Fargo: Only Four More Episodes

I already wrote a post about Fargo (the FX miniseries) after the pilot episode, but I have to beat this dead horse one more time.  Last night's episode — the sixth out of ten — was just sooo good, I can't say enough about it.  At first I thought the miniseries might get too gimmicky.  Ten hours of Scandihoovian accents and caricatures of people who are so preoccupied with the weather forecast that they don't even notice when all Hell is breaking loose right in front of them?!

No such luck.  I'm usually reluctant to use superlatives, but at this point in the miniseries, I think Fargo is the best thing the Coen brothers have ever done — they're the executive producers of the series — and Billy Bob Thornton's most incredible acting/writing/directing performance ever.  I know that's saying a lot; that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We've all seen a few actors who project a certain unsettling quiet intensity.  Billy Bob Thornton's character — Lorne Malvo — takes this to a whole new level.  The ice cold laser-focus intensity projected by Lorne Malvo is enough to make a TV viewer cringe.

Until last night, I thought the Fargo miniseries was good but nothing unique — just another action comedy featuring the Coen brothers' dark humor.  But last night's episode had it all:  intricate plot twists, unbearable white-knuckle suspense, gut-busting hilarity
— sometimes all at once.

I don't know how Fargo is doing in the ratings.  It doesn't matter anyway, since this is a one-time miniseries with no second season in the works.  If you're not already watching this show, do yourself a huge favor and check it out (Wednesdays on FX, 10 p.m.).

Fargo: the Miniseries

Aw Jeez.

Anybody watch this last night?  If you liked the movie, you'll probably like the ten-part miniseries on FX (Wednesday, 10 p.m.).

As usual, Billy Bob Thornton's appearance, voice and mannerisms are completely different from every other role he's played.  He plays a hit man and overall shit disturber who's taking a “temporary” detour through Fargo on his way to Duluth to carry out his boss's orders.  The Billy Bob Thornton character reminds me of the mysterious shop owner in Stephen King's Needful Things (Max von Sydow played the role in the movie version).

Other than Billy Bob Thornton and Keith Carradine, I didn't recognize any of the actors in the Fargo miniseries.  I thought maybe the directors were purposely using unknown actors for the series.  “Give us your best Scandihoovian accent...OK, good, you're hired.”  But it turns out most of the actors are already well-known from movies and TV shows I never saw.

I have just one tiny nitpicking complaint about the accents on last night's show.  I'm pretty familiar with that Minnesota/Scandihoovian accent, and one particular vowel sound was missing.  When people from the upper Midwest say the word “clown,” it sounds like “clone.”  “Drown” sounds like “drone.”  And so on.  And that one vowel sound wasn't captured in most of last night's dialogue.

Anyway, just one tiny nitpick.  Other than that, they totally nailed the accent and sing-songy speech inflection of that region.

I thought the program was a riot.  I hope it'll be a hit.  But either way, it won't be back for another season (presumably) since it's just a one-time miniseries.

Check it out.