Fargo (TV Series) Who Rules the Land of Denial? (2017) User Reviews

Unfortunate Happenstance

[ThomasDrufke · 9/10 · 8 June 2017]

Now that was the type of Fargo episode I can appreciate. One predicated on unfortunate and brutal violence, which is grounded in great directing and writing. In what is probably the best episode since the season premiere, Niiki found a new ally, Sy was nearly poisoned to death, Gloria crept closer to the truth, and Emit gave himself up. That's what you call having a plot that actually progresses, instead of stalling just for the sake of having 10 episodes. If the last two episodes provide us with the same sort of spark and intrigue, then I don't see any reason why this season can't be salvaged. You'd have to go back to season 1 & 2 to get a great fight/chase scene like we got in the snowy woods in this episode. It made me think of The Revenant, and that isn't a complement I throw around ordinarily. The other great thing this episode did was bring back Ray Wise. I don't know if he's purposefully playing a god-like character (considering who he plays in Twin Peaks), but I love every second of him on screen. Come to think of it, this whole episode felt like an homage to Twin Peaks and that type of storytelling. I loved it.

9.0/10

Well...There You Go...I Suppose

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 8 June 2017]

I'm giving a rating of 9 to this episode even though I still don't get much of it. Varga continues to pull strings as he parries and thrusts with he Asian guy. Emit is living in the house. Why did Varga choose these guys in the first place and what the heck is his endgame. That was a really surreal event in the bowling alley after the incredible escape Nikki and her chained up partner experienced. Where is everyone going anyway? Things are so far fetched, even the derailment of the bus (excuse my obvious messed up view of transportation). I have been watching the original episodes of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" from some twenty years ago. And in the bowling alley, there's one of the people from that series and he is almost supernatural, giving Nikki the keys to a green VW. Since I don't have a clue, I'm just going to see how this all sorts out in the end. And poor Sy Feltz. He lies comatose in the hospital after drinking Varga's tea. After this is over, I'm going to revisit the whole series and see if I can find things I didn't see before. Especially in the early episodes. I love that Gloria and her partner are going rogue now that Gloria's "Chief" status has been stolen from her.

Moe

[jpumph · 9/10 · 10 June 2017]

I'm thinking Gloria's boss, Moe, has been on Varga's payroll since the beginning. How else can one explain the fake cop getting access to Nikki's cell? How did Varga's guys know Nikki was being transported to the state pen? Moe made this decision. I wonder if "Ennis Stussy" will factor into the plot, other than just being in the wrong place with the wrong lst name?

Season three is really setting itself apart now

[bijlesexact · 9/10 · 8 June 2017]

The problem with an anthology series is that each season needs to distinguish itself in more ways than just different characters, settings, etc. "Fargo" is a very strong formula, but perhaps the need for distinguishing traits between seasons is even stronger.

And setting itself apart is exactly what this season started doing in this great episode. Not only is it a thrilling, action-laden episode, the magical encounters also display a deep mystical layer interwoven with everything. It almost seems as if a certain spiritual coherence and apparent higher powers at work are what sets this season apart from the chaos and randomness of the first seasons, themes I have greatly appreciated by the way.

Avid Coen-fans will definitely recognize the references and Easter eggs in this episode, but more than just please a familiar audience, these elements point to a very clear direction the third act of this season will be going.

My biggest fear with Fargo has always been that the typical three acts of the original film would start to repeat themselves. After this episode, not only do I yearn for the final episodes, my confidence in a great finale has been restored.

