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Three 10-part police-homicide stories, set in the northern US state of Minnesota and the nearby North Dakota city of Fargo. The Coen's originally set their 90s film, Fargo, away from the corrupting influence of big cities, in order to emphasise the strength & moral qualities of individual character, painting heroes & villains in the primary colours of a western, with a touch of surrealism. Although the Coens only act as consulting producers in the tv series, these three stories live up to their original vision, and have the writing, cast, and production values worthy of a long film. The first season is the closest to the film. Allison Tolman is smart female cop, Solverson, and Martin Freeman's weak, domestic murderer has similar rustic quirks to William H Macy. However, Billy Bob Thornton dominates the action as the brilliant and truly menacing freelance hitman, Malvo. Season 2, set in 1979, tells the story of the mostly malign influence of the larger world and new, feminist values on three northern families, who still retain traces of the old pioneer spirit. The Larsson-Solverson family of policemen are the most traditional: the men are honest, stout-hearted, hard-working officers of the law, and the wives are still responsible for cooking and raising children. (But we know from Season 1 that the bright young daughter will grow up to be an inspired chief of police.) The Gerhardts are a self-made family of rural German mafia. When their patriarch suffers a stroke, his wife takes charge to meet the threat of a Kansas City takeover. However, their hippie grand-daughter secretly undermines her family by sleeping with the enemy, and their most effective gunman is a native American, increasingly disgruntled at being treated as a 2nd class citizen. Blumquist is a traditional, hard-working butcher who dreams of children and buying his boss's shop. However, his Cosmopolitan-obsessed, beautician wife, Kirsten Dunst, secretly uses contraceptives and spends the family savings on a seminar to `fully actualise her potential'. In this somewhat anti-feminist drama, these qualities are linked with a broader moral blindspot and a blackly comic gift for conscience-free mayhem. Read full review
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Bought on a film buff friend's recommendation. I have only watched the first four episodes of Season One so far....but I think I shall watch the rest. Reminiscent of Twin Peaks in its quirkiness, unpredictability and setting in a particular place in the northern US. I had not realised it is dark comedy, with quite witty dialogue. Characters are cut-outs rather than complex and rounded, but who cares. The same with those in novels by Dickens.
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These are three of the Finest Series I have Ever Seen. The Plot Constructions, Dialogue, Acting & Scenery (Minnesota, North Dakota etc) are Generally Set in Wintery landscapes, Frozen Lakes etc. It is occasionally extremely gruesome but this is all as part of the narrative & not added for mere effect. They say they are all True Stories ? I am not certain how True they are, But as they say Fact is Stranger than Fiction, So I'll leave you to make your own minds up about that. I can only say I Enjoyed all Three enormously & will be rewatching them often, For Many Years to Come, God Willing. I can only give them 5 Out of 5 because I can't give them 6 out of 5. Highly Recommended.
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