MovieChat Forums > Fargo (2014) Discussion > The elephant in the room

The elephant in the room

posted 8 years ago by JohnTheHumble (107)
33 replies | jump to latest

I hate to be negative about a show that I love (loved?) but...

The elephant in the room: are we big die-hard Fargo fans ready to admit to the fact that Season 3 has been rather underwhelming?

I just don't seem to care as much for what happens to these characters as I did in seasons 1 and 2. Not to forget, the antagonist so far has been way less interesting than the antagonists in the first two seasons.

So, a guy with bad teeth and eating disorder who talks a lot but whose body count has been 1 so far (the lawyer thrown from the parking garage)? That's not very impressive as compared to Lorne Malvo or the Gerhardts. By this point in seasons 1 and 2 the antagonists were making all hell break lose.

Sure, I still like the season and watch it (there are nice touches like the robot animation, Peter and the Wolf), but just thinking of how I think of it, as a "good" show, is very different from what I used to think of the first two seasons, that is, "great" and "best show on television."

Let's face it, it hasn't been the same. Not even close. Good but not great.

Two big mistakes in my opinion: 1. casting a too attractive female lead (not in tune with the Fargo universe where the policewomen protagonists looked like nerds) - 2. placing the action in 2010 rather than in the more distant past (except for the 1970's flashback in the previous episode, this robs Fargo of one its hallmarks, the period characterization).

One can also say that 3. the buildup is too slow this time. Sure, maybe it will improve and the "all hell breaks lose" will still come - I'd say, will certainly come; it's in Fargo's nature. But the pace has been off. Again, in seasons 1 and 2 by this point a lot had already happened. Here we are almost at mid-season and we keep getting these endless scenes with the rich brother and his shady lawyer being uncomfortable with Varga and his minions. Yes, we get it. Move on already, gee!

I'm afraid Fargo the Series is losing its magic.

[–] dt123 (704) 8 years ago

I'm expecting big things soon. It has stuck by two of Fargo's necessities: many many things come about by accident, and no character is safe from annihilation.

And arent you getting a kick out of Thewlis? Such a nice guy in Harry Potter.

[–] Sentient Meat (1509) 8 years ago

I know David Thewlis originally from Mike Leigh's film "Naked" and he's an amazing actor... I think Varga is as frightening as any of the Fargo villains so far... sometimes the unknown is scarier than what you can see.

I don't have a problem with Carrie Coon... you don't need to go out of your way to pick plain women... lot of beauties in the Midwest.

Maybe the period piece aspect you have a point, but I like the way they are tackling the stragglers shifting to catch up with technology.

I watch Fargo for the characters, not the body count... so it seems fine to me.

[–] JohnTheHumble (107) 8 years ago

When I talk about the body count it's not like I'm looking for some sort of Rambo movie. It's just that the outrageous murders in Fargo are also a sort of hallmark so the body count has been atypically low in Season 3.

So now they beat up Nikki. I hope she doesn't die of internal bleeding because she is my favorite character.

I don't know, this episode doesn't seem to have the light satirical touch of the movie and the first two seasons. Peeing in a cup and forcing the guy to drink it... beating up a woman... It's becoming unpleasant. The other Fargo renditions had horrific murders but it somehow never lost the comedic touch. This third season seems too dark and disgusting.

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 8 years ago

Forcing Sy to drink piss out of his Best Dad mug was really uncomfortable, like beyond the usual Fargo style. Varga is like a Keyser Soze style villain. I guess Lorne Malvo was pretty bad too but he didn't seem so perverse.

[–] Adster (262) 8 years ago

Beyond the Fargo style??? so putting someone in a wood chipper was comfortable??

I don't agree with the OP at all. he is a great villain you don't have to kill lots of people to make you a bigger villan then the others

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 8 years ago

That was just body disposal. The wood chipped was just less perverse than forced piss drinking

[–] akanesa (19) 7 years ago

you've got a point there. The bad guys in the other seasons were likeable in some way. Malvo was somehow funny and I found that I felt sympathetic towards some of the Gerhardts. These guys instead? I don't like them at all. I was putting my faith in the minions (the 'couples' of bad guys were funny before) but these are boring AF. I mean they don't add anything to the show. Varga is just plain disgusting. Someone could say 'hey is the bad guy you are supposed to hate him' but the fact that I liked the bad guys is one of the things that made this show great for me. oh, and the lack of humor this season is noticeable.

