FX's FARGO Discussion Thread

[Jackonfire]

Don't know why it took me until season 3 of Fargo to take notice of Mary Elizabeth Winstead but, yeah.

 

[JadeOwl]

Then again, I'm not sure if they were trying to say something of the nature of Wrench and Nikki's characters, and trying to contrast them, with him surviving a shootout with multiple guys shooting everywhere, and her dying in a standoff with one guy and one bullet. I don't know.

The contrast has more to do with the symbolism of their "mission".

Remember that they were sent back from what was essentially Purgatory with the mission of punishing the wicked. notice that all their plans went off flawlessly as long as they were up against the wicked Varga and his goons.

But the second she turned from that path and attacked an innocent (the patrolman) her fate was sealed and she died from what should've been an impossible shot. Because seriously, what are the odds of her catching a bullet right in the middle of the forehead?

That's why I think there's a supernatural implication in those events. They were "protected", so to speak, so long as they continued their mission.

 

[drstrangelov]

Even though there were some pretty obvious allusions to Big Lebowski this season (bowling ally, briefcase full of dirty underwear, ear removal, "parlance of our times," "micturated", David Thewlis) I think thematically its a little closer to Serious Man, with its references to quantum theory and uncertainty, observation, documentation and its impact on reality, with a little Jewish mysticism sprinkled in. Michael Stuhlbarg being in both probably plays into the observation a bit.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

If not for Burgle, nobody would have known what was going on, and nobody would have been caught. The entire operation would have been invisible.

lolwut?


You forget about the IRS guy who had to explain what was actually happening to Burgle after Nikki dropped that packet off for him?


Burgle only had the deaths covered, not the big picture. A handful of characters in combination combined to tell the whole story.


If not for Nikki, Gloria, IRS guy and Winnie no one really knows what's going on.

 

[JadeOwl]

lolwut?


You forget about the IRS guy who had to explain what was actually happening to Burgle after Nikki dropped that packet off for him?

The same IRS agent who all but admitted his investigation got shut down by Varga's contacts in Washington?

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

As for this last episode.. meh, it was solid but had the cop out ending of not having an ending. The ambiguous thing has been done to death and just comes off as a bit lazy imo. Is what it is.


As for the season as a whole I liked it, but wouldn't recommend it to people that I would classify as 'normal' viewers. It's much to avant-garde, vague and nuanced for a regular audience imo



Season 2 still stands pretty tall over this and season 1 for me personally.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

The same IRS agent who all but admitted his investigation got shut down by Varga's contacts in Washington?

Or the same Burgle who had her investigation shut down by her boss?


What's the point of this comment? Burgle even states at the end what Varga would be going away for -and the fraud/embezzlement was a big part of it. The murders couldn't be tied to Varga if I'm not mistaken.


It's a fact that a few more characters outside of Burgle helped tie everything together. Why dispute this?

 

[Peteyandjia]

That seems like a bit of a stretch. Other than being off screen, there's really nothing similar about either scene.

They are both 1 solo badass vs. a bunch, premeditated & armed with a full auto weapon, they are both in a huge warehouse style building, and they both happen offscreen, with us only hearing the gunshots of the carnage.

But other than that, yeah, the two scenes are nothing alike

 

[Peteyandjia]

Burgle even states at the end what Varga would be going away for -and the fraud/embezzlement was a big part of it.

The murders couldn't be tied to Varga if I'm not mistaken.

You are mistaken, in their final sitdown confrontation, Burgle also says that Varga will be charged with 6 counts of accessory to murder.

 

[HereticBD]

They are both 1 solo badass vs. a bunch, premeditated & armed with a full auto weapon, they are both in a huge warehouse style building, and they both happen offscreen, with us only hearing the gunshots of the carnage.

But other than that, yeah, the two scenes are nothing alike

Watch the scene from the first season. It's completely different in tone and style. The camera follows BBT going from floor to floor killing everyone. The scene goes on for like a full minute. The scene from the finale is a door closing, and gunshots going off. That happens in a million different movies and TV shows. It's damn near a cliche. I really doubt think they were intentionally calling back to the scene in the first season.

 

[Loiosh]

Watch the scene from the first season. It's completely different in tone and style. The camera follows BBT going from floor to floor killing everyone. The scene goes on for like a full minute. The scene from the finale is a door closing, and gunshots going off. That happens in a million different movies and TV shows. It's damn near a cliche. I really doubt think they were intentionally calling back to the scene in the first season.

When the dust settled with Wrench, the scene from season one was literally my first thought.

 

[TTech]

Don't know why it took me until season 3 of Fargo to take notice of Mary Elizabeth Winstead but, yeah.

yeah I think its pretty obvious why people come to listen to this "music" lol..

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

You are mistaken, in their final sitdown confrontation, Burgle also says that Varga will be charged with 6 counts of accessory to murder.

Read what I typed again bud -I didn't say Burgle didn't mention the murders being pinned on him- it's just that also mentioning the money laundering played into my point about Burgle not being the only one to tie everything together on her own. Other characters played their role in that.


And as far as the murderes are concerned? That's just Burgles take on it, we don't know who actually walked thru that door -was it a man she couldn't argue with, or deep fried snickers bars and Rikers?

 

[weed]

yeah.. the ending left me unsatisfied.

something about Varga losing his cool was so pleasing. to see it end like that.. fuck that.

favorite season was the 1st for me. Billy Bob was creepy as fuck.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Mind is blown as I just found out that Chief Burgle was also Ben Affleck's sister in Gone Girl, a movie I love and have seen several times.

Nice. Didn't know that. She reminded me of Lorraine Bracco but with the personality of Janeane Garofalo in Gone Girl.

Apparently that was Carrie's first feature film also.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

How did Emmit drive off after Nikki's death? Isn't the reason he pulled over was because he was out of gas?

Yeah, that one was a headscratcher.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

I find it plausible. Remember that Malvo highhandedly slaughtered the entire Fargo Syndicate in one scene.

Even back in season 1, I always found that scene of Malvo easily John Wicking his way to the building too cartoonish.

 

[JadeOwl]

Even back in season 1, I always found that scene of Malvo easily John Wicking his way to the building too cartoonish.

That it was, but at least it was consistent. Even going all the way back to the movie, which had certain cartoonish elements.

 

[gtm3]

Just watched it. A few quick thoughts / questions:

- I think Burgle largely gets vindicated in those 5 in-between years. The IRS bit would have proven her to be in the right, and she seems to have progressed from a career POV in the meantime, while still staying in govt/law enforcement

- Do we know that she actually resigned? Only watched episode once when tired, but she put the resignation note in that box or whatever, but I figure she likely would have pulled it out when heading to meet with the IRS guy

- I do think Nikki catching one was the universe setting her straight. Anybody who has shot a pistol before knows that hitting somebody right between the eyes, at that distance and quickness, while simultaneously getting shot, is damn near impossible. And cops typically aren't great shots

- I didn't think he ran out of gas. Again, I think this might be some sort of universe/fate thing coming into play here. I drive BMWs (whoopteedoo), and the audible warnings he was getting thrown don't happen from running out of gas. It seemed to be indeterminate what the issue was.

 

[Peteyandjia]

This just occurred to me, but wouldn't Emmit's broken cellphone all over the road right at the crime scene next to the slain trooper, have connected him to the incident?