Fargo Season 2: you betcha!

[Mexal]

Couldn't agree more. Hopefully years from now when The Leftovers is a cult classic Carrie Coon will have already become a bigger star. As of now the only other thing I've seen her in is Gone Girl. She could just be really selective in which roles she takes, if not it's a real shame. She's easily one of the best actresses working today. In film or tv.

Carrie Coon was very deserving but she wouldn't have been nominated in the same category as Lady Gaga or Dunst. She should have been nominated in the category Maura Tierny won I think. If they considered her in a "Best Actress" instead of supporting, not sure who she displaces from that category even if I 100% believe she should have been nominated. Maybe the chick from Outlander.

[Howdyphillip]

Carrie Coon was very deserving but she wouldn't have been nominated in the same category as Lady Gaga or Dunst. She should have been nominated in the category Maura Tierny won I think. If they considered her in a "Best Actress" instead of supporting, not sure who she displaces from that category even if I 100% believe she should have been nominated. Maybe the chick from Outlander.

HBO does some strange things in nominating, and the Golden Globe really went ridiculous this year. (How is Joy and The Martian considered comedies?) 

 That said, Carrie Coon really was the lead actress in The Leftovers, and that is why I brought it up in comparison to Dunst. She was the featured actress, and the story line centered around her a considerable bit. Ann Dowd (Patti), and Regina King (Erika) were supporting actresses, and they both deserved nominations if not outright wins also. 

 

[Independent George]

Peggy could actually escape with a relative slap on the wrist. The only things they have her dead to rights on is Dodd's kidnapping & murder, plus assaulting an officer & fleeing police custody, for which there were considerable extenuating circumstamces. For everything else... the evidence is nonexistant.

Actually, come to think of it, they could easily claim that Hanzee took all three of them prisoner at the house, and they were acting under his orders on fear of death. The only evidence that they tried to ransom him was a confession made without an attorney present, while under considerable stress. Hanzee killed the only witness that shows him asking for their location - as far as anyone knows, he was there the entire time and was the one to stab Dodd and assault Ed & Peggy. Lou and Hank both witnessed Peggy stabbing him as soon as she could. You don't need to be Karl Weathers to sell a story saying Hanzee kidnapped all three to use against the Gearhardts.

They should have Peggy cold on Rye's death, except... there's no actual proof anywhere. They've got no body, the butcher shop was burned down, there's no DNA testing in 1979, and Ed would have destroyed it with bleach regardless. They might find blood traces, but they can't prove it was Rye's blood. All they have is supposition.

[Independent George]

Thinking even further... if she went bold, Peggy could even win a lawsuit against the police on the theory:

1. She didn't run Rye over, but because Lou believed it, the Gearhardts believed it and went after her and Lou in retaliation.

2. The SD police chief bullied her and Ed into cooperation against the Kansas City mob even though Hanzee was the one responsible, then botched their protection.

[WarGalley]

It's interesting to compare and contrast Season 1 versus Season 2. They're so different with the ensemble of characters and character types and yet they feel so similar having that Coens brother vibe. 

Ultimately I find Season 1 to be superior to 2. And it all boils down to the magic and chemistry of Lorne Malvo and Lester Nygaard. No character in Season 2 comes close --- not Hanzee, Mike or Lou. Lorne Malvo was a charismatic force of nature whose sinisterness was never quite surpassed by Hanzee or Mike. In truth, aside from a few awesome monologues and verbal intimidations, Mike didn't really do all that much on-screen physical violence. And Lester Nygaard... what moment from Season 2 rivals the scene where Lester sets Linda up to be murdered? Stunningly despicable and an awesome character move.

And even the background characters complemented Malvo and Lester nicely. Malvo torturing the Grocer King with his biblical plagues, framing Dennis from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and sending Key and Peele to a basement job fit so well in a dramatic and yet comedic fashion. While they don't quite reach the heights that Peggy and Ed's story did in the second half, I thought they were able to sustain an interesting subplot over the course of the entire season (where Season 2 is weak at first and gets stronger in the last few episodes). 

And if we look at the good guys in the story, Patrick Batemen killed his character in Lou Solverson. But I thought Allison Tolman was an equally interesting and sympathetic character from Season 1.