Now we truly feel Fargo's power

[hgifford-43597 · 10/10 · 8 June 2017]

I think we can all agree that this season started off a little slow. A bang and then a slow set-up. We were all waiting for the huge climax, and we got it in episode 5. In the past two episodes, the plot has become so extraordinary, and we get to truly see what Fargo is all about for the following reasons: 1. The allusions from season 1, 2 and the movie; I noticed three major allusions that shocked me. First, the most obvious is the one from the movie. The car flips off the road, and the drivers get killed execution style. The second and third one was a combination. The stamp! I don't know how we didn't see this before. The myth of Sisyphus from season 2. Does it symbolize Emit's struggle? However, that isn't even the biggest clue. Also, in the stamp, there was a more subtle allusion... Palindrome. The twos on the stamp reflect each other. Does that symbolize Emit's fate! 2. Last one. Back from episode one we met Euri. Euri apparently killed a woman named Helga. Euri was the hit-man wearing the wolf hat following Nikki and our deaf guy (from season 1). He was being judged and his past finally catches up with him. Overall, an amazing episode filled with great acting, thrilling twists, and subtle details that keep us on the edge of our seat.

Spooky, ain't it?

[darbski · 10/10 · 7 June 2017]

Let's look at what's going on. One way or another, people are being judged. Who by? How about Gloria's friend from California? You remember; the nice guy that kept the cheap cop off Gloria's case in the bar? Paul Marrane. He reminds me of Robert Wagner. It was a pretty good escape, and I liked the way Nikki and Wrench adapted to each other. whether they know it or not, they're both heading to the same place.

It was really cool how Nikki and Wrench decapped the goon, but I don't think it would work that way in reality. Paul Marrane told Nikki to take the V-Dub, and that the keys were under the mat. she didn't look; just got in, started up, and drove off. It looks that way, anyhow.

Yuri had to face the dead; The girl in front was just beautiful; all the life and promise murderously taken. Paul's prophecy and Yuri? I'm standing by my last assertion that neither police chiefs, nor sheriffs make decisions about who goes to prison. That is the purview of the parole board and the court. St Cloud is a county seat, but even in Minnesota, I don't think they'd ship prisoners out at night.

This episode is very well acted, and the ending really leaves us hanging. What will Emit do?

Thanks to IMDb for the season history and information.

Best Episode Yet this Seaseon

[jwt4 · 10/10 · 8 June 2017]

Great opening sequence that seems inspired by the wonderful 'Pine Barrens' Soprano's episode. I also liked the roadside bystander murder investigation that had strong parallels to the roadside bystander murder investigation in the original movie. I find this season better than season 2 (good but not great) and if the last two episodes are as good as this episode then this season may even approach season 1's greatness.

Nice Episodes, but a few concerns...

[Dreviews16 · 10 August 2017]

This review would look into episodes 6-8. Um, to be honest, I liked the way plot has moved ahead. As expected the fight of brothers has had its consequences, albeit in a pretty silly manner. Sy too quite sadly, gets done in by clinical Mr. Varga. (Wait no one checked in on his poisoning , movements right before he reached the office et al? Guess they should have put Gloria on case) Mr. Wrench in an interesting cameo, in the action sequences between episodes 7 to first 20 minutes or so of episode 8. I also liked the Twin peaks- style bit with Ray Wise (Leland Palmer), more on that later. He prods on Nikki Swango to vengeance for what is right and good. Also, it seems the tech-averse Gloria (or is it Gloria-averse technology) does have some advantage, as Varga wasn't able to dig up anything on her. But then there were things which weren't as good, which is why I gave I'd rank these episodes about 8. But that can change with explanations in later episodes. For e.g. why did Varga's men attack Nikki? They had set her up pretty well. Even if she'd identify them or any related concern, they could have waited for more opportune time, rather than going all in, right in the police station, wouldn't that make it more suspicious? Made for a cool sequence though. Also, Widow Goldfarb remains a mystery. The mystical bits with Nikki and Yuri in the bowling alley were good, but I hope they don't over- do it and continue with the story. One thing I did like though, was the way the show dealt with what Truth is. So a bit of slide after a decent start, and some excellent stuff in the middle. Let's see how the last two episodes go.

