After a day of filming on “The Inspection,” Bokeem Woodbine would occasionally stroll into his hotel lobby and see the young actors who play Marines under his supervision “carrying on and having a great time.”
In person, director Elegance Bratton says, Woodbine is both “effortlessly funny” and a true gentleman, “caring and regal in his carriage like Sidney Poitier, with a real sweetness” and in a recent interview he was soft-spoken and thoughtful. But in the film, Bratton’s moving autobiographical story about a gay homeless young man who finds self-worth by proving himself in the Marine Corps boot camp, Woodbine plays head drill instructor Leland Laws, who rides all the young recruits but nearly self-destructs as he targets his venom on Bratton’s alter ego, Ellis French (Jeremy Pope).
Yet Woodbine’s take is more nuanced than clichéd — Bratton praises a brief smirk during a crucial confrontation with French...
In person, director Elegance Bratton says, Woodbine is both “effortlessly funny” and a true gentleman, “caring and regal in his carriage like Sidney Poitier, with a real sweetness” and in a recent interview he was soft-spoken and thoughtful. But in the film, Bratton’s moving autobiographical story about a gay homeless young man who finds self-worth by proving himself in the Marine Corps boot camp, Woodbine plays head drill instructor Leland Laws, who rides all the young recruits but nearly self-destructs as he targets his venom on Bratton’s alter ego, Ellis French (Jeremy Pope).
Yet Woodbine’s take is more nuanced than clichéd — Bratton praises a brief smirk during a crucial confrontation with French...
- 1/24/2023
- by Stuart Miller
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Comedian and actor Bill Burr (F Is for Family) is writing, directing and starring alongside Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire) and Emmy nominee Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo) in the original comedy Old Dads, which Miramax has come aboard to produce in conjunction with Burr’s All Things Comedy.
Burr’s feature directorial debut centers on a middle-aged father (Burr) and his two best friends (Cannavale and Woodbine) who after selling their company to a millennial, find themselves out of step and behind the times as they hilariously struggle to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood. Burr and Ben Tishler penned the script and are producing with Bill Block, Monica Levinson and Mike Bertolina. Production kicked off in Los Angeles yesterday.
“I’m very excited to start shooting Old Dads,” said Burr. “This comedy is based on my own and my co-writer,...
Burr’s feature directorial debut centers on a middle-aged father (Burr) and his two best friends (Cannavale and Woodbine) who after selling their company to a millennial, find themselves out of step and behind the times as they hilariously struggle to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood. Burr and Ben Tishler penned the script and are producing with Bill Block, Monica Levinson and Mike Bertolina. Production kicked off in Los Angeles yesterday.
“I’m very excited to start shooting Old Dads,” said Burr. “This comedy is based on my own and my co-writer,...
- 3/3/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Chris Rock was one of the early superstars for HBO, starring in three comedy specials between 1994 and 1999 and launching “The Chris Rock” show in 1997. The late-night talk show ran for 55 episodes across five seasons, all while “The Sopranos” debuted and turned HBO into a powerhouse for original drama programming. One might not expect a crossover between the two series, but Rock revealed on a panel for The Hollywood Reporter that he turned down multiple offers to appear on “The Sopranos.”
“Sometimes you can respect something so much, you don’t even want to be a part of it,” Rock said. “Years ago, when I had my own show on HBO, it was at the height of ‘The Sopranos,’ and I got a couple of offers to be on ‘The Sopranos,’ and I was like, ‘I like it too much, I don’t want to spoil it.'”
Rock had a...
“Sometimes you can respect something so much, you don’t even want to be a part of it,” Rock said. “Years ago, when I had my own show on HBO, it was at the height of ‘The Sopranos,’ and I got a couple of offers to be on ‘The Sopranos,’ and I was like, ‘I like it too much, I don’t want to spoil it.'”
Rock had a...
- 6/16/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Consider This: Conversations highlight television’s award-worthy productions through panel discussions with the artists themselves. The above video is in partnership by FX, produced by IndieWire’s Creative Producer Leonardo Adrian Garcia, and hosted by TV Deputy Editor and Critic Ben Travers.
[Editor’s Note: The interviews above and article below contain spoilers for “Fargo” Season 4, Episode 9, “East/West.”]
If you thought Noah Hawley’s shows could be ambiguous, just imagine how his crew felt when the “Fargo” showrunner gave them a simple yet mysterious direction before shooting Season 4: “Follow the yellow brick road.”
“We didn’t really know what that meant back in prep,” said J.R. Hawbaker, the series’ costume designer. “We were like, ‘Ok, we’ve got the yellow brick road coming, we don’t really know where we’re going, but we’re going to follow Noah — he will get us there.'”
Sure enough, their trust was rewarded in Episode 9, “East/West,” a pivotal turning point for the...
[Editor’s Note: The interviews above and article below contain spoilers for “Fargo” Season 4, Episode 9, “East/West.”]
If you thought Noah Hawley’s shows could be ambiguous, just imagine how his crew felt when the “Fargo” showrunner gave them a simple yet mysterious direction before shooting Season 4: “Follow the yellow brick road.”
“We didn’t really know what that meant back in prep,” said J.R. Hawbaker, the series’ costume designer. “We were like, ‘Ok, we’ve got the yellow brick road coming, we don’t really know where we’re going, but we’re going to follow Noah — he will get us there.'”
Sure enough, their trust was rewarded in Episode 9, “East/West,” a pivotal turning point for the...
- 6/10/2021
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Fargo: Chapter 4 arrived on TV in the wake of a summer in which the Black Lives Matter movement swelled following the killing of George Floyd, and a divided nation of red and blue barreling toward the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
For Fargo’s fourth season, creator Noah Hawley chose the crossroads of Kansas City, Mo in 1950, where the end of two migrations converged: Blacks from the South and European immigrants.
Two mob families in the city, one led by Chris Rock’s Loy Cannon and the other by Jason Schwartzman’s green Josto Fadda, battle for control of their piece of the American dream; an alternate economy of exploitation, graft and drugs. The generations of such crime families, in an effort to keep peace, often trade their youngest sons between them.
Rock’s Cannon is a fierce side of the comedian we’ve never seen before. The four-time Primetime...
For Fargo’s fourth season, creator Noah Hawley chose the crossroads of Kansas City, Mo in 1950, where the end of two migrations converged: Blacks from the South and European immigrants.
Two mob families in the city, one led by Chris Rock’s Loy Cannon and the other by Jason Schwartzman’s green Josto Fadda, battle for control of their piece of the American dream; an alternate economy of exploitation, graft and drugs. The generations of such crime families, in an effort to keep peace, often trade their youngest sons between them.
Rock’s Cannon is a fierce side of the comedian we’ve never seen before. The four-time Primetime...
- 5/15/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
During a virtual SXSW chat, Fargo creator Noah Hawley says there is definitely a season 5 in store; he just doesn’t know what it will be yet.
“It will happen, but I’m not in a place where I’m writing on that yet, but I’m definitely excited to do one on some level,” said Hawley in a conversation with series actor Andrew Bird. “I have to store up ten hours of what there is to say, so I have my notepad and keep writings things down.” Bird played undertaker Thurman Smutny and the father of young Ethelrida Pearl, who narrates season four.
