Fargo

[Anaxagoras]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802850/

Just watched the first episode. It seemed pretty good.
Billy Bob Thornton and the dude who played Watson in Sherlock.
Supposedly based on a true story.

Some funny bits, some action, and suspense. Worth checking out if you don't have anything else to watch.

Based only on the first episode, it's kinda like the movie Fargo, but based on a different crime spree. It's actually set in Minnesota whereas Fargo is in North Dakota.

Anyone else watching or planning to?

[hammegk]

Watching when nothing I prefer more is on.

Episodes I've seen look like a keeper.

[Rob Lister]

Watching episode one now.

Naked guy in trunk! This has got to be good.

The bully scene with Lester Nygaard is a bit contrived but it sets up Lorne Malvo's (billy bob thornton) entry nicely.

ETA: Oh! And Bob Odenkirk (better call Sal!)

[Rob Lister]

No Fargo for Old Men

Yea, now that you mention it. Strong parallels. Not as well done as that. A bit over the top.

But I liked that theme. Going to watch episode two now.

[Anaxagoras]

Yeah, It does seem a bit like No Country for Old Men too.

[Rob Lister]

I am caught the fuck up.
Thanks for the binge.

mini non spoiler

Spoiler:

It all starts to come together with Fargo around episode 4

love all the tiny references to movie. Unguent for the shot wound to the hand, etc.

[ed]

Glacial.

[Anaxagoras]

Watching episode 3 right now. A pretty amusing situation develops when Lester goes back to work and is sent on an errand. I laughed out loud.

:mrgreen:

It's been such a long time since I saw the original movie that I don't really remember it that well. I mean, I haven't totally forgotten. I remember the feel of it, but not the details so much.

[Anaxagoras]

Glacial.

I think there's a little something you would appreciate. :wink:

Lester's brother's collection.

[Anaxagoras]

It isn't supposed to be the movie, just inspired by it. Sorta like "Hannibal" being inspired by the Thomas Harris books but only keeping details and thematic elements.

Hannibal is a good show. Season 1 it does a bit too of "you know who Hannibal is already, so lets wink at you with things he says while eating".


Background:
Thomas Harris wrote 2 thrillers with Hannibal as a character. Then he wrote a fan-fic novel called Hannibal that was basically self-written fan-fic. The character of Hannibal had been expanded by the movies and Harris wrote a novel to basically cash in on it where Hannibal was a protagonist. The movie made from it was ... eh. Then we had a young-Hannibal movie that sucked too.

This has nothing to do with the previous crap. It is unapologetically dark. I am surprised this is network TV. There is no glorification of the serial killer or protagonist framing (sorry Dexter, you've ruined that for the next 10 years).

The Hannibal from Silence of the Lambs? Or the Hannibal who marched elephants across the Pyrennes to attack the Romans?

[Anaxagoras]

+1 for Faure's Requiem.

[Rob Lister]

Just finished E6.

Devious.

Will watch 7 today.

[Rob Lister]

It isn't supposed to be the movie, just inspired by it. Sorta like "Hannibal" being inspired by the Thomas Harris books but only keeping details and thematic elements.

Ya know, they say at the beginning of each episode that it is a true story and the events took place just as they appear and that only the names were changed.

That's what they say.

You callin' them a lie?

[Witness]

Or the Hannibal who marched elephants across the Pyrennes to attack the Romans?

Not the Pyrenees (French Pyrénées), the Alps:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... en.svg.png

The eastern Spanish coast is mostly flat and agricultural (locals of Valencia are called barrigas verdes ~ green bellies). And in the North, where the Pyrenees end and near the French border, lived Salvador Dali, in Figueras. The landscape quite often looks like his paintings…

As we're on the subject (coulden't resist), in the Pyrenees lives a very strange beast:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... by-dpc.jpg

[Rob Lister]

Just finished E8.

Lester has made quite the transition from wimp to winner.

Seems murder improves a man.

[Anaxagoras]

Boy but that chief of police is dumb.

Lester, he's not even a good liar or anything.

[Rob Lister]

S01E08

Is this what you want, Lester? Well? Is it?

Yes or know?

[Anaxagoras]

S01E08

Is this what you want, Lester? Well? Is it?

Yes or know?

Episode 9 actually.