Also, the fish storm was a bit less strange than a UFO sighting. 

So yeah, I think I'd rank S1 over S2.

[Astromech]

It's interesting to compare and contrast Season 1 versus Season 2. They're so different with the ensemble of characters and character types and yet they feel so similar having that Coens brother vibe. 

Ultimately I find Season 1 to be superior to 2. And it all boils down to the magic and chemistry of Lorne Malvo and Lester Nygaard. No character in Season 2 comes close --- not Hanzee, Mike or Lou. Lorne Malvo was a charismatic force of nature whose sinisterness was never quite surpassed by Hanzee or Mike. In truth, aside from a few awesome monologues and verbal intimidations, Mike didn't really do all that much on-screen physical violence. And Lester Nygaard... what moment from Season 2 rivals the scene where Lester sets Linda up to be murdered? Stunningly despicable and an awesome character move.

And even the background characters complemented Malvo and Lester nicely. Malvo torturing the Grocer King with his biblical plagues, framing Dennis from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and sending Key and Peele to a basement job fit so well in a dramatic and yet comedic fashion. While they don't quite reach the heights that Peggy and Ed's story did in the second half, I thought they were able to sustain an interesting subplot over the course of the entire season (where Season 2 is weak at first and gets stronger in the last few episodes). 

And if we look at the good guys in the story, Patrick Batemen killed his character in Lou Solverson. But I thought Allison Tolman was an equally interesting and sympathetic character from Season 1.

Also, the fish storm was a bit less strange than a UFO sighting. 

So yeah, I think I'd rank S1 over S2.

 

 

 

-- 

Gnyan Patel
Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering 2007
[email protected]

I loved both seasons, but felt specific acts in the implosion of the Gerhardts were similar to Lester's. The main being Bear's cold-blooded murder of Simone. And let's not forget Mike's "promotion" to family accountant. That was truly evil of KC.

I agree with wholeheartedly with your assessment of Lorne Malvo. As much as I loved many of the characters in season 2, Malvo was something else.  

[Iskaral Pust]

I finished watching S1. I agree with War Galley: it was even better than S2. Malvo, Lester (especially his descent from bullied, slightly sympathetic wife killer to despicable wife sacrificer) and the lighter, more playful tone set it above S2.

Both seasons represent incredible TV.

[DireWolfSpirit]

I agree with the previous 2 posters as well. Both seasons were amazing but I enjoyed S1 by a slight margin and a lot of it was due to Thorntons amazing job as Malvo. I can hardly wait for S3 already.

[Baitac]

I think the Hollywood Foreign Press appreciated Gaga's over the top performance of an over the top character. They may be awarding her for her carrier's dramatis personae (which is fabulous in my view.) Kirsten may be better received at the Emmy Awards. Then again, who knows.

[red snow]

It took until episode 8 for this season to click for me but that was one fine episode.

[Proposition Dirk]

Haha. In no way is the first better than the second. The actors were better, the characters were more believable, although a bunch of wackos and the creativity and philosophical background just sings throughout the story, without clogging it down. A brilliant season.

 

[Channel4s-JonSnow]

2 hours ago, Proposition Dirk said:

Haha. In no way is the first better than the second. The actors were better, the characters were more believable, although a bunch of wackos and the creativity and philosophical background just sings throughout the story, without clogging it down. A brilliant season.

 

I think the two seasons are very different and its not fair to compare them. The first season is a lot lighter and almost traditional in its structure ( only in comparison, its certainly not traditional) , and has some great comedic performances, both Freeman and Thornton look like they are having a whale of a time. I loved season 1, took me a while to get into it, but when I did I realised how great it was.

Season 2.. was a lot more creative in the way it was shot and structured, was interesting in a lot of ways, and its difference made it stand out. Personally I preferred the low level human stories in both to the gang warfare, I think Peggy is the real standout in season 2, shes the one point in the show where I was like 'wow this is amazing' , when shes in the cabin torturing the Gerhardt. But while I loved it, its last episode was rather flat and it felt a little unsatisfying by the end, which may well be the point, considering what happens. 