“I’ll get to it in the next year,” said Hawley on breaking season 5 of the FX series.
Bird asked Hawley whether he intentionally drops Easter eggs and “reverse engineers” his way into a season, i.e. season 4 tells the story of young Mike Milligan, who...
“It will happen, but I’m not in a place where I’m writing on that yet, but I’m definitely excited to do one on some level,” said Hawley in a conversation with series actor Andrew Bird. “I have to store up ten hours of what there is to say, so I have my notepad and keep writings things down.” Bird played undertaker Thurman Smutny and the father of young Ethelrida Pearl, who narrates season four.
“I’ll get to it in the next year,” said Hawley on breaking season 5 of the FX series.
Bird asked Hawley whether he intentionally drops Easter eggs and “reverse engineers” his way into a season, i.e. season 4 tells the story of young Mike Milligan, who...
- 3/18/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“All in the Family” was notable for many things — including the fact that it spawned seven other TV series. The influential sitcom was controversial when it first aired on 50 years ago on Jan. 12, 1971, and it went on to confront numerous issues that hadn’t previously been portrayed on television. The show’s spin-off series continued to break boundaries with discussions of abortion, alcoholism and racism. The characters and mood set by “All in the Family” left a big mark on television history, including these seven spin-offs:
“Maude” (1972-78)
The title character, played by Bea Arthur, was a tall, ultra-liberal feminist who drove Archie crazy; she was introduced in as Edith’s cousin in two “All in the Family” episodes in the 1971-72 season.
The two-part season opener for “Maude” in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). Variety said it “underscored that sitcoms this year are treading...
“Maude” (1972-78)
The title character, played by Bea Arthur, was a tall, ultra-liberal feminist who drove Archie crazy; she was introduced in as Edith’s cousin in two “All in the Family” episodes in the 1971-72 season.
The two-part season opener for “Maude” in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). Variety said it “underscored that sitcoms this year are treading...
- 1/12/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Storia Americana,” the fourth season finale of “Fargo.”
The Season 4 finale of “Fargo,” which aired Sunday night, was the second of two episodes that were — thanks to the coronavirus pandemic — short four months after the eight preceding episodes were forced to wrap. “Storia Americana” brought to an end the tale of two warring 1950 Kansas City crime families led on one side by Chris Rock’s calculating Loy Cannon and on the other by Jason Schwartzman’s erratic Josto Fadda. Both men, for all their stylistic differences, wind up equally dead in the end. Still living are Loy’s son Satchel (Rodney L. Jones III) — who, it appears, will grow up to be Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine), the scene-stealing gangster of “Fargo” Season 2 — and Ethelrida Pearl Smutney (E’myri Crutchfield), a young girl whose family is ensnared in the conflict.
The Season 4 finale of “Fargo,” which aired Sunday night, was the second of two episodes that were — thanks to the coronavirus pandemic — short four months after the eight preceding episodes were forced to wrap. “Storia Americana” brought to an end the tale of two warring 1950 Kansas City crime families led on one side by Chris Rock’s calculating Loy Cannon and on the other by Jason Schwartzman’s erratic Josto Fadda. Both men, for all their stylistic differences, wind up equally dead in the end. Still living are Loy’s son Satchel (Rodney L. Jones III) — who, it appears, will grow up to be Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine), the scene-stealing gangster of “Fargo” Season 2 — and Ethelrida Pearl Smutney (E’myri Crutchfield), a young girl whose family is ensnared in the conflict.
- 12/1/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
This Fargo review contains spoilers.
Fargo Season 4 Episode 11
Despite a sprawling cast, greater narrative ambition, and a big, broad American Dream theme, Fargo Season 4 never quite lived up to its potential. Loy Cannon’s war against the Italian Fadda crime family was meant to highlight how the criminal underworld is just as racist and exploitative as the 1950s classrooms that biracial teenager Ethelrida Smutny inhabits. They both strive for assimilation, which feels like the real American dream, but their efforts are ultimately pointless. It’s a story that’s sadly relevant, yet Fargo never got as pointed with this message as it could have, instead doling out repetitive monologues about how racism functions that do more telling than showing. It feels odd to say, but the season often felt like too much and not enough at the same time.
That feeling is hammered home by a brief 38-minute finale that...
Fargo Season 4 Episode 11
Despite a sprawling cast, greater narrative ambition, and a big, broad American Dream theme, Fargo Season 4 never quite lived up to its potential. Loy Cannon’s war against the Italian Fadda crime family was meant to highlight how the criminal underworld is just as racist and exploitative as the 1950s classrooms that biracial teenager Ethelrida Smutny inhabits. They both strive for assimilation, which feels like the real American dream, but their efforts are ultimately pointless. It’s a story that’s sadly relevant, yet Fargo never got as pointed with this message as it could have, instead doling out repetitive monologues about how racism functions that do more telling than showing. It feels odd to say, but the season often felt like too much and not enough at the same time.
That feeling is hammered home by a brief 38-minute finale that...
- 11/30/2020
- by Nick Harley
- Den of Geek
A review of the Fargo Season Four finale, “Storia Americana,” coming up just as soon as I tell you I’m a demented hag…
“The old way for the old world. Brothers, uncles, cousins. We live in the new world now. We need a new way.” —Ebal
“Storia Americana” opens with glimpses of the many characters who have died over the course of this latest chapter of the Fargo saga, accompanied by the mournful sounds of Johnny Cash singing “What Is Man.” Some of the deceased were extremely memorable, like Doctor Senator or Swanee Capps.
“The old way for the old world. Brothers, uncles, cousins. We live in the new world now. We need a new way.” —Ebal
“Storia Americana” opens with glimpses of the many characters who have died over the course of this latest chapter of the Fargo saga, accompanied by the mournful sounds of Johnny Cash singing “What Is Man.” Some of the deceased were extremely memorable, like Doctor Senator or Swanee Capps.
- 11/30/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
[Editor’s Note: The following interview contains spoilers for “Fargo” Season 4, Episode 11, “Storia Americana,” including the ending.]
When Loy Cannon dies, he’s the only one who doesn’t see it coming.
Standing on his porch, having just negotiated a peaceful (if far from advantageous) agreement with the Fadda crime family, Loy (Chris Rock) stops to silently admire his happy children playing inside.
“He has this moment where he thinks, ‘Oh, I thought I needed more power to keep my family safe, but now that I’ve lost my power, I think we can be a happy, healthy family,'” showrunner Noah Hawley said. “In that moment of victory, when he thinks this might be the best thing for them, is when the knife goes in.”
Zelmare Roulette (played by Karen Aldridge) is the one doing the stabbing, but to the audience, Loy’s fate was sealed the second he picked up those oranges. Ever since Vito Corleone’s iconic shooting in “The Godfather,...
When Loy Cannon dies, he’s the only one who doesn’t see it coming.
Standing on his porch, having just negotiated a peaceful (if far from advantageous) agreement with the Fadda crime family, Loy (Chris Rock) stops to silently admire his happy children playing inside.
