Well duh And lou owns a diner in Season 1.

In Season 1, when old Lou is sitting on the porch protecting his family from Billy Bob, he references that other time he stood guard all night in the Winter of '79 (protecting his wife and molly).

12/2/2015 9:53:37 AM

"And may I just say, I love your style, brotha!"

Made me laugh so hard

12/2/2015 4:11:33 PM

^yet another reference to the Big Lebowski (Elliot to Bridges). I've noticed several of these, and I've probably missed some. "There's a man..." is one that comes to mind that was in the episode befor last. There was another one that I can't remember now. Also the use of different version of songs from Coen Brothers' films ("Just Dropped In" and "Man of Constant Sorrow").

12/2/2015 4:26:06 PM

edit: oh yeah, the other reference in the episode before last was the Knutsens. Molly tells Carl that her husband should remarry after she dies if he wants, as long as it's not Rhonda Knutsen. "Knutsen" if the family name of Bunny Lebowski.

And googling it, apaprently there's more: There's an Uli's Sporting Goods store in the first season (Uli was one of the nihilist in Big Lebowski. IN the first season, White Russians specials are advertised on a board in a bar...

12/2/2015 5:10:28 PM

^and I just looked into it and apparently Fawn Knutsen (aka Bunny Lebowski) was from Minnesota (where Fargo takes place). Neat!

12/3/2015 10:50:40 AM

Holy Shit!

And the use of "Run through the Jungle" (another Lebowski reference)

But the UFO? Wonder if they'll "explain" that in the finale?

12/10/2015 11:21:49 AM

Yeah I'm holding out hope that the UFO stuff is going to get some sort of reasonable explanation that I'm going to be OK with...but I'm not optimistic

So far I could really have done without all of the UFO stuff, but it's ok since the other 99% of the show has been around the top of my list of what's on TV right now

12/10/2015 11:37:28 AM

At this point I think the only people making out of this season alive will be Lou and Molly. And I'm only saying that because they were in Season 1.

This is only the second time we've had a UFO show up, but both times have been major plot points. Billy Bob was kind of supernatural in the last season so maybe they are trying to have some kind of paranormal thing in each season.

12/10/2015 1:53:13 PM

I'm thinking there have been more than 2 appearances, but if we've only seen it twice it's definitely been mentioned in one way or another a couple more times

And aliens in plan sight of everyone changing the story is a bit different than Billy Bob being somewhat more adept and skilled than is possible

12/10/2015 2:04:07 PM

Rye saw it at the beginning when he was hit, which started the whole chain of events. Peggy might have seen it, because she hit Rye as he was staring at it , and when it came in the last episode, she casually said "It's a UFO". When Hanzee is trying to track down Rye and he's standing in the spot where Rye was hit, he has some sort of color flashback that references the UFO... There's been several other references too. One of the episodes ends with the camera panning out into the sky, as if it's viewing the earth from above, and there's a voiceover of War of the Worlds. And in one episode, Lou talks to a UFO Conspiracy Theorist. And there was the UFO sticker in the convenience store.

There's also a UFO in the Coen Brothers Film The Man that Wasn't There with Billy Bob THorton. IIRC, there was also some weird UFO thing at the end of the Coen's A Serious Man.

Apparently Minnesota was hot-bed of UFO sightings in the late 70s, including a famoun encounter by a sherrif deputy that seems to be inspiration for the inclusion in the show: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/10/27/fargo-val-johnson-incident

Also, that was Martin Freeman (from the first season) doing the narration.

12/10/2015 2:42:32 PM

Wasn't there also a 'missing time' event in there? I think with the indian? He was at the diner, looked at the clock, and it was noon. Then he walked out to find something on the ground, something happened, and his watch was at 3. Something like that.

12/10/2015 2:53:57 PM

Yeah, you're right. When googling I saw something about the Indian losing two hours.

12/10/2015 3:21:31 PM

I don't mind the alien thing... It really isn't center to the plot. It is just an oddity the writers threw in to tie it into a period obsession.

I think this season has been great, but I still like the first season better. Oddly enough, the musical score elevated the first season to a different level. It has been a bit too light this season.

Already looking forward to season 3. Wondering what A list actors come on board.

12/10/2015 4:27:12 PM

there havent really been A list actors yet. Kirsten Dunst and Patrick Wilson are close but Dunst has been on a downswing and Wilson just never quite hit that level.

That isnt a knock though, still been great.

12/10/2015 7:46:18 PM

Ted Danson tho

12/10/2015 8:04:57 PM

I think the A-/B+ actors they have are great. Boheem Woodbine is awesome (and Jesse Plemonsis cool).

[Edited on December 11, 2015 at 8:58 AM. Reason : ]

12/11/2015 8:53:09 AM

Loved the homage to Raising Arizona.

12/15/2015 9:15:40 AM

Wow. Surprised that there was such a "happy" ending. I though Peggy, Milligan, Ted Danson, and Hanzee were gonna die for sure.

I'm thinking this isn't the last we've seen of Hanzee though. He gets to join Billy Bob in the rogues gallery.

12/15/2015 9:57:04 AM

The scene from Raising Arizona: https://vimeo.com/85916693

12/15/2015 10:43:31 AM

entire sequence where cop dove behind car directly from No Country For Old Men. Plus "friendo"

12/15/2015 8:43:09 PM

^^^ Hanzee's alias was a character in Season 1, Moses Tripoli. I found that stretch to be a bit too far though (worse than the aliens). it was a solid season but the ending was a bit of a letdown (and makes the season 1 ending look far better than I gave it credit for)

12/15/2015 9:02:07 PM

The Hanzee/Tripoli connectoin was obviously a stretch, but I don't think the show really cares about that. More of a just kind of 'go with it' type of thing.