[sifth]

8 minutes ago, Channel4s-JonSnow said:

I think the two seasons are very different and its not fair to compare them. The first season is a lot lighter and almost traditional in its structure ( only in comparison, its certainly not traditional) , and has some great comedic performances, both Freeman and Thornton look like they are having a whale of a time. I loved season 1, took me a while to get into it, but when I did I realised how great it was.

Season 2.. was a lot more creative in the way it was shot and structured, was interesting in a lot of ways, and its difference made it stand out. Personally I preferred the low level human stories in both to the gang warfare, I think Peggy is the real standout in season 2, shes the one point in the show where I was like 'wow this is amazing' , when shes in the cabin torturing the Gerhardt. But while I loved it, its last episode was rather flat and it felt a little unsatisfying by the end, which may well be the point, considering what happens. 

 

The best part about Peggy torturing Dodd was, I don't think she was fully aware she was torturing him. lol

 

By that point in the show, she was so loopy and off the wall, it was hard to tell.

[Channel4s-JonSnow]

Haha yes. I wasn't keen on her character at first, but by that point I could watch a whole show dedicated to her.

Season one had Billy Bob Thornton, who was even more watchable I think, season two didn't quite have that until she came into her own

[red snow]

1 hour ago, sifth said:

 

The best part about Peggy torturing Dodd was, I don't think she was fully aware she was torturing him. lol

 

By that point in the show, she was so loopy and off the wall, it was hard to tell.

Dodd had some priceless expressions regarding Peggy. She's quite an entertaining form of insane in that she can be frustrating but your heart goes out to her for having wound up so unhappy and delusional.

[Mark Antony]

1 hour ago, Channel4s-JonSnow said:

Haha yes. I wasn't keen on her character at first, but by that point I could watch a whole show dedicated to her.

Season one had Billy Bob Thornton, who was even more watchable I think, season two didn't quite have that until she came into her own

Now I won't argue he's on the level of Lorne Malvo but Mike Milligan was immensely watchable (and personally the only character who's ending in the finale I really liked). 

[Baitac]

I thought that Peggy's "falling apart" was way better than Freeman's character. Things went very wrong for both, but I didn't feel sympathy for Lester. Maybe it's because he put his wife in a washing machine.

[Channel4s-JonSnow]

5 hours ago, Baitac said:

I thought that Peggy's "falling apart" was way better than Freeman's character. Things went very wrong for both, but I didn't feel sympathy for Lester. Maybe it's because he put his wife in a washing machine.

I liked Freeman in season one, but I'm not sure you are meant to have a lot of sympathy for him. The reason he managed to turn his life around was because he was a sort of sociopath, but a very unsuccessful one. He had very many qualities which meant he was constantly worrying about himself above everyone else, which put him into a cycle of self preservation via inaction. But Malvo simply opened up the can of worms inside of him which allowed him to become the absolute shit he became. I really enjoyed that about his character. In many ways he 'became the real him', something Peggy would have been very proud of.

[red snow]

On 19/04/2016 at 1:49 PM, Mark Antony said:

Now I won't argue he's on the level of Lorne Malvo but Mike Milligan was immensely watchable (and personally the only character who's ending in the finale I really liked). 

It was a bit surreal his ending but the character was fun.

17 hours ago, Baitac said:

I thought that Peggy's "falling apart" was way better than Freeman's character. Things went very wrong for both, but I didn't feel sympathy for Lester. Maybe it's because he put his wife in a washing machine.

Peggy was more sympathetic but as C4Jon said we were meant to hate Lester and in that sense they delivered in spades. Plus Lester consciously hurt people whereas Peggy was delusional to the point I think she'd be able to plead insanity/diminished responsibility. Lester didn't have that excuse he was lashing out because he was sick of being picked on.

So I finally finished the season. I personally found the last third of the season the strongest part. Maybe it took that long for the characters/approach to click for me.

Not sure how I feel about the theory Hanzee became Mr Tripoli

[RumHam]

6 minutes ago, red snow said:

Not sure how I feel about the theory Hanzee became Mr Tripoli

It's not just a theory, they confirmed it in interviews after.