| Fargo | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Noah Hawley |
| Based on | Fargo byJoel and Ethan Coen |
| Showrunner | Noah Hawley |
| Starring | Season 4 |
| Music by | Jeff Russo |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 51(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production locations | |
| Cinematography |
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| Running time | 39–68 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | FX |
| Release | April 15, 2014 (2014-04-15) – January 16, 2024 (2024-01-16) |
Fargo is an Americanblack comedycrime drama television series created byNoah Hawley forFX. It is based on the1996 film written and directed byJoel and Ethan Coen. The Coens, whose other films also heavily influenced the series, were originally uninvolved with the series, but joined as executive producers after being impressed by Hawley's script for thefirst season.[3][4] The series premiered on April 15, 2014, on FX.[4]
Fargo is ananthology series consisting of self-contained seasons, although they all share the samecontinuity as the film and feature minor overlaps. Five seasons of the show have been released between 2014 and 2024, each with a different setting, cast and characters; the time periods also largely vary, ranging from 1950 inseason four to 2019 inseason five, although they all take place in theAmerican Midwest, primarilyMinnesota. The storylines differ with each season, but typically follow large casts of characters includingorganized criminals,law enforcement and regular civilians as their interwoven lives spiral into conflicts and bloodshed.
The seriesreceived a large number of awards and nominations, mostly for its performances; these include sevenPrimetime Emmy Awards (includingOutstanding Limited Series for its first season) out of 70 nominations, threeGolden Globe Awards (includingBest Miniseries or Television Film, also for its first season) out of 14 nominations, and eightCritics' Choice Television Awards (includingBest Movie/Miniseries twice for its first two seasons) out of 22 nominations.
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | April 15, 2014 (2014-04-15) | June 17, 2014 (2014-06-17) | |
| 2 | 10 | October 12, 2015 (2015-10-12) | December 14, 2015 (2015-12-14) | |
| 3 | 10 | April 19, 2017 (2017-04-19) | June 21, 2017 (2017-06-21) | |
| 4 | 11 | September 27, 2020 (2020-09-27) | November 29, 2020 (2020-11-29) | |
| 5 | 10 | November 21, 2023 (2023-11-21) | January 16, 2024 (2024-01-16) | |
In 2006,Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) passes throughBemidji, Minnesota, and influences the community—including put-upon insurance salesmanLester Nygaard (Martin Freeman)—with his malice, violence, and deception. Meanwhile, DeputyMolly Solverson (Allison Tolman) andDuluth police officer Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks) team up to solve a series of murders they believe may be linked to Malvo and Nygaard.
The first season, set primarily inMinnesota andNorth Dakota from January 2006 to February 2007, won thePrimetime Emmy Awards forOutstanding Miniseries,Outstanding Directing, andOutstanding Casting, and received 15 additional nominations includingOutstanding Writing, another Outstanding Directing nomination, and acting nominations for all four leads. It also won theGolden Globe Awards forBest Miniseries or Television Film andBest Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for Thornton.
In 1979, beauticianPeggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst) and her husband, butcherEd Blumquist (Jesse Plemons), cover up her hit-and-run of a member of the Gerhardtcrime family based inFargo, North Dakota, led by matriarchFloyd Gerhardt (Jean Smart). Minnesota State TrooperLou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) and his father-in-law, Rock County Sheriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson), become entangled with the Blumquists, the Gerhardts, and the Kansas City mafia when they investigate a triple homicide connected to the Gerhardts at a diner inLuverne, Minnesota.
The second season, set in Minnesota, North Dakota, andSouth Dakota in March 1979, received three Golden Globe nominations, along with several Emmy nominations including Outstanding Miniseries, and acting nominations for Dunst, Plemons, Smart, and recurring guestBokeem Woodbine.
In 2010,St. Cloudprobation officer Ray Stussy (Ewan McGregor) and his parolee girlfriend Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) dream of a better, wealthier life. To achieve this, they attempt to steal a valuable vintage stamp from Ray's more successful older brother, Emmit (also played by McGregor), the self-proclaimed "Parking Lot King of Minnesota". However, their plans backfire, and the couple soon have to hide their involvement in two deaths, including the stepfather of formerEden Valley police chiefGloria Burgle (Carrie Coon). Meanwhile, Emmit wishes to pay back a shady organization he borrowed money from two years ago, but the company Narwhal and its employees, led byV. M. Varga (David Thewlis), have other plans.
The third season, set primarily in Minnesota from 2010 to 2011, premiered on April 19, 2017.[5] Like previous seasons, it received Emmy nominations including Outstanding Miniseries, and acting nominations for McGregor, Coon, and Thewlis. It received three Golden Globe nominations, for Outstanding Limited Series, and McGregor and Thewlis for acting, with McGregor winning in his category.