“He has this moment where he thinks, ‘Oh, I thought I needed more power to keep my family safe, but now that I’ve lost my power, I think we can be a happy, healthy family,'” showrunner Noah Hawley said. “In that moment of victory, when he thinks this might be the best thing for them, is when the knife goes in.”
Zelmare Roulette (played by Karen Aldridge) is the one doing the stabbing, but to the audience, Loy’s fate was sealed the second he picked up those oranges. Ever since Vito Corleone’s iconic shooting in “The Godfather,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Fargo capped off its fourth season by popping a cap in quite a few characters, as more than one criminal got their just desserts. (And we don’t mean an ipecac-laced pie.)
Sunday’s finale begins by flashing back through all the (many) people who have died this season — R.I.P., Rabbi Milligan; good riddance, Constant Calamita — and the ones who are still left alive aren’t much better off. Josto is drowning his sorrows in booze after his brother Gaetano’s accidental death, and Oraetta is behind bars after her poisoning scheme came to light. She gets bailed out by a mystery benefactor,...
Sunday’s finale begins by flashing back through all the (many) people who have died this season — R.I.P., Rabbi Milligan; good riddance, Constant Calamita — and the ones who are still left alive aren’t much better off. Josto is drowning his sorrows in booze after his brother Gaetano’s accidental death, and Oraetta is behind bars after her poisoning scheme came to light. She gets bailed out by a mystery benefactor,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Spoiler Alert: This interview contains details about tonight’s Fargo season 4 finale “Storia Americana” on FX
Crime doesn’t pay, and it never did for mobsters.
While we were bound to see the death of one big Kansas City mafia kingpin at the end of Fargo‘s season 4, specifically Jason Schwartzman’s wet-behind-the-ears Josto Fadda (who was killed by the hands of his own family no thanks to his snitch mistress Oraetta Mayflower played by the sublime Jessie Buckley), there was always hope that Chris Rock’s Loy Cannon would see better days and the dominance of his 1950s Kansas City empire.
After an acerbic code of loyalty between crime families that entailed trading their sons in an effort to keep the peace, Loy finally saw his son Satchel (who was in the custody of the Faddas) return home. But the sins of the father, are the sins of the son,...
Crime doesn’t pay, and it never did for mobsters.
While we were bound to see the death of one big Kansas City mafia kingpin at the end of Fargo‘s season 4, specifically Jason Schwartzman’s wet-behind-the-ears Josto Fadda (who was killed by the hands of his own family no thanks to his snitch mistress Oraetta Mayflower played by the sublime Jessie Buckley), there was always hope that Chris Rock’s Loy Cannon would see better days and the dominance of his 1950s Kansas City empire.
After an acerbic code of loyalty between crime families that entailed trading their sons in an effort to keep the peace, Loy finally saw his son Satchel (who was in the custody of the Faddas) return home. But the sins of the father, are the sins of the son,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
This Fargo article contains spoilers for the season 4 finale.
Fargo season 4’s finale, “Storia Americana,” wraps up an uneven season of FX’s crime series about as effectively as one could have hoped. The hour is thematically consistent, if a little short (which may have had something to do with the final two episodes’ abbreviated Covid-19 production schedule). In true Fargo fashion, the season ends with plenty of our main characters dead. Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) is killed for not properly realizing the power of his own family (and for a simple misunderstanding with killer nurse Oraetta Mayflower), while Loy Cannon (Chris Rock) is killed for underestimating the power of another family.
All in all, “Storia Americana” tells a rather complete story…or storia. But then, Fargo showrunner and this episode’s writer Noah Hawley decides to give viewers one more post-credits scene for the road. The post-credit scene in...
Fargo season 4’s finale, “Storia Americana,” wraps up an uneven season of FX’s crime series about as effectively as one could have hoped. The hour is thematically consistent, if a little short (which may have had something to do with the final two episodes’ abbreviated Covid-19 production schedule). In true Fargo fashion, the season ends with plenty of our main characters dead. Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) is killed for not properly realizing the power of his own family (and for a simple misunderstanding with killer nurse Oraetta Mayflower), while Loy Cannon (Chris Rock) is killed for underestimating the power of another family.
All in all, “Storia Americana” tells a rather complete story…or storia. But then, Fargo showrunner and this episode’s writer Noah Hawley decides to give viewers one more post-credits scene for the road. The post-credit scene in...
- 11/30/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
[This story contains spoilers for the fourth season finale of FX’s Fargo.]
Fargo featured more than twenty main characters over the course of its fourth season, but it saved its most surprising player for last.
In the final moments of the season four finale, called “Storia Americana,” a familiar face reenters the picture: Mike Milligan, the season two heavyweight played memorably by Bokeem Woodbine. The breakout figure from the show’s alien-fueled sophomore run, Woodbine’s Milligan stands revealed at the end of season four as the adult version of Satchel Cannon (Rodney L. Jones III), the son ...
Fargo featured more than twenty main characters over the course of its fourth season, but it saved its most surprising player for last.
In the final moments of the season four finale, called “Storia Americana,” a familiar face reenters the picture: Mike Milligan, the season two heavyweight played memorably by Bokeem Woodbine. The breakout figure from the show’s alien-fueled sophomore run, Woodbine’s Milligan stands revealed at the end of season four as the adult version of Satchel Cannon (Rodney L. Jones III), the son ...
- 11/30/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
[This story contains spoilers for the fourth season finale of FX’s Fargo.]
Fargo featured more than twenty main characters over the course of its fourth season, but it saved its most surprising player for last.
In the final moments of the season four finale, called “Storia Americana,” a familiar face reenters the picture: Mike Milligan, the season two heavyweight played memorably by Bokeem Woodbine. The breakout figure from the show’s alien-fueled sophomore run, Woodbine’s Milligan stands revealed at the end of season four as the adult version of Satchel Cannon (Rodney L. Jones III), the son ...
Fargo featured more than twenty main characters over the course of its fourth season, but it saved its most surprising player for last.
In the final moments of the season four finale, called “Storia Americana,” a familiar face reenters the picture: Mike Milligan, the season two heavyweight played memorably by Bokeem Woodbine. The breakout figure from the show’s alien-fueled sophomore run, Woodbine’s Milligan stands revealed at the end of season four as the adult version of Satchel Cannon (Rodney L. Jones III), the son ...
- 11/30/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A review of this week’s Fargo, “Lay Away,” coming up just as soon as just as soon as Jonah says there’s a big fish out there somewhere…
“There are people you can kill, and people you can’t.” —Ebal Violante
This season of Fargo opened with five episodes in a row that clocked in at around an hour without commercials, meaning anyone watching live on FX on Sunday nights wasn’t done until around 11:30 P.M. Both “Lay Away” and last week’s “Camp Elegance”, by contrast,...
“There are people you can kill, and people you can’t.” —Ebal Violante
This season of Fargo opened with five episodes in a row that clocked in at around an hour without commercials, meaning anyone watching live on FX on Sunday nights wasn’t done until around 11:30 P.M. Both “Lay Away” and last week’s “Camp Elegance”, by contrast,...
