Fargo II (FX 2015, Patrick Wilson, Kirsten Dunst)

Season two of Fargo features a completely new cast and story and is set in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota. With some nice echoes of season one the main character is State Trooper Lou Solverson, Molly’s dad. The plot sees Lou getting caught up in a turf war between the Gerhardt family and a Kansas City Crime Syndicate. Things begin to get seriously out of hand when beautician Peggy Blumquist accidentally runs over Rye the youngest member of the Gerhardt clan and persuades her butcher husband Ed to dispose of his body in a way you really don’t want to think about.

Like the first season the level of violence is incredibly extreme but the level of playing and script is such that you are carried along. If anything season two is even better than season one. There are some really great performances on display here, Kirsten Dunst is a revelation as Peggy who is either in a severe state of shock or not dealing from a full deck. She is determine to “actualise” herself and just be the best me that she can be. A brilliant performance. There is also a nicely understated performance from Ted Danson as Sheriff Hank Larsson (he is also Molly’s grand-dad and Lou’s father-in-law) and a star making turn from Bokeem Woodbine as enforcer Mike Milligan. Fair to say there isn’t a duff note throughout the whole ten episodes. Even the arrival of a Deux Ex Machina UFO in episode 9 fits right into the vibe.

A third season is currently in pre-production stages. It’s set in 2010 and stars Ewan McGregor as twins. If it’s anything like it’s predecessors it will be unmissable. Fargo is one of the best shows of the decade. Patrick Wilson as Lou Solverson

production details
USA / FX / 10×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 12 October – 14 December 2015

Writer: Noah Hawley / Executive Producers: Noah Hawley, Warren Littlefield, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Adam Bernstein, Geyer Kosinski

cast
Kirsten Dunst as Peggy Blumquist
Patrick Wilson as State Trooper Lou Solverson
Jesse Plemons as Ed Blumquist
Jean Smart as Floyd Gerhardt
Ted Danson as Sheriff Hank Larsson
Cristin Milioti as Betsy Solverson
Jeffrey Donovan as Dodd Gerhardt
Bokeem Woodbine as Mike Milligan
Brad Garrett as Joe Bulo
Nick Offerman as Karl Weathers
Kieran Culkin as Rye Gerhardt
Michael Hogan as Otto Gerhardt
Zahn McClarnon as Hanzee Dent
Angus Sampson as Bear Gerhardt
Adam Arkin as Hamish Broker
Raven Stewart as young Molly Solverson
Emily Haine as Noreen Vanderslice
Daniel Beirne as Sonny Greer
Brad Mann as Gale Kitchen
Todd Mann as Wayne Kitchen
Elizabeth Marvel as Constance Heck
Rachel Keller as Simone Gerhardt
Allan Dobrescu as Charlie Gerhardt
Keir O’Donnell as Ben Schmidt
Bruce Campbell as Ronald Reagan
Martin Freeman as Narrator
Allison Tolman as Molly Solverson
Joey King as Greta Grimly
Colin Hanks as Gus Grimly
Keith Carradine as Lou Solverson