In 1950, the Cannon Limited, led by Loy Cannon (Chris Rock), threaten to usurp the Fadda Family, led by Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman), as the ruling crime organization inKansas City, Missouri. 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 Gaetano (Salvatore Esposito), as well as the unorthodox actions taken by a nurse named Oraetta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley). Meanwhile, Oraetta's teenage neighbor, Ethelrida Pearl Smutny (E'myri Crutchfield), discovers her mortician parents are in debt to the Cannon Limited, which gets her entangled in the criminal activities of Kansas City.
The fourth season, set primarily inKansas City, Missouri from 1950 to 1951, premiered on September 27, 2020.
In 2019,Scandia housewife Dorothy "Dot" Lyon (Juno Temple) is kidnapped by Ole Munch (Sam Spruell), but escapes with help from North Dakota State Trooper Witt Farr (Lamorne Morris). When Dot returns home, she claims to her husband Wayne (David Rysdahl) that there was no kidnapping. While Farr and Scandia deputy Indira Olmstead (Richa Moorjani) investigate, Munch comes into conflict with the man who hired him, Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm), theconstitutional sheriff ofStark County, North Dakota, and Dot's first husband, whom she fled ten years prior. On top of Tillman, Munch, and the police, Dot must also contend with Wayne's wealthy mother Lorraine (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the CEO of a debt collection agency who suspects Dot faked the kidnapping in order to extort her.
Thefifth season, set primarily in North Dakota and Minnesota in late 2019,[6] premiered on November 21, 2023.[7][8][9] Like the first three seasons, it was nominated for threeGolden Globe Awards forBest Miniseries or Television Film andBest Actor andActress in a Miniseries or Television Film for Hamm and Temple, respectively.[10]
| Character | Seasons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | |
| Mr. Wes Wrench | Russell HarvardR | Corwin Gruter-AndrewGY | Russell HarvardR | ||
| Lou Solverson | Keith CarradineR | Patrick WilsonM Keith CarradineG | |||
| Molly Solverson | Allison TolmanM | Raven StewartR Allison TolmanGO Laura GeluchGO Libby SeltzerGO | |||
| Gus Grimly | Colin HanksM | Colin HanksG | |||
| Ohanzee "Hanzee" Dent Moses Tripoli | Mark AchesonG | Zahn McClarnonM | |||
| Mr. Grady Numbers | Adam GoldbergR | Artem FomitchevGY | |||
| Ben Schmidt | Peter BreitmayerR | Keir O'DonnellRY | |||
| Mike Milligan Michael "Satchel" Cannon | Bokeem WoodbineR | Rodney L. Jones IIIR Bokeem WoodbineGO | |||
| Joe Bulo | Brad GarrettR | Evan MulrooneyR | |||
| Gale Kitchen | Brad MannR | Brad MannG | |||
In 1997, apilot was filmed for an intended television series based on the film. Set in Brainerd shortly after the events of the film, it starredEdie Falco as Marge Gunderson and Bruce Bohne reprising his role as Officer Lou. It was directed byKathy Bates and featured no involvement from the Coen brothers. The episode aired in 2003, duringTrio'sBrilliant But Cancelled series of failed TV shows.[17]
In 2012, it was announced thatFX, with theCoen brothers asexecutive producers, was developing a new television series based on the film.[18] It was later announced that adaptation would be a ten-episode limited series.[19] On August 2, 2013, it was announced thatBilly Bob Thornton had signed on to star in the series.[20] On September 27, 2013,Martin Freeman also signed on to star. On October 3, 2013, it was announced thatColin Hanks was cast in the role ofDuluth police officer Gus Grimly.[21] Production began in late 2013, with filming taking place in and aroundCalgary,Alberta.[22]
The series is set in the samefictional universe as the film, in which events took place in 1987 betweenMinneapolis andBrainerd, Minnesota. The first season features the buried ransom money from the film in a minor subplot.[23][24] Additionally, a number of references are made connecting the series to the film.[25] Dialect coach Tony Alcantar was hired to help Tolman, Freeman and other actors attain theMinnesota accent.[26][27] Alcantar would go on to coach the stars in every subsequent season, including Moorjani from season 5.[28]
Following the series renewal in July 2014, creatorNoah Hawley revealed that the second season would take place in 1979 and focus onSioux Falls, South Dakota, as referred to by Lou Solverson and others in the first season. The ten episodes are set inLuverne, Minnesota;Fargo, North Dakota; and Sioux Falls. Hawley agreed that this takes place before the events of the film, but he believes all the stories connect: "I like the idea that somewhere out there is a big, leather-bound book that's the history of true crime in the Midwest, and the movie was Chapter 4; Season 1 was Chapter 9; and [Season 2] is Chapter 2," he said. "You can turn the pages of this book, and you just find this collection of stories. ... But I like the idea that these things are connected somehow, whether it's linearly or literally or thematically. That's what we play around with."[29] This book was realized in season 2, episode 9, "The Castle".[30] Production on the second season began in Calgary on January 19, 2015, and completed on May 20, 2015.[31]
Production on the third season began in January 2017 in Calgary, Alberta.[32] Production on the fourth season was shut down in March 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[33] The season was originally scheduled to premiere on April 19, 2020, before the shutdown.[34] Filming resumed on the fourth season in late August 2020.[35]
In February 2022, FX renewed the series for a fifth season.[6] Production for the fifth season began as early as October 2022 inCalgary, Alberta.[36] Filming was reported inHigh River in December 2022,[37] January 2023,[38] and February 2023.[39] Filming reportedly took place atDidsbury hospital in February,[40] and filming moved toBeiseker on February 27.[41]
As with the original film, each episode begins with the superimposed text:
This is a true story. The events depicted took place in [location] in [year]. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred.