- 11/2/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
This Fargo review contains spoilers.
Fargo Season 4 Episode 6
The death of Doctor Senator has resulted in all-out war on Fargo. Despite the internal strife on the Fadda side of the conflict, it’s clear there is alignment on the fact that Loy Cannon and his men are the enemy. That enemy finally starts showing his teeth in “Camp Elegance,” but Loy’s show of aggression comes with a significant risk; his boy Satchel is still in Fadda care and obviously at risk to be the target of retaliation. Thankfully, a former boy soldier in the ranks keeps this war from escalating even further, for now.
The episode begins with Ethelrida blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, but the vibe in the room is anything but celebratory. That ominous feeling extends across the entire 45-minute installment. Next thing you know, Odis is getting attacked in his apartment, brought right...
Fargo Season 4 Episode 6
The death of Doctor Senator has resulted in all-out war on Fargo. Despite the internal strife on the Fadda side of the conflict, it’s clear there is alignment on the fact that Loy Cannon and his men are the enemy. That enemy finally starts showing his teeth in “Camp Elegance,” but Loy’s show of aggression comes with a significant risk; his boy Satchel is still in Fadda care and obviously at risk to be the target of retaliation. Thankfully, a former boy soldier in the ranks keeps this war from escalating even further, for now.
The episode begins with Ethelrida blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, but the vibe in the room is anything but celebratory. That ominous feeling extends across the entire 45-minute installment. Next thing you know, Odis is getting attacked in his apartment, brought right...
- 10/26/2020
- by Nick Harley
- Den of Geek
A review of this week’s Fargo, “The Birthplace of Civilization,” coming up just as soon as I’m punctilious with my elocution…
“Why would I fight for a country that wants me dead?” —Loy
“The Birthplace of Civilization” gets its title from a conversation between Ethelrida Pearl Smutny and Deafy Wickware. The lawman is applying pressure to get Ethelrida to give up the whereabouts of her aunt, and condescendingly suggests that if she thinks of herself as a “civilized” person, “you’ve got to act in a civilized manner.
“Why would I fight for a country that wants me dead?” —Loy
“The Birthplace of Civilization” gets its title from a conversation between Ethelrida Pearl Smutny and Deafy Wickware. The lawman is applying pressure to get Ethelrida to give up the whereabouts of her aunt, and condescendingly suggests that if she thinks of herself as a “civilized” person, “you’ve got to act in a civilized manner.
- 10/19/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Every installment of FX’s visually arresting anthology series “Fargo” features a deliciously sinister antagonist––think Billy Bob Thornton’s Lorne Malvo, Bokeem Woodbine’s Mike Milligan and David Thewlis’ V.M. Varga. This year, Jessie Buckley brazenly takes up the mantle with her simultaneously hilarious and chilling portrayal of Oraetta Mayflower, an indefatigably chipper nurse with a dark history and a large body count. Buckley’s unpredictable take on the iconic “Fargo” Minnesota-nice character seems destined for awards traction, and you betcha she deserves it.
Season 4 of “Fargo” centers on a brewing war in 1950s Kansas City between the Italian mob, led by dueling brothers Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) and Gaetano Fadda (Salvatore Esposito), and a Black crime syndicate helmed by Loy Cannon (Chris Rock). Buckley features prominently in the escalating tensions as she cozies up to Josto and butts her way into the life of high-schooler Ethelrida Pearl...
Season 4 of “Fargo” centers on a brewing war in 1950s Kansas City between the Italian mob, led by dueling brothers Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) and Gaetano Fadda (Salvatore Esposito), and a Black crime syndicate helmed by Loy Cannon (Chris Rock). Buckley features prominently in the escalating tensions as she cozies up to Josto and butts her way into the life of high-schooler Ethelrida Pearl...
- 10/16/2020
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
“Fargo” finally returns Sunday night for its long-awaited fourth installment, more than three years (plus an additional five months) after it last aired on FX.
“Fargo” creator Noah Hawley often says that he treats each edition of the anthology series based on the Coen Brothers’ 1996 movie as if it’s the last. After the third season, it really seemed like it was. “Every time I do one, I think it’s the last one,” Hawley Hawley told TheWrap, back in January, when the series was supposed to debut in April, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down production and forced a five-month delay. “And then some period of time passes, and I go ‘Oh, I could do that.'”
Hawley came up with an idea centered around the question of: What if two crime families traded their youngest sons as a fragile way to keep peace?
“I thought that that was interesting,...
“Fargo” creator Noah Hawley often says that he treats each edition of the anthology series based on the Coen Brothers’ 1996 movie as if it’s the last. After the third season, it really seemed like it was. “Every time I do one, I think it’s the last one,” Hawley Hawley told TheWrap, back in January, when the series was supposed to debut in April, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down production and forced a five-month delay. “And then some period of time passes, and I go ‘Oh, I could do that.'”
Hawley came up with an idea centered around the question of: What if two crime families traded their youngest sons as a fragile way to keep peace?
“I thought that that was interesting,...
- 9/25/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Chris Rock signed on to star in the fourth installment of FX’s Fargo before creator Noah Hawley had written a single word. Rock’s “yes,” which was immediate and emphatic, had everything to do with the quality of what had come before — specifically, the show’s nuanced treatment of another Black character, season two’s mob henchman Mike Milligan, played to perfection by Bokeem Woodbine.
“No matter how good somebody is, you don’t know how they’re going to handle Black,” says Rock, noting that writers and directors too often “cut corners” when they’re not in their comfort zone....
“No matter how good somebody is, you don’t know how they’re going to handle Black,” says Rock, noting that writers and directors too often “cut corners” when they’re not in their comfort zone....
- 9/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chris Rock signed on to star in the fourth installment of FX’s Fargo before creator Noah Hawley had written a single word. Rock’s “yes,” which was immediate and emphatic, had everything to do with the quality of what had come before — specifically, the show’s nuanced treatment of another Black character, season two’s mob henchman Mike Milligan, played to perfection by Bokeem Woodbine.
“No matter how good somebody is, you don’t know how they’re going to handle Black,” says Rock, noting that writers and directors too often “cut corners” when they’re not in their comfort zone....
“No matter how good somebody is, you don’t know how they’re going to handle Black,” says Rock, noting that writers and directors too often “cut corners” when they’re not in their comfort zone....
- 9/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
“You know why America loves a crime story? Because America is a crime story,” mob boss Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) argues in the fourth season of Fargo. We are a nation built on stolen land, with the labor of stolen people. And perhaps because of this, as Josto notes, we tend to root for the takers in these stories, rather than the innocent victims being taken.
The long-awaited fourth season of the great FX crime anthology series has no shortage of colorful takers to root for, or against, in its...
The long-awaited fourth season of the great FX crime anthology series has no shortage of colorful takers to root for, or against, in its...
- 9/14/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
“Fargo” creator Noah Hawley thought the FX series was done after its Season 3, which aired back in 2017. Three years later, “Fargo” is back with a new take and a new cast, led by Chris Rock — and this time, Hawley isn’t dismissing the possibility of future seasons.
