Waiting for Dutch

This show is awesome. I can't get into game of thrones and other shows like I do with this one. It holds up television to a new standard. That and Patrick Wilson is perfect for the show. So happy they did a 2nd season. Thanks FX!! What's weird is I didn't even see the movie yet and I don't feel like I need to. The first season was awesome. This season's premiere is awesome. Why can't all those other shitty shows meet this standard? Who is making this show different? I will find out hopefully. The music is great! The actors propel the story (like they're supposed to) rather than taking away from the story. I care about what happens next and I'm not looking for dumb errors either. The story is enough where i forget that i'm watching TV. Excited to see where this goes!! (:

So there's organized crime in Fargo. A latter day Ma Barker and her husband and their nitwit sons are running an extortion ring among other things. Meanwhile, we travel to the southwest corner of the state of Minnesota to Luverne (you may remember it as one of the focus cities in Ken Burns' "The War"). Horrible things begin to happen at a Waffle House. The Gerhardts are having trouble because of a judge's decision and one of them follows her to the restaurant. There he confronts her and she lays into him. He kills everyone in the place, following a waitress into a snowy field. Unfortunately, a car, passing through, hits him and carries him away on the hood. We are introduced to several entities. A sheriff and his son in law. A butcher's assistant, who aspires to take over the shop, and his ditzy wife who is working on "finding herself." We also have a cop who has a little girl and wife who is dealing with cancer. It's obvious that things are going to eventually happen in Fargo. This is masterfully introduced with great possibilities ahead.

Before walking in, the only things I'd known about Fargo's second season were a) it's shifted back into the '70s and b) Bruce Campbell's playing Ronald Reagan (how about that for inspired casting?), which I'd assumed would be as seen on the campaign trail. Certainly not in onset footage of the film "Massacre at Sioux Falls" (and as of the end of the episode, ol' Ron never made it to the set to film the scene; I've got no idea how he'll factor into this, and it's exciting, to be honest).

As a season opener, 'Waiting for Dutch' has all the wit, atmosphere and odd characters this show specializes in. As expected, it's tasked with setting up the new faces and overall story, but I immediately wanted more when the end credits rolled. You cannot beat that feeling. The whole episode's invigorating.

9/10

Also, dialogue like this does not grow on trees.

Now with the strike I've been watching re runs and this is one of the very best series I've seen 11/23 as I anticipate season 5. A great drama at times zanny and humorous. I appreciate the Midwest accent and point of view from Norwegian/Scandanavian /German sensibilities. A town where family and traditions are enduring. FARGO, a place where everyone is connected and murderous miafias live along the kinfolk. Great script and actors are well paired to their characters. True stories yet the tell told with artistic license. Can't wait for season 5 and the variety of stories over time is are intriguing thrillers. Cheers! Bravo!

Unlike most people I liked the Fargo first season better than the 90's film, so I was very excited to start watching the second season. With another loaded cast and intriguing plot, this season is apt for greatness. This episode was nothing short of phenomenal. Just like last season and what Game of Thrones do so well is bring together so many story lines and characters and make one fluid arc. So for me, it was really the directing that stood out here.

I was impressed by the way the show set itself up. I can't say I know exactly the meaning behind the Ronald Reagan movie beginning, but from then on I was endlessly intrigued. Each scene seemed to bring another group of characters to the show and each of them were just as interesting as the last. Each set up the potential places that they could go down the line as the season progresses, and I love the little Molly Solverson appearance.

Heck, even Kirsten Dunst didn't bother me at all, or maybe I was still so thrilled that Nick Offerman is in the show. With he exception of a few minor directional choices with split screens, I found nothing wrong with this episode. Considering how good last season was and how terrific this season looks, Fargo is one of the best shows on television.

+Sets up characters

+Molly

+Intriguing interweaving story

-Split screen moments

9.0/10