[–] Adster (262) 8 years ago

She won't die she is listed as being in 10 episdoes, that kinda gives it away. first thing I did when she got beat up was to check how many episodes she was in and it said 10, then I knew she couldn't be dead, sure enough she got up from the ground

[–] ADBruno1985 (3482) 8 years ago

Her currently listed episode count is meaningless. They know people look there, so it could be intentional misdirection. Or, sometimes, the leads get credit even for episodes they're not in.

[–] Adster (262) 8 years ago

If they would have killed her off, she would have just stayed dead, instead they went to the effort of her getting up getting into a car and getting back to the apartment, the only reason they would do this is for the partner to find out and get revenge on his brother thinking he planned it all, it would be the only reason they would have her die that way instead of off screen

[–] dt123 (704) 8 years ago

I hear what you're saying, JTH, and do agree, especially on the lack of humor. They may not have a large body count, but they do have the same sense of dread this season as in the past.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 7 years ago

I don't think she will. She is a survivor. She's already cheated death three times per my count. I think she's the Peggy Blumquist of this year.

😎

[–] JohnTheHumble (107) 8 years ago

Wow, I hadn't realized Varga is played by the same guy who did Remus Lupin!

[–] dt123 (704) 8 years ago

I know, right? I watched Order of the Phoenix a few nights ago and though he's hardly in that one, I had a hard time looking at him!

[–] PeteyandJia (300) 8 years ago

Season 3 is already much better than season 2 in my opinion. I am captivated & highly entertained by it.

[–] ADBruno1985 (3482) 8 years ago

Agreed. I feel like they're trying to do something new/different with the pacing. Just hasn't worked for me either. It just doesn't pull me in like the first two seasons, and I find myself getting distracted during.

[–] Kewl_Kat (226) 7 years ago

Maybe you aren't very bright?

[–] SirMildredPierce (25) 8 years ago

> big mistakes in my opinion.... placing the action in 2010 rather than in the more distant past... this robs Fargo of one its hallmarks, the period characterization

The movie Fargo was set 9 years in the past

Season 1 of Fargo was set 7 years in the past

Season 2 of Fargo was set 36 years in the past

Season 3 of Fargo is set 7 years in the past.

You think **Season 3** is the odd one out?!?

[–] JohnTheHumble (107) 8 years ago

Sorry, you are right. I was thinking of season 2 and I didn't realize the others weren't set that far in the past.

[–] SirMildredPierce (25) 7 years ago

I'll be honest, I was around when the movie came out, and it seemed like it was set way further in the past than season 1 and 3 are. Yeah, 2010 seems like last year to me too ;)

[–] GERARD KENNELLY 123 (341) 7 years ago

i thought the elephant in the room is Ewan McGregor is a pedo supporter

[–] exatera (3953) 7 years ago

Huh?

[–] GERARD KENNELLY 123 (341) 7 years ago

ewan supports roman polanski

[–] exatera (3953) 7 years ago

"A too attractive female lead", are you serious?? I always thought of Carrie Coon as a butterface. An ugly sister to a handsome brother in Gone Girl and a plain woman with a way out-of-her-league boyfriend in The Leftovers.

[–] JohnTheHumble (107) 7 years ago

Yes, I find her very attractive. See, I didn't say she is beautiful. I said she is attractive.

Just look at this picture. She is *way* more attractive than other Fargo female police officers, in the movie and the other seasons.

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/carrie_coon_3__130905175846.jpg

[–] exatera (3953) 7 years ago

It's a way too flattering and somewhat over-exposed picture. She looks much more masculine in reality (not to mention significantly older).

[–] exatera (3953) 7 years ago

And I'll say one other thing: she looks too old for her age. Like, I really can't believe she is only 36, to the point where I think her date of birth on IMDB is a misprint.

[–] MlleFromage (7) 7 years ago

Season 3 did seem to have a slow start, but I'm hooked, now. I really enjoyed episode 7's throwback to season 1 (set not that far in the past - 2006).

[–] Sandoz (2021) 7 years ago

Sorry, not agreeing with you, John.

I wasn't all that blown away by season 1. I think it paled in comparison to the film it was mostly a remake of. And the character of Malvo bugged the hell out me because he was a cliche' I've come to hate in modern crime stories: the super-villain who always outwits everyone in the story.

Season 2 was much better, and if it wasn't for the goofy UFO crap they brought into the story at key moments, it would have been nearly perfect.

Season 3 is my favorite season yet. But I'm can't rate it yet in comparison to the other two because there's still 3 episodes remaining, and an ending to a story is probably the most important part.