But once again, he will entertain the idea of more “Fargo” installments at his own pace. “There’s something great about not having the pressure to deliver on a timeline,” he told Variety on Thursday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour. “It’s such a Herculean effort to tell such a multi-faceted, multi-prong story with as much thematic depth that by the time I’m done with that last hour, I’m pretty much empty.
“Certainly at the end of the third season, I thought, ‘I’ve said everything I have to say about this world and these themes.’ And then a...
But once again, he will entertain the idea of more “Fargo” installments at his own pace. “There’s something great about not having the pressure to deliver on a timeline,” he told Variety on Thursday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour. “It’s such a Herculean effort to tell such a multi-faceted, multi-prong story with as much thematic depth that by the time I’m done with that last hour, I’m pretty much empty.
“Certainly at the end of the third season, I thought, ‘I’ve said everything I have to say about this world and these themes.’ And then a...
- 1/10/2020
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
FX released the first trailer for its long-awaited fourth season of “Fargo,” which features Chris Rock as the head of a 1950s-era crime syndicate in Kansas City.
Watch the video above.
In addition to Rock, the “Fargo” cast is led by Jack Huston, Jason Schwartzman and Ben Whishaw, along with Jessie Buckley, Salvatore Esposito, Andrew Bird, Jeremie Harris, Gaetano Bruno, Anji White, Francesco Acquaroli, E’myri Crutchfield and Amber Midthunder.
FX announced earlier on Thursday that “Fargo” Season 4 would premiere on April 19. Noah Hawley told TheWrap earlier on Thursday how Season 4 could connect back to earlier seasons, namely with Bokeem Woodbine’s character Mike Milligan from Season 2.
Also Read: 'Fargo': Noah Hawley On How Season 4 Could Connect to Earlier Editions
FX provided the following summation of Season 4:
In 1950, at the end of two great American migrations — that of Southern Europeans from countries like Italy, who came to...
Watch the video above.
In addition to Rock, the “Fargo” cast is led by Jack Huston, Jason Schwartzman and Ben Whishaw, along with Jessie Buckley, Salvatore Esposito, Andrew Bird, Jeremie Harris, Gaetano Bruno, Anji White, Francesco Acquaroli, E’myri Crutchfield and Amber Midthunder.
FX announced earlier on Thursday that “Fargo” Season 4 would premiere on April 19. Noah Hawley told TheWrap earlier on Thursday how Season 4 could connect back to earlier seasons, namely with Bokeem Woodbine’s character Mike Milligan from Season 2.
Also Read: 'Fargo': Noah Hawley On How Season 4 Could Connect to Earlier Editions
FX provided the following summation of Season 4:
In 1950, at the end of two great American migrations — that of Southern Europeans from countries like Italy, who came to...
- 1/10/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Although “Fargo” is an anthology series, the FX drama has made it clear over its first three seasons that the all the seasons exist within the same world.
That was most apparent in Season 2, when Patrick Wilson played a younger version of the Keith Carradine’s Lou Solverson from the first season. During a conversation with TheWrap at the Television Critics Association on Thursday, creator Noah Hawley teased how the upcoming fourth season could tie into earlier versions.
“It’s no coincidence that Ben Whishaw’s character is named ‘Milligan,'” Hawley said. FX announced last July that Whishaw would play a character named “Rabbi Milligan.” Viewers of Season 2 would remember that Bokeem Woodbine played a hitman named Mike Milligan for the Kansas City Mafia in their war against the Gerhardt crime family. Season 4 also takes place in Kansas City, set roughly 20 years earlier.
Also Read: FX Sets Spring Premiere Dates for 'Fargo,...
That was most apparent in Season 2, when Patrick Wilson played a younger version of the Keith Carradine’s Lou Solverson from the first season. During a conversation with TheWrap at the Television Critics Association on Thursday, creator Noah Hawley teased how the upcoming fourth season could tie into earlier versions.
“It’s no coincidence that Ben Whishaw’s character is named ‘Milligan,'” Hawley said. FX announced last July that Whishaw would play a character named “Rabbi Milligan.” Viewers of Season 2 would remember that Bokeem Woodbine played a hitman named Mike Milligan for the Kansas City Mafia in their war against the Gerhardt crime family. Season 4 also takes place in Kansas City, set roughly 20 years earlier.
Also Read: FX Sets Spring Premiere Dates for 'Fargo,...
- 1/9/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
They made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Chris Rock has joined the cast of “Fargo” Season 4 — or “Year Four,” as creator Noah Hawley prefers. The stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and director will play the head of an African American crime syndicate who goes to war with the Italian mafia in Kansas City, Missouri during the 1950s.
“I’m a fan of ‘Fargo’ and I can’t wait to work with Noah,” Rock said in a statement.
John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, announced the official renewal at the Television Critics Association press tour Friday morning. The release stated production on Season 4 will begin in 2019 and also provided the first synopsis for the new episodes:
In 1950, at the end of two great American migrations — that of Southern Europeans from countries like Italy, who came to the Us at the turn of the last century and settled...
“I’m a fan of ‘Fargo’ and I can’t wait to work with Noah,” Rock said in a statement.
John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, announced the official renewal at the Television Critics Association press tour Friday morning. The release stated production on Season 4 will begin in 2019 and also provided the first synopsis for the new episodes:
In 1950, at the end of two great American migrations — that of Southern Europeans from countries like Italy, who came to the Us at the turn of the last century and settled...
- 8/3/2018
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Fargo creator Noah Hawley, as he promised, has found a date on his calendar and is moving forward with a fourth season of his Emmy-winning series toplined by Chris Rock who’ll play the head of a crime family. FX Networks and Productions CEO John Landgraf announced the news today at TCA.
Series Ep Warren Littlefield told Deadline back in June that they have a city and year for season 4, and as unveiled today that’s 1950, Kansas City, Missouri. Littlefield also told us that season 4 would go into production during fall 2019.
Essentially the locale will serve as the crossroads and collisions of two migrations, Italians coming from Italy and African Americans fleeing the south to escape Jim Crow, both fighting for a piece of the American dream as two controlling crime syndicates. They are at an uneasy peace controlling an alternate economy of exploitation, graft and drugs. To cement their peace,...
Series Ep Warren Littlefield told Deadline back in June that they have a city and year for season 4, and as unveiled today that’s 1950, Kansas City, Missouri. Littlefield also told us that season 4 would go into production during fall 2019.
Essentially the locale will serve as the crossroads and collisions of two migrations, Italians coming from Italy and African Americans fleeing the south to escape Jim Crow, both fighting for a piece of the American dream as two controlling crime syndicates. They are at an uneasy peace controlling an alternate economy of exploitation, graft and drugs. To cement their peace,...
- 8/3/2018
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
[Editor’s Note: The review below contains spoilers for “Fargo” Season 3, Episode 2, “The Principle of Restricted Choice.”]
Immediate Reaction
Let’s look at that title: “The Principle of Restricted Choice” refers to what happens in the game of bridge every time a card is played. When you play a particular card, that act decreases the probability you hold anything equivalent to it. In other words, your first card is likely your best, and the odds of improving after you make your first move are less and less as the game continues.