This is a true story? If it was fiction I'd say it stretches the bounds of believability.

Good story though. Lester is such a heel.

[Rob Lister]

very tidy series finale. well, most loose ends tied up.

I rate this series 4.75/5 stars.

I still don't buy that it is the unvarnished truth.

[ed]

very tidy series finale. well, most loose ends tied up.

I rate this series 4.75/5 stars.

I still don't buy that it is the unvarnished truth.

You stand by that? Stand by it knowing that I might well watch based on your "review"? Stand by it knowing that I'll be back? Still think 4.75/5?

[Rob Lister]

very tidy series finale. well, most loose ends tied up.

I rate this series 4.75/5 stars.

I still don't buy that it is the unvarnished truth.

You stand by that? Stand by it knowing that I might well watch based on your "review"? Stand by it knowing that I'll be back? Still think 4.75/5?

:|

4.70

:)

I think you'd really enjoy it ed.

[Anaxagoras]

very tidy series finale. well, most loose ends tied up.

I rate this series 4.75/5 stars.

I still don't buy that it is the unvarnished truth.

Apparently it is entirely made up:

http://www.bustle.com/articles/28590-is ... disclaimer

Anyway, I concur with your evaluation, but I might take another half a point off for the outright lie that "this is a true story told exactly as it happened." It's not even loosely based on a true story.

As fiction it's decent though.

[Grammatron]

very tidy series finale. well, most loose ends tied up.

I rate this series 4.75/5 stars.

I still don't buy that it is the unvarnished truth.

You stand by that? Stand by it knowing that I might well watch based on your "review"? Stand by it knowing that I'll be back? Still think 4.75/5?

:|

4.70

:)

I think you'd really enjoy it ed.

I agree with your rating.

Great show. I think Lester would have self destructed eventually without the chance encounter in Vegas.

[Anaxagoras]

Based on the first episode season 2 appears to be quite worthy. There's some weird bullshit at the beginning that seems to have no relation to what comes later, but keep watching.

Spoiler:

Deputy Molly Solverson from season 1 makes a cameo appearance.

[Rob Lister]

That was a kick-ass first episode.

Recommended.

I hear there is no necessity to watch the first season to understand the second.

But if you haven't watched the first season, you missed much.

[Anaxagoras]

I like the airhead wife: "what choice did I have?"

[Rob Lister]

The new season is phenomenal. I'd go as far as to say it is better than the first. I just binged on E2, 3 and 4.

I'm right. Corps is wrong. As usual.

[Anaxagoras]

I would say so. Although the first episode was hardly molasses.
Second one did drag a bit in places, setting up stuff for a later payoff presumably.
Pace picks up again in the third.

[Anaxagoras]

Through E5. Very good so far, and yes the pace of action has definitely picked way up. A lot of stuff happens in this episode.

[Rob Lister]

A lot of stuff happens in this episode.

Stuff? Is that what you kids are calling murder these days?

[Anaxagoras]

Anyone not watching this yet, do yourself a favor and watch it. Best thing on TV these days.

Well, of course I haven't watched most of the shite on the tube these days because who can, but this is really good.

The characters are characters. Realistic characters, but also interesting ones.

I'd say even better than Season 1, which was also quite good. You don't have to watch season 1 first, btw.

[Rob Lister]

"Best thing on TV these days" is The Leftovers.

Which is almost as good as Fargo.

I'm caught up on Fargo. For Leftovers, I watched E8 last night. Decidedly weird. Im-a-gonna watch E9 today.

[Anaxagoras]

Not sure why "self-awareness" is a bad thing. Or what makes this more self-aware than other shows.

But, the acting is good, the plot's good, the cinematography is good, the pacing is good after the first couple episodes.

Just finished watching E7. It's moving along nicely.

[Anaxagoras]

Season 3 dropped a couple days ago. I've seen the first episode. Jury's still out.

Set in 2010 this time. First episode had a lot of things that seem to stretch credibility though. I'll probably watch the whole season in any case, but I'm not sure if it will live up to the previous seasons.

[ed]

I started watching s3 some time ago (is it just making it over to the Empire now? Wonder why.)

It didn't rivet the way the earlier seasons did. Stopped after episode 2 or 3. I've been meaning to resume it. I'll be curious to hear reports from you.