This week's episode of Fargo, titled "The Rooster Prince," was a slower episode than last week, and certainly less exciting, but that's not to say that it was a particularly bad episode. Part of what makes these cable shows so great is the slow build and the character development, and this seems to be "The Rooster Prince"'s primary concern – to set up the story, and to develop the characters to get them where they need to be for the big, showstopping moments.
We started out this episode with two new, magnificent characters: Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench, with a great performance by Adam Goldberg. These two characters seem connected to Sam Hess in some mafioso-like connection, and they are now investigating the death of Hess. I love these two new characters, as they seem both funny and menacing, and this accentuated by the fact that they communicate through sign language. It's a neat twist on the typical hit men-like characters, and it makes them appear more human and warm/comforting than their actions indicate. I'm excited to see how these two new characters will eventually reach Malvo, and how their resulting interaction will play out.
The episode also bolstered some great performances, especially between Martin Freeman and Allison Tolman. I'm not sure how I feel about Tolman's character, Molly. I understand that she's the moral center of the show, and I understand that she's simply doing her job and trying to apprehend the clearly guilty Lester, but she seems a little annoying to me. I can't quite articulate why I think this way – maybe it's her persistent attitude or her childish personality, but I'm not quite liking her enough to warrant my emotional attachment for eight more episodes. That said, the scene in the drug store between Molly and Lester was both terrifically tense and very well-acted. It got even more so when Lester was being interrogated in his own car, clearly desperate and wanting out of the situation. Martin Freeman's performance was amazing, as you could clearly see the fright and the escalating terror of Lester's situation.
The episode was also well done in its cinematic scope and some great writing. I remember vividly the scene between Malvo and the mailman. This scene portrayed a very No Country for Old Men vibe to me, reminiscent of Chigurh's interrogation of the gas station man in the film. It was a terrifically tense scene, well acted by both Thornton and the old man, and it had some great lighting.
Overall, it was a little slow, and it has certainly laid back since the pilot episode, but that is a price I am willing to pay for some good character building and plot foundation-laying. I'm excited to see what this show has in store for the coming weeks.
+ Great new characters
+ Terrific performances
+ Cinematic scope, with great writing and cinematography
Overall: B+
We started out this episode with two new, magnificent characters: Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench, with a great performance by Adam Goldberg. These two characters seem connected to Sam Hess in some mafioso-like connection, and they are now investigating the death of Hess. I love these two new characters, as they seem both funny and menacing, and this accentuated by the fact that they communicate through sign language. It's a neat twist on the typical hit men-like characters, and it makes them appear more human and warm/comforting than their actions indicate. I'm excited to see how these two new characters will eventually reach Malvo, and how their resulting interaction will play out.
The episode also bolstered some great performances, especially between Martin Freeman and Allison Tolman. I'm not sure how I feel about Tolman's character, Molly. I understand that she's the moral center of the show, and I understand that she's simply doing her job and trying to apprehend the clearly guilty Lester, but she seems a little annoying to me. I can't quite articulate why I think this way – maybe it's her persistent attitude or her childish personality, but I'm not quite liking her enough to warrant my emotional attachment for eight more episodes. That said, the scene in the drug store between Molly and Lester was both terrifically tense and very well-acted. It got even more so when Lester was being interrogated in his own car, clearly desperate and wanting out of the situation. Martin Freeman's performance was amazing, as you could clearly see the fright and the escalating terror of Lester's situation.
The episode was also well done in its cinematic scope and some great writing. I remember vividly the scene between Malvo and the mailman. This scene portrayed a very No Country for Old Men vibe to me, reminiscent of Chigurh's interrogation of the gas station man in the film. It was a terrifically tense scene, well acted by both Thornton and the old man, and it had some great lighting.
Overall, it was a little slow, and it has certainly laid back since the pilot episode, but that is a price I am willing to pay for some good character building and plot foundation-laying. I'm excited to see what this show has in store for the coming weeks.
+ Great new characters
+ Terrific performances
+ Cinematic scope, with great writing and cinematography
- Molly is pretty annoying
- A slower episode
Overall: B+