That’s bad news for our card players, Ray Stussey (Ewan McGregor) and Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). While the title could refer back to their original plan of stealing the stamp, its lesson in Episode 2 applies to what Nikki did when Plan A didn’t go so well. When she couldn’t find the stamp, she took the donkey photo as a “fuck you” to Ray and gave a decidedly more emphatic message back. That...
Immediate Reaction
Let’s look at that title: “The Principle of Restricted Choice” refers to what happens in the game of bridge every time a card is played. When you play a particular card, that act decreases the probability you hold anything equivalent to it. In other words, your first card is likely your best, and the odds of improving after you make your first move are less and less as the game continues.
That’s bad news for our card players, Ray Stussey (Ewan McGregor) and Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). While the title could refer back to their original plan of stealing the stamp, its lesson in Episode 2 applies to what Nikki did when Plan A didn’t go so well. When she couldn’t find the stamp, she took the donkey photo as a “fuck you” to Ray and gave a decidedly more emphatic message back. That...
- 4/27/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
There's a moment early in the new season premiere of the FX crime drama Fargo when a parole officer recalls how he met his fiancée, a slick hustler named Nikki Swango (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead). As the episode flashes back to Nikki at a police station, getting booked and photographed, fans of filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen might experience some deja vu. The situation, the way it's shot, and even the way the crook gets yanked around by the authorities – it's all right out of the Coens' 1987 comedy Raising Arizona.
- 4/20/2017
- Rollingstone.com
As usual, Fargo Season 3 Episode 1 has only just begun to tell this chapter's story, but I'm already hooked.
While "The Law of Vacant Places" isn't quite as gripping a start as either Fargo Season 2 Episode 1 or Fargo Season 1 Episode 1, I find myself invested in these characters and their stories, an wondering where this season will manage to spiral out to.
Of course, if Fargo is anything, it's unpredictable and has a tendency to go against the grain. So your guess is as good as mine where Fargo Season 3 will end up nine episodes from now.
The major story serving as this season's lynchpin centers on the two characters played by Ewan McGregor – brothers Ray, a slovenly parole officer, and Emmit Stussy, a successful businessman and the "Parking Lot King of Minnesota" (whatever the hell that means).
Much like Lester of Fargo Season 1 and Peggy of Fargo Season 2, Ray is the...
While "The Law of Vacant Places" isn't quite as gripping a start as either Fargo Season 2 Episode 1 or Fargo Season 1 Episode 1, I find myself invested in these characters and their stories, an wondering where this season will manage to spiral out to.
Of course, if Fargo is anything, it's unpredictable and has a tendency to go against the grain. So your guess is as good as mine where Fargo Season 3 will end up nine episodes from now.
The major story serving as this season's lynchpin centers on the two characters played by Ewan McGregor – brothers Ray, a slovenly parole officer, and Emmit Stussy, a successful businessman and the "Parking Lot King of Minnesota" (whatever the hell that means).
Much like Lester of Fargo Season 1 and Peggy of Fargo Season 2, Ray is the...
- 4/20/2017
- by Caralynn Lippo
- TVfanatic
USA Networks is another of those stations I have had bias against mainly due to my loyalty to HBO in the late '90s and early '00s, but once Mr. Robot hit and I realized how genius of a show it is (even though the creator may be from a different planet), I have been waiting for another solid hit from USA, and we may finally have one.
USA has set some very strong actors to portray characters in its upcoming Unsolved TV series, which will inspect and delve into the surrounding mystery behind rappers Tupac Shakur's and Biggie Smalls' untimely deaths. Check this extraordinary cast out: Bokeem Woodbine, Josh Duhamel, and Jimmi Simpson will all be playing integral detectives that were involved in trying to deduce the surroundings of the murders of these two legendary music figures.
Woodbine is best known as Mike Milligan from Fargo Season 2, Duhamel is known from Transformers,...
USA has set some very strong actors to portray characters in its upcoming Unsolved TV series, which will inspect and delve into the surrounding mystery behind rappers Tupac Shakur's and Biggie Smalls' untimely deaths. Check this extraordinary cast out: Bokeem Woodbine, Josh Duhamel, and Jimmi Simpson will all be playing integral detectives that were involved in trying to deduce the surroundings of the murders of these two legendary music figures.
Woodbine is best known as Mike Milligan from Fargo Season 2, Duhamel is known from Transformers,...
- 2/23/2017
- by Drew Carlton
- LRMonline.com
Welcome to The Top 5, where every week, we list five things for a given topic. These topics can range from "5 Things We Liked About The Power Rangers Teaser Trailer" to "5 Things We Want (Or Don't Want) In Ben Affleck's The Batman."
Of course, because everyone has an opinion, there is sure to be some disagreements, which is why, despite the title "The Top 5," very rarely are these actual "best of" articles. Instead, they're meant to provide entertaining insight, and to stir a discussion, and give everyone a chance to speak their mind.
If you have a suggestion for a Top 5 piece, send them my way via #TheTop5LRM on Twitter. If I choose your topic, I'll be sure to give you a shoutout!
Now, on with today's topic!
Top 5 Returning TV Series We're Looking Forward To In 2017
It's not easy picking your favorite TV shows of any given year.
Of course, because everyone has an opinion, there is sure to be some disagreements, which is why, despite the title "The Top 5," very rarely are these actual "best of" articles. Instead, they're meant to provide entertaining insight, and to stir a discussion, and give everyone a chance to speak their mind.
If you have a suggestion for a Top 5 piece, send them my way via #TheTop5LRM on Twitter. If I choose your topic, I'll be sure to give you a shoutout!
Now, on with today's topic!
Top 5 Returning TV Series We're Looking Forward To In 2017
It's not easy picking your favorite TV shows of any given year.
- 2/22/2017
- by Drew Carlton
- LRMonline.com
A new script is in development from DC and Warner Brothers for the feature film Green Lantern Corps. We know that the recent Green Lantern movie, starring Ryan Reynolds, failed miserably. But, this time around we may have the creative talent to at least create a good script. The upcoming film is being written by David Goyer (all Christopher Nolan Batman movies, Jumper, Blade, Man of Steel, and he is working on TV shows The Sandman and Krypton) and Justin Rhodes (Grassroots, Contract Killers -- side note he was born in my home town and we are two years apart). Goyer is also producing alongside Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, and I think we all hope that Johns will usher in a new age of legit DC films.
The new focus of this movie will center around both Hal Jordan and John Stewart (hell yes), and has been described as...
The new focus of this movie will center around both Hal Jordan and John Stewart (hell yes), and has been described as...
- 1/12/2017
- by Drew Carlton
- LRMonline.com
Spider-Man: Homecoming is now shooting, but with every day that passes, the cast continues to grow. The latest addition hasn't been revealed by one of the Hollywood trades, but by a fan who bumped into Fargo star Bokeem Woodbine. He played gangster Mike Milligan there, but is also known for appearing in Riddick, Southland, and Total Recall along with almost countless other TV shows. Who is he playing? Like pretty much every other actor who has been added to the cast lately, we have no idea, though Daily Bugle editor Robbie Robertson feels like a good fit! Of course, there's every chance he could have a very minor role here, possibly playing just a teacher in Peter's high school or something along those lines. Fingers crossed we get an official cast/character list in the near future! Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Michael Keaton, and Robert Downey Jr. lead Spider-Man: Homecoming's massive ensemble,...
