NFT: "Fargo" Renewed For Season 2: possible spoilers

yeah!

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FWIW

I love how it's new actors, they did a great job season 1 but a new cast and story was necessary imo. Molly was wonderful, one of my favorite female characters in recent tv history, but season 2 needed to go in a different direction. And the story about the father sounds like a fantastic direction to go in since it was referred to on the show so often in the first season.

I love the new direction. Hopefully they cast a great young-Carradine.

...and I suppose the fact that I finished it certainly says something.

However... Can someone please explain to me why this show is getting so many glowing reviews? Am I missing something?

SPOILERS:

I almost started a thread on this when I finished up the season (and I was going to personally address you, UCONN). Some of the acting and writing was absolutely God awful to me. Sam Hess in particular was so over-the-top unbelievable that his entire presence felt like unintentional comedy, and he was one of many characters that made me feel this way.

The scene in the elevator where Lester completely, inexplicably decides to challenge Lorne Malvo was one of the worst TV scenes I had ever seen. Over the course of hours of television, I'm not someone who can't allow a few swing & misses... but for an entire character's story arc to derail over one of the worst decisions ever--from a character who had actually proven himself pretty crafty in escaping trouble--it almost ruined things for me. I get it. He was finally the type of guy who would stand up for himself. That wasn't a realistic way to prove this point. At all.

And I say all this with the caveat that I enjoyed the program. I wouldn't even be bringing it up if it the reviews weren't so positive. But I almost feel compelled to say that this show is good fun, sure, but to call it a great show (a label that is supposed to be reserved for the truly special) is laughable.

And before someone says it... I know the over-the-top nature of the Minnesotans is part of the dark humor. But the movie managed to employ this dark brand of humor without creating characters that make inexplicable decisions that tarnish the story's validity. I personally think the show has failed miserably in this regard.

and had more than a few questionable coincidences, but overall it was well done IMO.

'that his entire presence' His entire presence lasted 1 episode, a few minutes of dialogue, 3 scenes, no?

He served his purpose perfectly. A big bully (sure, bit over the top, if you will) from Lester's past gets a fitting end to his life and sets the entire story on its path.

Elevator scene was meh but it made plenty of sense.

If there was a plotline worth complaining about, it was the raining fish.

I'm not big on nitpicking minutiae in shows, I get why people do it I guess but I just prefer to be entertained and not worry concern myself with a lot of the realism details.

I agree about the show being slightly overrated. There were certain aspects of the plot that annoyed me a little bit. I agree that Lester calling out Malvo in the elevator seemed to make little sense. But at the same time, I think Lester assumed he had the upper hand in that situation and had no idea that Malvo would literally murder his friends and fiancée in such a fashion. Lester probably assumed that the people in the elevator "protected" him somewhat from Malvo but clearly that wasn't the case.

But I agree that while I enjoyed the show a ton, I would call it "very good" rather than "great". I watched True Detective right before I watched Fargo and it just felt like Fargo was a half-step below True Detective imo.

I won't address each thing because it would take too long, but you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I don't expect everyone to like it, but it was one of the better seasons of TV this year, certainly in my top 2 with True Detective.

I actually don't think there were many instances of people doing something that was terribly unbelievable. I also liked Lester's transformation and didn't get caught up in whether or not he should have challenged Malvo, because it really doesn't matter to me. He clearly went from zero to hero, and wanting to put the nail in Malvo's coffin fit his character transformation.

All in all I did think it was great television. "Great" is what it was for me. Some people thought every second of Breaking Bad was "great" while I did not. To each their own.

The acting on Fargo for basically all of the main characters was just about as good as it gets as well.

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He was finally the type of guy who would stand up for himself. That wasn't a realistic way to prove this point. At all.

Lester's whole life had changed to where he essentially believed he was invincible/untouchable. He loses sight of the evil nature of Malvao and leads to his own demise because of his ineptitude.

In comment 11775955 GMenLTS said:

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If there was a plotline worth complaining about, it was the raining fish.

Yes, a thousand times yes. Loved the show but that was such a stupid plot device. Giant tornados that pull fish from the water and throw them hundreds of miles away don't happen in the winter and, even if they did, the lakes are frozen over anyway.


Regarding the elevator scene: I don't see what was so awful about it. Lester was feeling his oats and thought he had become Malvo's equal. Malvo very quickly and forcefully demonstrated that Lester was still Lester.

happened in Sioux Falls in 1979, and if Malvo was indeed involved.

LTS: To each his own. I personally can't "enjoy" a show where the character's actions strike me as inexplicable. The entire nature of enjoyment for me is to relate to the characters... and if I can't relate to them (who can relate to a serial killer, for example) I need to understand what created them. For me, after a year of success, becoming salesman of the year, getting away with murder... for Lester to want to out Malvo in that elevator--a man who he actually owes his entire newfound existence to--is inexplicable. It's supposed to be a turning point and I instead would have laughed if I wasn't so annoyed I invested so much time in such nonsense.

Osi True Detective. Now there's a fucking good show. It had a bit of a weak ending (though this is of course arbitrary and just my opinion), but the acting/script separated itself from the rest of TV. To circle back to Fargo... another example of just awful writing was Malvo making that (again, unintentionally comical) little speech that scared the regular Dad's son. It was just... it was stupid.

Empire WF: For me, it's not founded in the story for Lester to think he's untouchable. I get that this is what happened, but it doesn't make it any less stupid. He was thrifty enough to navigate through some of the most dire scenarios. A person who's capable of that is all of a sudden going to through it all away with a ridiculous decision? No.

***

Lastly, to expand on my point(s) a bit. Remember the scene in the hospital where Lester wrapped himself up with medical tape to pretend to be the victim next to him? Then he escaped, planted evidence, came back, yada yada yada? Some people took issue with that, where as that's the type of stuff I can easily allow a leap of imagination on my end. I don't mind characters doing things that would likely never work in real life. I don't relate to that type of behavior nor am I expected to. It's the extraordinary maneuvers of this nature that make a story worth telling.

It's when the characters' decisions are baseless, illogical, and not in line with their previous behavior that completely removes me from a program and causes me to lose my emotional investment.

When I said I was going to personally acknowledge you in a separate thread when I was considering creating one, it's because I respect your take on television and enjoy reading it here.

In comment 11776139 Mike in Long Beach said:

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When I said I was going to personally acknowledge you in a separate thread when I was considering creating one, it's because I respect your take on television and enjoy reading it here.

Haha, why thank you. Didn't take it in a negative way, though an epic call out thread could have been funny.

But I certainly understand your take and don't think any of it is unreasonable. A simple explanation like the one you provided is all I ask. Can't stand when people come on to threads claiming something sucks with no reason given (just to be that guy), just awful to have a discussion that way.

Lester was bullied all his life and has been looked at as an underachieving loser. After banging an asian chick on a consistent basis, being the tits at selling shit and wearing an expensive suit with a douchebag haircut he finally had confidence and felt respected by his peers.

When confronting Malvo and found himself completely shut down and not even acknowledged as a person, it gave Lester a nice little throwback of getting bullied and being treated like shit. But since this is a new and improved Lester, he wasn't going to let that shit fly. He definitely should have let that fly though. Don't fuck with Malvo.

I also love the fact they had Lester die running on thin ice.

Just a really enjoyable show. Had a little bit of everything. Drama, action, dark humor. Really great cinematography. No real complaints from me, even with its faults.

Lou finds himself in, he survives it.