Fargo (TV Series) The Myth of Sisyphus (2015) User Reviews

You can't pull yourself away

[cordenw · 10/10 · 27 October 2015]

Even with the interminable ads that they load on the FX network, this is still a mesmerizing production. If I wasn't such a cheapskate I'd pony up for a PVR and solve the problem but I just can't waste that much money for these limited moments. A show like this though might push me over the edge, as it is just stellar entertainment. I sort of pooh-pooh'ed the idea of a TV series being successful after such a fantastic movie but from the opening scenes it is obvious that you're in for a treat. Scenes from a snow covered tract with leafless trees that have you reaching for your Parka, knowing that you're going to be drawn into a story that's like a whirlpool.. and that's before a character even speaks!

The casting is just brilliant, as it is with pretty well all of the Coen Brothers projects and you'll be hard pressed to find a role that isn't perfectly fitted to the actor who's playing it.

I don't know how they do it, but the interplay between good and evil is so stark and yet so delicate simultaneously, that you have a hard time allotting your sympathies. Ted Danson is absolutely fabulous because he is so believable as the homespun sheriff, but then the entire ensemble matches his performance so seamlessly that you'd think they had been working together all of their lives.

The twists and turns of the plot are very very clever and I don't think I've ever seen a show with such witty scriptwriting quality. How I never got hooked on the series when it first came out I'll never know, but I'm mainlining now.

This is top notch stuff, lock yourself in the TV room right now! Enjoy BillC

Great season so far

[851222 · 9/10 · 10 January 2016]

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Fargo" season 2 after first 3 episodes is as good as season 1. That said, it is superbly written and directed, as well as very solidly acted story, which serves as a prequel to the first season but stands on it's very own. I love pacing in this show, it is never boring or dull, always plausible and realistic, with some UFO mystery as well (hilarious stuff).

Overall, first 3 episodes of season 2 are highly involving and very solid. They are as good as they were in season 1. I love the overall feeling and mood of this season, color pattern - it all just looks and feels... organic. All 3 episodes i rated 9/10, surely looking fore more series.

Better Off in a Cell

[ThomasDrufke · 9/10 · 27 October 2015]

What I really loved about this episode was that it showed capability of each side and the lengths that everyone is willing to go to get done what they think needs to get done. The performances across the board have been great all season. Considering how great everything was last season, I didn't think this season would come close in any aspect. But in my opinion, this season has been better than last. Everything is so well set up, especially when you take a look at how much this show has to balance. It's fantastic storytelling.

The first thing I noticed about the episode was the music. The show-runners consistently pick the right music number for each scene no matter what the tone is. This episode also did a great job at showing us stakes that are on the line. We obviously know Lou makes it out alive as he is an old man in season 1, but there was still an enormous amount of tension between him and Dodd at the Gerhardt's home. That is a tribute to the writers, music, and directing that you can create that much tension in a scene where there really shouldn't be a ton of tension.The geographical set up was made a bit more clear here as well. For some reason I thought the Gerhardt's were in Minnesota.

There wasn't a ton of Blomquist material in this episode but we now know that they have 'taken care of' their wrecked windshield. I expect that to come back to haunt them as that stuff always does in Fargo. The one thing that bothered me a little bit was Betsy breaking down a crime scene to her father which propelled him to think twice about the shoe they found. It just seemed a little bit too on the nose with Peggy standing right there. Other than that, this was an incredible episode with so much tension.

+Lou & Dodd

+Tension filled

+Balanced everything so well

+Music

-Betsy breaking down a crime

9.1/10

Strong characters in a gripping build-up

[ramon_juchli · 9/10 · 2 November 2015]

After watching the first three episodes of this new season, all of which I enjoyed very much, two things stood out to me the most.

Firstly, the characters are simply stellar. As it was already the case for the first season of the series, the acting is on point. All the characters are a treat to watch. They are ambivalent, shifty and in most cases very relatable. It's almost impossible to make a distinction between the "good guys" and "the bad guys". The line between hero and villain is a blurry one in the world of "Fargo" Secondly, the slow, but steady build-up to a possibly violent finale can be felt throughout all three episodes. There is some sort of underlying tension in every part of action that takes place. You can't help but feel a little uneasy.

Even though the setting is slightly different to the first season, a lot of the same themes come up in these new episodes. Atmosphere- and, most importantly, quality-wise, Fargo's Season 2 picks up where the viewer was left with season 1.

More coincidences

[dierregi · 21 January 2018]

The slow burning plot is sort of entertaining, but seriously - Lou's wife just happens to be at the hairdresser when dad walks in and start debriefing her on the case - just so that Peggy can hear everything.

Apart from Lou an his family, this is turning into a gangs war, about which I could not care less. They'll exterminate each other? So be it. We already know about Lou's fate, from the first series and there aren't that many other positive characters in the story.

Mike and the Kitchen brothers seems to have stepped out straight from a Tarantino's movie - Mike could be Jules' brother. Not much originality there.

Marvelous tension, everything is slowly heading towards a tragic convergence.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 8/10 · 26 October 2015]

I might have just been picking up on it more, but the directing seemed even more Wes Anderson than usual in most of this episode. The episode managed to maintain the underlying tension they've been building this season; that feeling that all these story lines started off unrelated and are now linked by the death of one man, drawing them inadvertently towards a tragic clash. After all, we know from mention of Lou's back-story last season that this is going to end in a massive bloodbath that will redefine Lou. As great as this tension is, I hope they have some sort of mini-bloodbath halfway through like they did in the first season. Perhaps a blood-shower (like the first season).

