Fargo is my favourite show of all time, for a lot of reasons. So I was excited for November 2023, but I was worried for this season. Once you slip up even slightly for one season, people become wary. And yet season 5 is not only far better than season 4, it is up to the same masterpiece quality that I hold every other season. For some of you that may sound hyperbolic, and although I understand if you disagree I assure you I mean that sincerely. And it was in this episode, Bisquik, where it all clicked together.
This review is mostly a review of the season, as I can't review it anywhere else, because I've already change my review of Fargo once to include season 4 and I'm not doing it again... but I assure that I would give this season and the finale the same rating so I feel as though this is valid.
The beginning of this season is what sold me, and everyone on this season. Immediately the music, the cinematography... this is why Fargo is my favourite show, you don't get this in other shows. Jeff Russo always finds such unusual instruments that create such a distinct feel. This brownish filter I thought from trailers would be ugly. Instead it gives this season a distinctly western feel to it. It's truly cinematic in a way that other shows aren't. That first episode is one of the strongest first episodes, it immediately sets up the conflict but keeps a lot of mysteries for the season, it divulges a lot of time on Dot's family so we feel for her family. And it's just super engaging, it's mostly comedic but contains some of the most tense sequences in history. Season 5 is without a doubt one of the more fun seasons, both in sequences but also in tone.
But what is Fargo without a serious storyline of tragedy to undercut all this fun? Something I loved about this season was how long it took to show the harsh truths behind these characters. For the first half I was unsure as to who the main villain was, even though the show pulls no tricks in this regard. While Roy Tillman is the villain, they almost paint him as comical early on (certainly not funny enough to make the character a joke). And why is Dot running away? Obviously she doesn't want to be his wife but initially I felt a little bit of hesistance towards her character. I mean she commits acts of violence which makes us think she is at the very least a flawed character. But bit by bit Tillman is shown to be more than just a lackey. Some of the harshest depictions of domestic violence I've ever seen. What makes Roy Tillman such an effective villain is that despite his unwavering evil, he seems more real than we would like.
And this is some of the best acting from many of these actors, as is the case with many seasons of Fargo. I could go on and on about the main cast, and I will say unlike season 4 there is no choice that goes below perfect. The standouts for me is both Juno Temple and Jon Hamm. Dot is so unbelievably likable and funny but convincingly deceptive and capable as a fighter. And you'd be hard pressed to discover without looking up that Temple is a British actress from her voice. And Jon Hamm... when I first heard him I almost rolled my eyes - I don't really know why I've just never thought him as a fantastic actor. Well he absolutely works here. He is terrifying, in ways that I can't fully describe. He almost perfectly embodies like old grandfather anger if that makes sense.
It is in my mind that Fargo season 5 became a masterpiece in the last three episodes. From a narrative arc, almost all of the pieces which were somewhat strung about clicked all so well in the last three episodes. Call them the Ranch Arc of Fargo if you will, as they started and ended Dot's time on the ranch in 2019. The season that had surprisingly restrained itself from a lot of death and murder (compared to other seasons) exploded into action with the perfectly set up death of Graves. With the army on the way we get an array of tense scenes where it feels as though every character could die at any sequence. And in the final episode, guns are raised, and we finish in explosive epic Fargo fashion. But it's the thematic character resolutions that become so satisfying to me. Characters like Lorraine have for many reasons been downplaying the evil of Roy for years. He's not that big of a threat, he's not that bad. Certainly an analogy for alt right politics or domestic violence. Lorraine realises, as does the FBI, as does Graves (a little too late) that they don't control these people. Obviously a big theme this season is toxic masculinity, and it's ultimately that which is Roy's downfall. For while he is certainly an intimidating figure, his rash decisions are incredibly stupid. I like how at first we almost find him laughable, but we find at the end that his simplistic worldview is dangerous. He kills Graves, his stepfather, and Farr, things that all end up immediately backfiring on him. But this fragile masculine figure is never depicted in such a way to make the audience feel as though he can be easily defeated.
And now we get to Bisquik, the grand finale. Or half a grand finale, half a baking segment. After the last episode perfectly set up the final showdown, we open at the ranch. Fog has seeped through, a truly apocalyptic landscape to set the stage for the end of the Tillman clan. And it doesn't seem good for any of our characters. Witt is inside enemy waters. Tillman has finally given up on God. And the blind, bleeding Gator is running off for some sort of safety. A setup for a long episode of conflict. But then, bang, out of nowhere, Dot comes out and shoots Roy. And then, the army shows up, and then, a massive shootout.
But Roy got away. Okay, so he'll probably come back later in the episode to do something bad, maybe... like killing one of our main characters? After killing Witt Farr it almost feels as though evil is going to win. Such a merciless death, it seems as though Roy's going to escape. He does, escaping out the latch of his bunker - only got a dozen officers to pull him to the ground.
This part of the season is where the finale becomes perfect, although definitely a turn off for many people. The finale should be a moment to moment thrill ride, shock after shock. But that's not what this story is about. It's a happy story, where the villain doesn't get away. We get a great scene where Roy finally gets his comeuppance, not through murder but sweet sweet planning, proving that Lorraine is more powerful than Roy Tillman.
But Lorraine is not the hero of the story. This is where Bisquik becomes an instant classic in my book and absolutely rounds up the season. Ole Munch's return at first seems cruel, as though Fargo is going to kill Dot just to prove that life sucks. But no. Dot seems to realise, with her naive husband's backing, that the best solution to this threat is to bake with him. It's almost too perfect you would think, ending a show on characters all saying things to the effect of don't hate, forgive. It's a little more complicated than that, as we hear, which is partially why it works so well. It also is just a result of coming after all we've seen. This is some character whose lived her life through the hands of an abuser, who had forgiven and promised to visit someone who had her kidnapped to someone who very well wanted her as a prisoner. So when she says these things, we know the weight that she has to burden to forgive. To love. Ole Munch is a character who will have lived through unspeakable deeds that are quite literally impossible to imagine. Yet it is those words that break through to him, that and a damn good biscuit. What a perfect way to end the season, with the original Fargo music playing. A funny, and yet deeply sentimental and joyous ending.
I don't know if this will be the last season of Fargo. But I am sure that if it ends on that note, I'm happy.
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