- 6/23/2016
- ComicBookMovie.com
Spider-Man: Homecoming is now shooting, but with every day that passes, the cast continues to grow. The latest addition hasn't been revealed by one of the Hollywood trades, but by a fan who bumped into Fargo star Bokeem Woodbine. He played gangster Mike Milligan there, but is also known for appearing in Riddick, Southland, and Total Recall along with almost countless other TV shows. Who is he playing? Like pretty much every other actor who has been added to the cast lately, we have no idea, though Daily Bugle editor Robbie Robertson feels like a good fit! Of course, there's every chance he could have a very minor role here, possibly playing just a teacher in Peter's high school or something along those lines. Fingers crossed we get an official cast/character list in the near future! Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Michael Keaton, and Robert Downey Jr. lead Spider-Man: Homecoming's massive ensemble,...
- 6/23/2016
- ComicBookMovie.com
TV, TV, on the wall… who’s the baddest of them all?
That’s the question at the heart of TVLine’s March BADness Bracket Tournament, a brutal scrum among the most violent, scheming, bitchy, low-down dirty characters ever to grace the small screen.
RelatedMarch BADness Pits Alias, Sherlock Villains vs. Game of Thrones‘ Worst
Love to hate ’em or just plain love ’em, there’s no denying these 64 filthy mcnasties have left an indelible mark on the TV landscape. But treacherous as they are, they’re not about to share their glory.
That’s where you come in. From...
That’s the question at the heart of TVLine’s March BADness Bracket Tournament, a brutal scrum among the most violent, scheming, bitchy, low-down dirty characters ever to grace the small screen.
RelatedMarch BADness Pits Alias, Sherlock Villains vs. Game of Thrones‘ Worst
Love to hate ’em or just plain love ’em, there’s no denying these 64 filthy mcnasties have left an indelible mark on the TV landscape. But treacherous as they are, they’re not about to share their glory.
That’s where you come in. From...
- 3/16/2016
- TVLine.com
One Thing I Love Today is a daily column dedicated to putting a spotlight on some pop culture item worth your attention. After all, there's enough snark out there. Why not start every day with one quick shotgun blast of positivity? Noah Hawley is a True Believer. There is no reason whatsoever that a television show based on Fargo should work, but after finishing season two of the FX series, I am blown away by what he's accomplished and by the sheer force of his love for Joel and Ethan Coen. Homage and inspiration are similar, but not the exact same things. Homage is fine, but I think you can only go so far with it. Inspiration, though, is something else. Real inspiration is a springboard to something new, something that is genuinely yours. One person looks at something and sees and processes it a certain way, and someone else...
- 2/25/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
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Fargo may be profligate with killing, but it never forgets the cost. Here's our review of the excellent season two finale...
This review contains spoilers
2.10 Palindrome
The slow procession of Gerhardt bodies in the opening moments of this final episode acts as a reminder of the high cost that this season has levied on its characters. Although no one really left the series totally unscathed, the routing of the once-powerful local crime family should be regarded as the core tragedy of the narrative. A combination of stupidity and downright bad luck prompted Rye’s demise and the family continued to exhibit both characteristics until they were utterly destroyed. A failure to instigate a clear succession plan caused rifts between Floyd and Dodd, which only exacerbated the problems between Dodd and Bear, which would have been bad enough even without Hanzee acting as a wildcard angel of death.
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Fargo may be profligate with killing, but it never forgets the cost. Here's our review of the excellent season two finale...
This review contains spoilers
2.10 Palindrome
The slow procession of Gerhardt bodies in the opening moments of this final episode acts as a reminder of the high cost that this season has levied on its characters. Although no one really left the series totally unscathed, the routing of the once-powerful local crime family should be regarded as the core tragedy of the narrative. A combination of stupidity and downright bad luck prompted Rye’s demise and the family continued to exhibit both characteristics until they were utterly destroyed. A failure to instigate a clear succession plan caused rifts between Floyd and Dodd, which only exacerbated the problems between Dodd and Bear, which would have been bad enough even without Hanzee acting as a wildcard angel of death.
- 1/4/2016
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Fargo Season 2, Episode 10 “Palindrome”
Written by Noah Hawley
Directed by Adam Arkin
Airs Mondays at 10pm (Et) on FX
How do we find purpose in life? The central question of The Myth of Sisyphus was also the philosophic backdrop for Fargo‘s second season, taking place in a world reeling from the senseless violence of Vietnam, the equally violent civil rights movement, and the increasing dissatisfaction with the way things had turned out after The (Second) Great War had ended. And as everyone reels from the senseless violence of the Sioux Falls massacre – which all started with a confused, angry crime heir and a frustrated hairdresser, as absurd a beginning as one could imagine – that question finds its way into each and every conversation in “Palindrome”, in what turns out to be an understated, quiet, heartwarming, and all-too-brief final chapter of Fargo‘s second season.
In many ways, “Palindrome” acts as checklist,...
Written by Noah Hawley
Directed by Adam Arkin
Airs Mondays at 10pm (Et) on FX
How do we find purpose in life? The central question of The Myth of Sisyphus was also the philosophic backdrop for Fargo‘s second season, taking place in a world reeling from the senseless violence of Vietnam, the equally violent civil rights movement, and the increasing dissatisfaction with the way things had turned out after The (Second) Great War had ended. And as everyone reels from the senseless violence of the Sioux Falls massacre – which all started with a confused, angry crime heir and a frustrated hairdresser, as absurd a beginning as one could imagine – that question finds its way into each and every conversation in “Palindrome”, in what turns out to be an understated, quiet, heartwarming, and all-too-brief final chapter of Fargo‘s second season.
In many ways, “Palindrome” acts as checklist,...
- 12/15/2015
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
A review of the "Fargo" season 2 finale coming up just as soon as I decree no more schnitzel or strudel... "People are dead, Peggy." -Lou A palindrome, as you know, is a word or phrase that's the same backwards and forwards: "Madam, I'm Adam," or "Mom," or "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama!" Many of the players we met over the course of this season of "Fargo" don't seem particularly palindromic. They start as one thing, and end as something else entirely, and their journey looks radically different when viewed start to finish rather than finish to start. But then there is Lou Solverson, who is palindromic in character if not in name. He is the same at this tale's end as he was at the beginning, and as he will be 27 years in the future (when his facial features will be significantly different), and likely as he was...
- 12/15/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
"Fargo" just concluded its second season with a finale (click here for my review) that made several overt references to characters and events from season 1, but also drew an obscure but ultimately unmistakable line from one character this year to someone from last year. If you don't want to know, don't click through, but if you want to find out how it's all connected, I'll tell you just as soon as I talk to Dale from Hr... So as Hanzee is preparing for his new life as Moses Tripoli, and a new face to go with it, he tells his contact that he will have his revenge on Kansas City, no matter how heavily-guarded the leadership there may be, or how his own would-be empire might end up one day. "Not apprehend, dead. Don't care heavily-guarded. Don't care into the sea. Kill and be killed. Head in a bag," he pronounces,...