As with the film, this claim is untrue.[42] Showrunner Noah Hawley continued to use the Coens' device, saying it allowed him to "tell a story in a new way".[43] Hawley has played with the realism of the story further; responding to queries about Charlie Gerhardt, a character from season 2, he stated "If he's out there, I'd like to get a letter from him someday, telling me how he turned out."[44]
At the 2017ATX Television Festival inAustin, Texas, Hawley further discussed the "true story" series tag: "So what does that even mean—the words 'true story'?" he said. "I really wanted to deconstruct thatthis year." He recalled one of the lines spoken by Sy Feltz,Michael Stuhlbarg's character:"'The world is wrong—it looks like my world but everything is different.' That's what we're exploring this year."[45]
On April 15, 2014, the series made its debut onFX andFXX in Canada; the remaining episodes were shown on FXX.[46][47] The next day, it premiered in the UK onChannel 4.[48] On May 1, 2014, it premiered onSBS One in Australia,[49] and onSoHo in New Zealand.[50]
Netflix streamed seasons 1–3 in 20 regions between 2015 and 2022.[51]
| Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 97% (140 reviews) | 85 (40 reviews) |
| 2 | 100% (233 reviews) | 96 (33 reviews) |
| 3 | 93% (225 reviews) | 89 (32 reviews) |
| 4 | 84% (58 reviews) | 68 (37 reviews) |
| 5 | 93% (55 reviews) | 80 (34 reviews) |
The first season holds aweighted average score of 85 out of 100 based on 40 reviews onMetacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".[52] Thereview aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes reported that 97% of 140 critics gave the season a positive review, with an average rating of 8.45/10. The website consensus reads: "Based on the film of the same name in atmosphere, style, and location only,Fargo presents more quirky characters and a new storyline that is expertly executed with dark humor and odd twists."[53]IGN reviewer Roth Cornet gave the first season a 9.7 out of 10 score, praising the casting, its thematic ties to the movie, and the writing.[54]The A.V. Club named it the sixth best TV series of 2014.[55]
The second season received a weighted average score of 96 out of 100 based on 33 reviews on Metacritic.[56] On Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 233 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating is 9.1/10. The site's consensus states: "Season two ofFargo retains all the elements that made the series an award-winning hit, successfully delivering another stellar saga powered by fascinating characters, cheeky cynicism, and just a touch of the absurd."[57]
On Metacritic, the third season has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100 based on 32 reviews.[58] Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% rating based on 225 reviews for the season, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The site's critical consensus is: "Thanks in part to a memorable dual performance from Ewan McGregor,Fargo mostly maintains the sly wit and off-kilter sensibility it displayed in its first two seasons."[59]
Reviews for the fourth season were more mixed, noting the slower pacing of the story.[60] 84% of 58 reviews are positive and the average rating is 7.3/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics consensus for the season is: "ThoughFargo's ambitious fourth season struggles to maintain momentum, fine performances and a change of scenery make for an engaging—if uneven—departure from the series' norm."[61] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on reviews from 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[62]
The fifth season has 55 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of which are positive; the average rating is 8.5/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "A back-to-basics caper populated by the likes of a mesmerizing Juno Temple and a thick slice of Hamm,Fargo's fifth season is a superb return to peak form."[63] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[64]
Fargo has won 51 of its 226 award nominations. The first season garnered 8Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with the show itself winning theOutstanding Miniseries and directorColin Bucksey winning theOutstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special.[65] It received an additional 10Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations, winning forOutstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special.[65] It has received eightGolden Globe Award nominations, with the show winning forBest Miniseries or Television Film, andBilly Bob Thornton winning forBest Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film.[66] The series has also received oneScreen Actors Guild Award nomination to Billy Bob Thornton forOutstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.[67]
Additional accolades include: theAmerican Film Institute Award for Top Ten Television Program in 2014[68] and 2015,[69] theArtios Award for Excellence in Casting,[70] aPeabody Award,[71] sevenCritics' Choice Television Awards in which the show won twice forBest Miniseries and five times in acting for Billy Bob Thornton,Allison Tolman,Kirsten Dunst,Jesse Plemons andJean Smart,[72][73] theDorian Awards for TV Drama of the Year,[74] theGolden Reel Award for Best Music Score,[75] twoProducers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television[76][77] and aWriters Guild of America Awards forLong Form – Adapted.[78]
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
