UPDATE: Read my Minnesota-centric “Fargo” reviews for Seasons 1 and 2 at my “Fargo” review page.
Tonight at 9 p.m. CST (Fargo universal time) the sophomore season premiere of “Fargo” airs on FX.
Noah Hawley’s macabre Midwestern series, inspired by the acclaimed Coen Brothers movie of the same name, will bring an entirely new story, cast and setting for its second season. The action flashes back to 1979 near Luverne in Southwestern Minnesota, setting up the drama surrounding the “Sioux Falls” incident referred to in Season One. It also brings us back to a time in American history that we now know was a seminal turning point in our economy, our politics and place in the world.
Even here on the Iron Range, another bastion of twisted Midwestern culture (and future Fargo setting?), you can safely argue that the world before 1980 was different than the one I grew up in and that we have today. It appears from early indications that Noah Hawley and the “Fargo” team are playing into this milieu quite adeptly, even going so far as to include Ronald Reagan as a bit character in the upcoming season.
This year’s storyline again involves mild-mannered Midwestern people being drawn into horrific events, forced to rise up or flee as a function of character. Ted Dansen plays police partner and father-in-law to Patrick Wilson, who portrays the younger version of Lou Solverson from Season One. That’s the primary tie between last year’s “universe” and this one. A classic Minnesota couple played by Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons end up ensnared in the action, which involves a local organized crime ring run by Jean Smart’s character trying to fend off the encroachment of a larger mafia-style organization.
Actors like Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson in “Parks and Rec”) and Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) add some character-actor star power, along with a host of other assorted criminals and small town operators.
I’ll be reviewing “Fargo” again, though probably not quite as promptly as I did last year. Monday is an absolutely crazy day for my family and I often don’t get to sit down in my chair until 10 p.m. CST (the only time zone that matters), requiring the generous use of my DVR. I’m going to assess the reader interest in day-old reviews early on and see where it goes from there.
Back for local color commentary for season 2! Last year I successfully predicted Chekov’s bear trap being used in the finale. Tonight I predicted that the youngest Gearhardt would eventually emasculate himself with his revolver. Oops. Wrong already.