- 12/15/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
FX’s Fargo this Monday night put a tidy-ish bow on its stellar second season — no small feat, given that when last we tuned in a bona fide UFO had descended upon the site of an epically bloody melee.
RelatedFargo‘s Season 3 Time Period Is Revealed
Having yet again dodged death, Peggy and Ed Blumquist (played by Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons) sought safe harbor from Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) in a supermarket, with Minnesota trooper Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) close on their heels. Alas, “The Indian” had put a bullet in Ed during the preceding foot chase, leaving “The Butcher...
RelatedFargo‘s Season 3 Time Period Is Revealed
Having yet again dodged death, Peggy and Ed Blumquist (played by Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons) sought safe harbor from Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) in a supermarket, with Minnesota trooper Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) close on their heels. Alas, “The Indian” had put a bullet in Ed during the preceding foot chase, leaving “The Butcher...
- 12/15/2015
- TVLine.com
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The brilliant Fargo season 2 episode 8 offers moments of unbearable tension and raw discomfort...
This review contains spoilers.
2.8 Loplop
Have you actualised, fully? Peggy’s vision at the beginning of this episode was a rather Lynchian way of underlining just how far out of their depth she and her husband are. Having stumbled, literally by accident, into a pattern of poor decision-making that has led to them on the lam with a dangerous man in the boot of their car, the Blomquists find themselves having to justify their position. It’s probably easier the less they actually think about it, or to put it in the New Age wisdom terms so beloved by Peggy, if they don’t think, just be.
As forms of denial go, it’s rather handy. Peggy’s mental distancing from the reality of her situation enable her to do things that she wouldn...
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The brilliant Fargo season 2 episode 8 offers moments of unbearable tension and raw discomfort...
This review contains spoilers.
2.8 Loplop
Have you actualised, fully? Peggy’s vision at the beginning of this episode was a rather Lynchian way of underlining just how far out of their depth she and her husband are. Having stumbled, literally by accident, into a pattern of poor decision-making that has led to them on the lam with a dangerous man in the boot of their car, the Blomquists find themselves having to justify their position. It’s probably easier the less they actually think about it, or to put it in the New Age wisdom terms so beloved by Peggy, if they don’t think, just be.
As forms of denial go, it’s rather handy. Peggy’s mental distancing from the reality of her situation enable her to do things that she wouldn...
- 12/9/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Season 2, Episode 9: The Castle Summary: Ed (Jesse Plemons) and Peggy (Kirsten Dunst) are used as bait in an attempt to nab Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine) and the Kansas City mob, but a renegade Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) has other ideas. Review: With this being the penultimate episode of Fargo – season two, right from the start it's a lightening-fast installment jam-packed with action and intrigue.... Read More...
- 12/8/2015
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Just as the ninth episode of Fargo Season 1 first made reference to “The Sioux Falls Massacre,” the ninth episode of Season 2 allowed us to see the 1979 incident play out.
And yes, as future Lou would tell Lorne Malvo, you could climb to the second floor if you stacked the dead bodies.
RelatedFargo Renewed for Season 3 at FX
The season’s penultimate episode opened on a much lighter note, with a bit of a jurisdictional squabble as the Sioux Falls troopers elbowed Minnesota colleague Lou Solverson out of the way, seizing control of the bananas Blumquist case. Finding the meek-turned-mighty marrieds...
And yes, as future Lou would tell Lorne Malvo, you could climb to the second floor if you stacked the dead bodies.
RelatedFargo Renewed for Season 3 at FX
The season’s penultimate episode opened on a much lighter note, with a bit of a jurisdictional squabble as the Sioux Falls troopers elbowed Minnesota colleague Lou Solverson out of the way, seizing control of the bananas Blumquist case. Finding the meek-turned-mighty marrieds...
- 12/8/2015
- TVLine.com
My review of tonight's penultimate "Fargo" of season 2 coming up just as soon as I show you what a South Dakota necktie looks like... "It's just a flying saucer, Ed!" -Peggy There's a Roger Ebert review that's always nagged at me, not because it should be impossible for me to disagree with my favorite critic growing up, but because the reason for the disagreement has always seemed so small to me. Back in the summer of 1988, Ebert gave the original "Die Hard" only 2 stars, complaining that the movie's abundant technical merits, not to mention Alan Rickman's performance as the heavy, weren't enough to get him past the introduction of Paul Gleason as the Lapd deputy chief who refuses to believe that John McClane is a cop, or has anything useful to offer him and his men. "As nearly as I can tell," Ebert wrote, "the deputy chief is in...
- 12/8/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
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Two thirds of the way through Fargo season 2, this rich, complex drama is building into something wonderful...
This review contains spoilers
2.7 Did You Do This? No, You Did It!
‘It’s hard to be simple’, says Hank in his customary grandfatherly tones, ‘in times of complication’. It’s a somewhat pat piece of wisdom, but one that’s entirely suited to the bewilderingly complicated scenario that we have before us. Two thirds of the way through the season and positions have become so thoroughly entwined that it’s difficult to imagine a sword sharp enough to cut through the knot.
Not that a violent shortcut is completely off the table. As the opening montage loudly reminded us, this world, however complicated, is a terrifyingly violent one and the prospect of any resolution coming through words alone seems very remote indeed. We started with a double Gerhardt funeral...
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Two thirds of the way through Fargo season 2, this rich, complex drama is building into something wonderful...
This review contains spoilers
2.7 Did You Do This? No, You Did It!
‘It’s hard to be simple’, says Hank in his customary grandfatherly tones, ‘in times of complication’. It’s a somewhat pat piece of wisdom, but one that’s entirely suited to the bewilderingly complicated scenario that we have before us. Two thirds of the way through the season and positions have become so thoroughly entwined that it’s difficult to imagine a sword sharp enough to cut through the knot.
Not that a violent shortcut is completely off the table. As the opening montage loudly reminded us, this world, however complicated, is a terrifyingly violent one and the prospect of any resolution coming through words alone seems very remote indeed. We started with a double Gerhardt funeral...
- 12/2/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
In this excellent chapter of Fargo, we jump backward to see the other side of the phone call between Ed Blumquist (Jesse Plemons) and Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine) that ended last week's episode. Although it has a slightly slower pace than we've seen, "Loplop" was ultimately just as rewarding as the rest of this season has been.The episode opens in the Blumquist basement, not long after the events of episode six. Peggy (Dunst) fought off Dodd Gerhart (Donovan) with a cattle prod, and has tied him up in her basement. As Hank (Ted Danson) would say, Peggy is getting "a little touched" again, having a vision of a life coach instead of the cold-blooded killer in front of her. Her vision asks her if she's actualized fully, then presents a key question: "Do you understand the difference between thinking and being?" Once again, the characters of Fargo try to...
- 12/1/2015
- by Brian Tallerico
- Vulture
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