Metaphysical

[yahaira-729-694701 · 8/10 · 12 November 2023]

This episode starts to introduce more psychotic fits of conscious awakenings. We're not sure about whose reality we are viewing. The concept of God/Yaweh appears as a nice man at the bar who had assisted the cop Gloria Burgal in the Los Angeles at the bar and dismayed the cop from picking her up. Here he is again to save Nikki this time, she doesn't know if she's alive or not but in purgatory to be judged for her sins. God appears in weird places. And here as the face of Yaweh makes a deal for Nikki to avenge the sinners. Enmitt under Vargas influence is being lured away from recognizing his guilt and finally tires to confess.

so

[imizrahi2002 · 10/10 · 27 November 2023]

The featured review is a HOOT! If you can't appreciate this episode, absurdities and all, then, i am SORry! This program/series is NOT for you... and, for what it's worth...i think the whole bowling alley scene was a tribute to the coen brothers and the last scene in 'the Big Lebowski'...AND...i'm surprised no other review(ok. So i didn't read ALL of them) even mentioned this...in Lebowski you have Sam Elliot in cowboy getup...in this episode, it's Ray Wise. And yet no one is the Wiser. When Ray shows up ANYwhere it's gonna be a fun time... this episode, to me, was nothing less than genius. NOW is it long enough?

A glimpse of what could have been...

[Tastentier · 8/10 · 8 June 2017]

...if Noah Hawley had not decided to use this season as political commentary. I'm afraid his effort is wasted on those who agree with his views, which happens to include myself, and too subtle for those who do not.

Let's recap: An unevenly distributed inheritance enables a lucky half-wit to build a business empire that soon ails from mismanagement. As the banks refuse to help keep the sinking ship afloat and the public image of a successful real estate king alive, he and his adviser / enabler turn to dubious lenders with Russian mob connections, who force him into the role of a hapless pawn in their schemes for global economic power. As we watch E*mmit (IMDb's autorrect insists it should be "emit") reluctantly carry out orders by his Russian masters, without any real understanding of their consequences, the parallels to the real world are readily apparent.

As much as I appreciate what Noah Hawley set out to do here, I'd much rather have Fargo serve as a much-needed distraction from a depressing global political, economic and environmental crisis brought on by the ineptitude and hubris of a single failed business magnate, who sadly seems to lack E*mmit Stussy's nagging conscience. And for almost half an episode, the show managed to be just that. Maybe that's as good as it gets for this season.

One of the best episodes of the whole show, if not the best!

[Abtin_AB · 10/10 · 25 December 2023]

This season is a bit darker than the rest of the show. Some characters, like V. M and his crew, are legitimately terrifying, there's barely anything human about them. Like some parasites, they consume life. This season is not much of a fun, that fargo-ish dark humor is pretty much gone. And the characters are not cool and colorful really, like this season itself, they look gray, mostly just struggling around.

This episode is everything, a full package. The axe scene in the wood was just amazing. Extremely breathtaking. And the bowling alley scene was just surreal and magical. And a twist at the end to wrap this damn masterpiece of an episode.

Absolutely Brilliant, and Yet...

[WarrenPiecz · 7/10 · 8 June 2017]

It's not so much a question of great storytelling; the brilliance of the Cohen's has always been the characters within the story. My take, unfortunately, is that for the first time in the "Fargo" saga, they seem to be be throwing a lot of logic to the wind and resting their laurels on their characters.

First, the brilliant:

1) I'm LOVING the nods to the movie "Fargo" (Nikki getting dragged back in through the hotel window, yelling "No, no, no" exactly like Jerry)...

2) and, of course, last night, "Big Lebowski". One thing that occurred to me after (while I was wondering about where Nikki actually "was")...I suddenly remembered that during a scene in "Big Lebowski", the background music in the bowling alley was a Hispanic- language version of "Hotel California".

3) As has been discussed by other astute viewers before, the whole story being some "Soros/Anarchist/Democratic-Facist" analogy, with Varga being Soros, Nikki being the embodiment of American liberalism, Stussy and Sy representing capitalism (Sy falling apart as he doesn't even recognize the world he lives in), etc.

4) It's so much fun counting how many "lives" Nikki the cat has used up so far...unless I lost count, I'm at 8, so she's only got 1 to go!!

