It took a few episodes for it to hit, but when it did, Lou Solverson was the badass I expected after seeing his Old Man Attitude from Season 1. When you first met him back in 1979, he had that goofy dontcha-know Fargo persona. As does every other character in this world, but when the main character hero police officer has that dopey, kinda silly personality its hard to see him as an intimidating man of the law. But the scene at the Gerhardt’s ranch where he put his foot down and drew a line in the sand flipped a switch for me as a viewer. It was that “Oh fuck yea!” scene for me where I looked at him as the same Lou Solverson who stayed up all night on the porch with a shotgun when Lorne Malvo was on the loose. Patrick Wilson as a young Lou was very well done.
Ron Swanson as Karl Weathers
Clem said it best – Ron Swanson on Fargo season 2 was like Cespedes for the Mets. You can’t really give him the MVP because he just wasn’t around long enough. But he definitely deserves votes. His patriotic speeches and soliloquies were awesome. His whole look, accent, and delivery while constantly being shitfaced fit the setting so well. Wouldn’t mind a spin off for Karl Weathers for season 3 either.
Kirsten Dunst as Peggy
In a season of great acting performances I think Peggy takes the cake. Really the combo of Kirsten Dunst and Landy Todd Fat Damon. They were so fucking hokey it was borderline infuriating. But the way Peggy waffled between this innocent, dopey, annoying ass wife and then this maniacal killer type was hilarious. The perfect embodiment of that dark humor of the Coen brothers from the original movie version. Where they started in episode 1 and where they finished for the finale was symbolic of how this season developed. I was pulling for Landry Todd to fucking MURDER HER throughout like 75% of the season. But then when shit hit the fan she’s out there stabbing Native American psychopaths and plotting to kill police detectives. Not since Skyler White have I hated a character in a good way. Heckuva performance from her and The Butcher.
I could go on and on. Dodd was one of the most hatable dudes on TV in a while. Ted Danson played Father In Law perfect. The way the story unfolded between the Gerhardt’s and Kansas City all over an accident was so well done. The gun fight scene at the Motor Motel reminded me of Walter White vs Uncle Jack and the Nazis. This season’s signature death scene – burying the Typerwriter dude in a grave of asphalt – was amazing. The split screen multiple point of view technique gave it a unique feeling from a technical point of view. The show was just really, really well done.
I will say the only thing I HATED was the alien ship in the final gun fight. To be honest I didn’t like anything to do with the aliens. Which is weird for me. I love that sci fi shit. But it just wasn’t necessary and didn’t fit. I know the Coen Bros are weird and that this was Noah Hawley’s nod to them, but everything else was good I didn’t need a weird gimmick like that. The fact that the final fight scene between police and the Gerhardt’s and Hanzee was interrupted by UFO abductions is just completely over the tip. Weaving Ronald Reagan into the plot was the perfect touch and just the right amount of weirdness. It kind of dated the time period and added an interesting wrinkle without affecting the plot too much. And for the most part the aliens were that way – just quick flashes of ships periodically that added a little something to each episode. But when Bear was almost sucked up by a tractor beam they just went to far.
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Other than that, another A+ season for Noah Hawley and Fargo. I don’t think we’ll be getting season 3 for a long time but if you haven’t watched seasons 1 and 2 year, binge em ASAP.
Clem Editor’s Note:
Thanks for contributing to the blog today, Kevin. I realize this is a very busy and exciting time for you and your family, but feel free to write something up whenever Shea allows you to. Best of luck to the ever-growing Clancy clan!