Fargo Seasons 1-4 Review

Fargo (2014-)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2014)
Season 2 - 10 episodes (2015)
Season 3 - 10 episodes (2017)
Season 4 - 11 episodes (2020)

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Created by: Noah Hawley (created for television by)
Starring:
Season 1: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Keith Carradine, Kate Walsh, Joey King
Season 2: Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Ted Danson, Christin Milioti, Jeffrey Donovan, Bokeem Woodbine, Brad GArrett, Nick Offerman, Adam Arkin, Elizabeth Marvel, Bruce Campbell, Ann Cusack
Season 3: Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Goran Bogdan, David Thewlis, Michael Stuhlbarg, Shea Whigham, Scoot McNairy, Hamish Linklater
Season 4: Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, Jason Schwartzman, Ben Whishaw, Jack Huston, Salvatore Esposito, Timothy Olyphant
Rating: TV-MA
Watch the Season 1 trailer
Watch the Season 2 trailer
Watch the Season 3 trailer
Watch the Season 4 trailer

Plot
Various chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.

Season 1: In 2006, Lorne Malvo passes through Bemidji, Minnesota, influencing put-upon insurance salesman Lester Nygaard for the worse. Meanwhile, Deputy Molly Solverson and Duluth police officer Gus Grimly team up to solve a series of murders they believe may be linked to Malvo and Nygaard.

Season 2: In 1979, beautician Peggy Blumquist and her husband, butcher Ed Blumquist, cover up her hit-and-run murder of Rye Gerhardt, while State Trooper Lou Solverson and his father-in-law, Sheriff Hank Larsson, investigate a triple homicide at a local diner connected to Rye.

Season 3: In 2010, St. Cloud probation officer Ray Stussy and his parolee girlfriend Nikki Swango dream of a better, wealthier life. They attempt to steal a valuable vintage stamp from Ray's more successful older brother. However, their plans backfire, and the couple soon have to hide their involvement in two deaths, including the stepfather of former Eden Valley police chief Gloria Burgle. 

Season 4: In 1950, the Cannon Limited, led by Loy Cannon, threaten to usurp the ruling crime organization in Kansas City, Missouri. In an effort to maintain peace, the groups agree to honor a tradition of trading the youngest sons between the two households. The alliance is jeopardized by the arrival of Josto's brash brother and the unorthodox actions taken by a nurse.

Verdict
The series is at it's best when the outlandish events and intriguing characters of the story intersect in coincidental ways. A small confrontation can have broad effects. That's best displayed in the first and third seasons that display a degree of whimsy, where seasons two and four default to more of a gangster tale. Seasons two and four are good, but not quite at must watch level. All the seasons deal with crime and cover ups. What boosts seasons one and three are the incompetent criminals that either stumble through a crime and don't get caught or eventually trip up due to their inability. The best character and possibly the best actor is season one's Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo. The character and actor stole every single scene and the big part of that is the great writing. This is ironic and darkly humorous.
Watch It.

Review
This is inspired by the 1996 movie, though it only shares the setting.
Season 1 is my favorite season, followed by season 3, season 4, and then season 2. Only the first and third season make my best of list.
The seasons aren't directly related, but some side characters appear in multiple seasons.

Season 1:

Billy Bob Thornton plays Malvo Lorne

A chance encounter in a hospital between Malvo Lorne (Billy Bob Thornton) and Lester (Martin Freeman) sets off the events of the season. Lester is bullied even as an adult, and it's Malvo that gives him the idea to change his life though it may not be for the better. You first feel bad for Lester, but that changes towards the end.
This season certainly captures the circular nature of Cohen brothers' movies that are dark and ironic. All the pieces matter, and it is one small twist that sends Lester spiraling.

Malvo's dialog is hilarious and understated. He insults nearly everyone and they don't even realize it. He's very reserved which makes him more menacing. It's equal parts actor and writing that make an outstanding character.

This season has an epic battle two thirds in that made me wonder where it would go after and how it would regain momentum, but the show hits a stride.

Season 2:

Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst play Ed and Peggy

This season goes into the past. This is more of a gangsters vying for power story, though it does include a lot of characters and plenty of twists. The local crime family deals with the loss of the patriarch and youngest son. Blue collar Ed (Jesse Plemons) and Peggy (Kirsten Dunst) manage to bumble through most of the season by sheer luck after getting tangled up with the family. It's a wonder they live as long as they do, a realization they eventually have too.

While the story seems more typical, this season feels a bit more creative. It changes styles and employs split screen. If I hadn't seen season one, I might like this one better. This is gangsters warring over power, and that just doesn't feel very unique. I missed the humor of the first season.

Season 3:

Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor play Nikki and Ray

Part of what helps season three is that the protagonist is the incompetent Ray (Ewan McGregor). Ray's just not that smart, but his girlfriend Nikki (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) makes up for that. Of course Ray is fired for dating her as he's her parole officer. I never quite figured out why she stayed with Ray, though originally one would guess it was to make parole easier. They hatch a get rick quick plan that backfires.

This season is a bit more whimsical and in one episode a narrator notes a different instrument will be played for each main character on screen. This also has multiple parallel story lines which makes it more lively than season two and more similar to season one. Varga (David Thewlis) is such an off-putting character, an unassuming bad guy that's nibbling around the edges. His most notable characteristic are his rotten teeth.

Season 4

Chris Rock plays Loy Cannon

This is a 1950s gangster tale, a turf war between warring families. Production wise this takes quite a bit more effort from clothes to cars. I like Chris Rock more than I expected, he does a great job, but this season is a more typical tale. It doesn't have the same humor and irony of the best seasons. While there are certainly many characters and this examines themes of loyalty, part of what the Cohens often do, and this show tries to imitate, is the story of a character trying to play the part of criminal and failing. That's the dark comedy aspect of the show I enjoy and that season one and three do really well.