Written by: Kevin Berge
Rule of thumb: when you hit someone with your car, just tell the cops, especially when he's a mobster in the middle of a crime. (Image Courtesy of: wetpaint.com)
Quick Take: Fargo Season 2 tells a more succinct story to its predecessor with more outrageous dark humor and violent action to make for a unique experience once more. While it takes time to get off the ground, it is a fantastic ride by its home stretch particularly thanks to the performance of Kirsten Dunst.
Fargo Reviews: Season 1
***This is an in-depth review of Fargo season 2 expecting the reader to already be interested in the series if they are reading this review. There will be spoilers for both season 1 and 2, so those reading ahead should be wary.***
The first season of Fargo was an intense ride, twisting and turning throughout in an engaging ride, so my hopes for the second season were high. Because of this, I was disappointed at first with what I got out of this season. While it began far tighter than the first, it also felt less concerned with creating interesting characters.
I am glad my initial perception was wrong. I still find too many of season 2's characters frustrating and limited, but the storytelling is too good not to appreciate and most of the important characters are the ones worth watching. This is a tale that grows more interesting with each episode.
The second season follows the dangerous game that Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst) and Ed play as they cover up a hint-and-run on Rye Gerhardt (Kieran Culkin), the youngest son in the mobster Gerhardt family. The family are in the midst of fighting a violent crime takeover of their business led by Joe Bulo (Brad Garrett) and Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine).
After the patriarch of the family Otto (Michael Hogan) suffers a stroke, his wife Floyd (Jean Smart) and sons Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan) and Bear (Angus Sampson) are forced to wage war while also vowing vengeance on the Blumquists. All of these growing threats must be combated by policemen Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) and his father-in-law Sherriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson).
The Gerhardt family are all insufferable. Dodd is the most interesting and funny, but he is often controlled by his over-the-top misogyny. As they are taken out one by one, the remaining members still make baffling decisions. Their competition are no better even if Mike has a grand collection of literary quotes to spout.
It is important to always remember that Fargo is absurd black comedy. It is a tricky balancing act. This is a far more silly and ridiculous tale because there are far more villains at the center with little to redeem their actions. They may not be likable, but they are often funny.
***This is an in-depth review of Fargo season 2 expecting the reader to already be interested in the series if they are reading this review. There will be spoilers for both season 1 and 2, so those reading ahead should be wary.***
The first season of Fargo was an intense ride, twisting and turning throughout in an engaging ride, so my hopes for the second season were high. Because of this, I was disappointed at first with what I got out of this season. While it began far tighter than the first, it also felt less concerned with creating interesting characters.
I am glad my initial perception was wrong. I still find too many of season 2's characters frustrating and limited, but the storytelling is too good not to appreciate and most of the important characters are the ones worth watching. This is a tale that grows more interesting with each episode.
The second season follows the dangerous game that Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst) and Ed play as they cover up a hint-and-run on Rye Gerhardt (Kieran Culkin), the youngest son in the mobster Gerhardt family. The family are in the midst of fighting a violent crime takeover of their business led by Joe Bulo (Brad Garrett) and Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine).
After the patriarch of the family Otto (Michael Hogan) suffers a stroke, his wife Floyd (Jean Smart) and sons Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan) and Bear (Angus Sampson) are forced to wage war while also vowing vengeance on the Blumquists. All of these growing threats must be combated by policemen Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) and his father-in-law Sherriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson).
The Gerhardt family are all insufferable. Dodd is the most interesting and funny, but he is often controlled by his over-the-top misogyny. As they are taken out one by one, the remaining members still make baffling decisions. Their competition are no better even if Mike has a grand collection of literary quotes to spout.
It is important to always remember that Fargo is absurd black comedy. It is a tricky balancing act. This is a far more silly and ridiculous tale because there are far more villains at the center with little to redeem their actions. They may not be likable, but they are often funny.
While his character means very little to the story, it should be noted that Nick Offerman's Karl Weathers is awesome and needs his own season. (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
It also helps that Peggy especially grows into a bizarre but fun character thanks to a committed subtly insane performance from Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man). Her sweet but obvious dominance over Ed makes for a great dynamic. Lou and Hank also make for solid driven protagonists that ground the story in some real emotion.
The police duo are the real shining example of humanity in the series. Even as they meet other policemen less inclined to act for justice, they remain strong, and they survive the story through some ridiculous brutality that brings a heavy body count.
This leads to some strong central themes in the show. The two show what true heroes can be by refusing to be caricatures. This was also important for the first season with Molly Solverson and Gus Grimly the heroes of that tale through their willingness to keep searching for answers past what anyone else said.
Peggy is the center of a focus on gender dynamics in the season with her push toward actualization. It is important even if it is often played for laughs with Peggy trying to make it bigger than the horrors dominating the story even coming off as sociopathic. It helps that other characters are also fighting for that recognition and find success over the misogynist villains.
Most importantly, the trait that makes this season special and solidifies the series as one to watch is its style. The different frames for shots are great with some interesting use of split screens that truly stand out. The color of the series feels appropriate for the time while being engagingly distinct.
Fargo in its second season is still not perfect, this time sacrificing compelling characters for a more cohesive narrative. Still, this show is unique and compelling with a great sense of humor and true heart as well. With a host of great actors for each new story, this is a show that could go on for a long time without growing any weaker.
The police duo are the real shining example of humanity in the series. Even as they meet other policemen less inclined to act for justice, they remain strong, and they survive the story through some ridiculous brutality that brings a heavy body count.
This leads to some strong central themes in the show. The two show what true heroes can be by refusing to be caricatures. This was also important for the first season with Molly Solverson and Gus Grimly the heroes of that tale through their willingness to keep searching for answers past what anyone else said.
Peggy is the center of a focus on gender dynamics in the season with her push toward actualization. It is important even if it is often played for laughs with Peggy trying to make it bigger than the horrors dominating the story even coming off as sociopathic. It helps that other characters are also fighting for that recognition and find success over the misogynist villains.
Most importantly, the trait that makes this season special and solidifies the series as one to watch is its style. The different frames for shots are great with some interesting use of split screens that truly stand out. The color of the series feels appropriate for the time while being engagingly distinct.
Fargo in its second season is still not perfect, this time sacrificing compelling characters for a more cohesive narrative. Still, this show is unique and compelling with a great sense of humor and true heart as well. With a host of great actors for each new story, this is a show that could go on for a long time without growing any weaker.