Last season had some supernatural undertones surrounding Lorne Malvo and the fish rain. I'm almost starting to wonder if this season will have sci-fi undertones, with the strange light in the forest that night and the one conversation about alien abductions this episode.

This episode taught me one of the character names using a fun and memorable gag (Mike Milligan is his name). Now I can finally stop referring to him as "the creepy dude with the afro". I'm sure they told it to us before, but I didn't remember because it was not taught memorably. I still don't know the name of Todd from Breaking Bad's character. I could look it up, but the point is that the show should teach me that. I don't usually have trouble remembering character names; I know everyone in Game Of Thrones.

They keep teasing the Bruce Campbell Ronald Reagan character, but we still haven't seen him. I really hope he isn't a one off joke. Also, where's Nick Offerman? Are we going to see him again?

The episode ends with a very dark little scene. Most violent thing this season since the Waffle Hut shooting.

can it get any better?

[faysalsaimua · 9/10 · 2 November 2015]

This series is exceptional. It makes it difficult to enjoy other series as it is setting the bar so high, I doubt any show will be able to match its intensity. Directing at its best, everything comes together in an almost (if not) perfect way - the music, the acting, the storyline and the setting all speak to each other. My favourite aspect of this series is the dark and violent (yet subtle) nature of it all. You can feel the violence on the edges, at all times. Im looking forward to the twists and turns of the coming episodes. Its still early to say if this season is better than the 1st, however it seems to be heading that way - no offence Lorne Malvo :) Brilliant all round, hats off!

Fargo: S2E3 "The Myth of Sisyphus" Review - King Cadmium

[kingcadmium · 8/10 · 9 March 2022]

The Gerhardts' search for Rye intensifies; Lou takes a trip to Fargo; Peggy overhears a new theory about the Waffle Hut shooter.

What I Liked:

The cinematography is solid, and each scene perfectly implements its well-crafted and memorable music score. On top of that, each actor gives a strong performance.

Mike Milligan and the Kitchen brothers are intriguing characters, elevating each scene. One must wonder how they will fare in this sophomore season.

What I Disliked:

I am not a fan of several editing choices, particularly the usage of split screens and flashbacks, which appear superfluous at best.

Hank debriefing the case to Betsy in the salon was a highly contrived and hamfisted scene. Conveniently, they talk about all of this in front of Peggy, who then explains away Betsy's hit and run theory.

Overall:

Fargo maintains its high quality in what remains a strong sophomore season. One can surmise that things can only get better from here.

8/10

King Cadmium.

All Eyes on Gerhardt

[Mr-Fusion · 8/10 · 19 March 2017]

Another fine episode, this one slowly (but surely) focusing the major properties onto the hunt for the missing (and most certainly dead) Kieran Culkin. And I have to say I kinda miss him; he's a big reason why that first episode was so great. As for this one, it's shared between Patrick Wikson and Bokeem Woodbine; the former for his pragmatic law enforcement and the latter for (once again_ strolling into a scene and owning the whole thing with a simple bit of polite conversation ("You make it sounds like a prog rock band: 'Mike Milligan and the Kitchen Brothers'").

It's a lot of fun and really fells like it's building toward something heavy.

8/10

Ray the missing piece

[mgidb · 8/10 · 2 September 2019]

I assume that the gangs will fight each other because of the missing son of Gerhard family.

Everything is good til now, amazing performance by Patrick Wilson no twists but the plots will be promising I think

Going After the Missing Gerhardt

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 26 October 2015]

Peggy and Ed are in so deep in Luverne. Ed, of course, has ground up the Gerhardt fella at the butcher shop (stay away from the hamburger). But the car is now the issue. They need to find a way to draw attention away from the broken windshield. Meanwhile, Lou heads to Fargo to meet with the Gerhardts because a print has been found connecting the now dead son to the murder at the Waffle Shack. Milligan and the boys are hanging around, inhabiting the typewriter shop. It seems that Fargo is being run by these small- time gangsters. Lou, brave to a fault, gets in a face to face with the Gerhardts on their turf. He seems to think that being a highway patrolman will get him respect and cooperation. The local sheriff can't believe the scrape they have just got out of. The search goes on as the Gerhardt boys move to find the brother. They know that somehow he went to Luverne because that's where the judge was killed.

Sorry but I don't buy it

[Ziro10 · 4/10 · 29 April 2020]

Season 2 so far is busy with being in love with itself. We got it, our hero, the state trooper, is a fearless All American law keeper but his bravery is is not believable. Neither at the Gerhard's farm nor in in the standoff with the brothers. I didn't feel any tension there and him showing on emotions doesn't make it better or cool in any way. You have a sick wife and a kid, show more respect to life!

The way too many coincidences make the show more unbelievable and unlikable.

Different plot threads continue on their collision course.

[TheDonaldofDoom · 26 February 2018]

What's the best way to get rid of a damaged car? Damage it even more of course. That's the method used by Ed and Peggy to end any suspicion that may result in them getting caught. It's the part of the episode that is the least intriguing, this cleaning up, because it feels like the most formulaic element. I would challenge writers to write a crime story that didn't involve any cleaning up, so to speak.

This episode is used to set the stage for explosive action later on. It's mostly done very well (I mean, this is Fargo). Skip's death is unfortunate but it's his own fault. If only he had never got involved with this nasty bunch, and if only he had actually spoken to the police instead of just appearing at the police station and not going through with it.

There are some tense scenes, Lou getting guns pointed at him multiple times. The careful truce at the typewriters shop could easily have spilled out into violence, but Milligan, who oozes rationality, handles the situation perfectly, as does Lou. Milligan's going to be a formidable opponent later on.

This season is taking a bit longer to get going than the first. It's not amazing yet, more of a traditional crime story so far.