Weird how similar this season felt to the first one in terms of tone/themes/etc, but how much larger in scope it was. Felt a lot like the first season at times, but like a completely different show at other points.

12/15/2015 11:12:51 PM

Connections and themes:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/12/fargo-who-is-moses-tripoli-season-2-finale-recap-palindrome

12/16/2015 9:35:08 AM

McGregor's been great so far.

5/1/2017 3:09:46 PM

Considering the masterpieces that were the first two seasons, perhaps I have unrealistic expectations...But season 3 is shit.

5/28/2017 9:53:22 PM

I agree. The other seasons felt so much more threatening.

5/28/2017 10:35:05 PM

Quote :

"Considering the masterpieces that were the first two seasons, perhaps I have unrealistic expectations...But season 3 is shit."

Agreed

5/30/2017 8:50:27 AM

eh, I'm enjoying it. Maybe not as much as the first two seasons so far, but I think McGregor has been great and I imagine it's only going to get better as we learn more about Varga's shady organization.

(side-note, I just discovered that David Thewlis (Varga) plays Knox Harrington in The Big Lebowski, the giggling video artist at Maude Lebowksi's house.)

5/30/2017 10:53:20 AM

I wouldn't say it's as good as the first 2 seasons, but "shit" wouldn't be anywhere close to a description I'd give the show

Ewen I think has been pretty good, though I am tiring slightly at the pretty much exact same portrayal of the polite, less than moral, bumbling midwesterner (though I understand that's what a lot of Fargo as a whole is based on). Varga though is a pretty fantastic character

5/30/2017 3:24:24 PM

Not as good as the first two, agreed, but still quality entertainment. Still has half a season to improve. I look forward to watching it each week. Two different guys from Boardwalk Empire are in it too!

5/30/2017 4:12:23 PM

Haha ok maybe it's not shit. Just disappointing.

5/30/2017 8:31:25 PM

This season hasn't been quite as good so far, but the first half of last night's episode was amazing.

6/8/2017 12:46:16 PM

I still think it's pretty briliant.

And I really like all the references they make to Coen brothers movies.... two Lebowski references come to mind from the last few shows. Varga talks about what Lenin thought of one of Beethoven's songs, then makes it clear he's talking about Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin, "Not the bloody walrus".

And of course, the bowling scene and the stranger.

6/12/2017 9:21:01 AM

Yes yes I was wrong its not utter shit. The last episode is one of the best in the show's run.

My personal preference for seasons to date:

2,1,3

[Edited on June 12, 2017 at 11:55 AM. Reason : a]

6/12/2017 11:53:55 AM

Last episode was great. Other than the supernatural reference that might be jumping the shark a bit.

6/12/2017 12:53:19 PM

They've done it in the past (UFOs)

6/12/2017 1:34:19 PM

I actually love that about Fargo. (The UFO/supernatural stuff) It's ballsy.

6/12/2017 2:02:25 PM

Also, it was implied that Billy Bob Thornton's character was of some kind of supernatural origin.

Ray Wise (the stranger at the bar that was also at the bar in Hollywood sitting next to Gloria) has played the Devil in the past a few times before as well. He does a good job with it. Not saying that he is necessarily the Devil here, but he's clearly got something going on with him.

6/12/2017 5:09:03 PM

^I know, as soon as he was on screen I was like that guy always plays the devil. haha

Quote :

"They've done it in the past (UFOs)"

Uhh, yeah and that was the worst part of season 2 lol.

6/12/2017 5:15:36 PM

So rykers or free to go?

I feel like in the Fargo world he would be free to go and then killed by a mugger after he left the airport.

6/26/2017 12:22:20 AM

hope he's killed by gingivitis or chokes on a bug that flies into his mouth while eating so disgustingly

6/26/2017 8:49:16 AM

^^
Stabbed by the deaf guy in a prison shower.

6/26/2017 11:33:10 AM

He definitely was let go.

6/26/2017 12:23:42 PM

He might show up again in future seasons. The deaf guy was in Season 1.

6/26/2017 1:44:20 PM

I totally forgot about that, just went down Mr Wrench rabbit hole.

Presumably these 2 kids are those same guys
https://youtu.be/O1AhiFxd9Cc

6/26/2017 3:02:01 PM

Yeah last time we saw him I think he was in the hospital after trying to kill Billy Bob Thornton. Afterward, Billy Bob came to his hospital room and said that was the closest anyone came to ever getting him and if he ever needed a job, give him a call.

6/26/2017 3:15:51 PM

This show is still awesome and one of the best on tv. I find Rock and Shwartzman a little unbelievable in their roles, but they're doing a good job.

11/6/2020 2:19:50 PM

Cross posting from Mando thread since it’s applicable

So when Hollywood needs someone to play a Marshall is everyone just like, “Well, call Tim”

11/6/2020 7:56:48 PM

I stopped watching Season 4. Very disappointing storyline and acting to me. No thanks.

12/8/2020 11:24:37 AM

^hmmm, i don't agree. I've thought each season wasn't quite as good as the one before, but they're all still pretty great.

I went back and watched the first season again. It's still awesome.

5/27/2021 12:15:31 PM