And all that focus on the abstract, I feel, has pulled them away from the rock-solid logic that has been a hallmark of previous Cohen projects:

1) Why is the Varga team going to such extremes to ice Nikki? Nobody is going to believe she didn't kill Ray, and she really has nothing concrete on Varga...

2) Unless there was a time lapse I didn't catch, the fake guard fails to kill Nikki, and then, within a couple of hours, they've got this whole road set-up with a 100-foot long metal ramp to destroy a bus? Again, to kill...Nikki??

3) Others have already pointed out the whole jurisdiction/authority mess, so I'll just say I agree with them.

4) Whoever came in and re-decorated the ENTIRE OFFICE wanders in and has hours upon hours to change every frame??? Didn't we just spend the whole 6 previous episodes learning that Varga was an evil, cunning criminal mastermind who never let one MOVEMENT by ANYONE in his criminal enterprise get past him??

5) I was going to say that Emit should have been able to put this "sex-tape" stupidity to bed with his wife long before this; however, I'm pulling that one back, because I really think he's trying to protect her by keeping her as far away as possible.

6) Do they really let facial hair grow wild for months on end on people in a coma? Maybe they do, I really don't know.

With all that being said, I can't wait for next week!

Descending into farce

[elliotlord-31490 · 3/10 · 11 August 2019]

I've felt this series gradually gets worse and this episode is farcical. The scene where the two prisoners are in the forest is just ridiculous and childish, with the crazy fighting scenes. Nikki recovers amazingly quickly after getting a crossbow bolt in her leg and the employee in the bowling alley just passively serves the people covered in blood?

I thought David Lynch had directed this as a lot of it doesn't make proper sense and seems to have been put in just for the sake of it. As it progressed, I was just getting fed up with it. Rather poor.

Brilliant choice of music

[mpbmeijer · 9/10 · 12 December 2020]

After Varna seduces Emmit we hear a beautiful opera. Guess what the name is? Faust: Flower's Charming From the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Who seduced Emmit? Varna

In one word : brilliant!

God drives a green VW bug and a cat named Ray

[ptropf · 1/10 · 10 June 2017]

I love the Coen brothers and the Fargo series, up until season 3 that is. For this episode I can only say, "what was that?" So here is the episode, Prisoners being transported on a bus a night. Sure. Crashed by the sons of the pentagram and the Goat's head leader. Coulda figured out they were bad guys without the props. Bad guys invested time and money to create some stupid ramp to turn over the bus. Uh, there are dozens of ways to stop a bus without this needless dramatic flair. "Oh I get it they are going to use a prop to stop the bus". So, they are after this girl, Nikki. Why? She once tried to blackmail Emmitt? They dealt with her then. She has nothing, knows nothing, and is no threat to them. There is no plausible reason they would go through all the trouble to kill her. Okay, so she escapes the crashed bus with (I think it is the deaf hit-man from season 1). If so, It is four years later. The guy is wearing the same coat? Right. So, these two head to Lebowski lanes, and meet up with Sam Elliot like dude. Now in the Big Lebowski, Sam Elliot is clearly providing erst world commentary on the ups and downs of life. In this episode it is just nonsense. See he is some representation of God, here to dispense with the Wicked apparently, and yet he helps two serial killers to escape - presumably to extract revenge on the wicked Varga and Yuri and the dancing Asian for, well, being greedy serial killers. Yuri then shows up, and God then says he knows that he was Boris Badenov or some such in a past life and killed a bunch of people in the Ukraine, blah, blah, blah. Why it took 300+ years to find old Boris as Yuri, isn't clear. Maybe God only can get to people in bowling alleys, and Yuri is a golfer? Anyway, the rest of the episode is equally as boorish. The acting is horrible. The script writing amateur. The plot is mish mash of disconnected Coen brother classic plot lines, scenes and twists executed in a way that remind you of a really bad cover song. There is no likable character in this entire show. There is nothing here people. Save yourself the time. Re-watch season 1 and 2. And pray to the Lords of the bowling alley that season 4 is better.