“Fargo” is an American crime drama TV series with dark humor, inspired by the 1996 film by the Coen brothers. Each season of the show tells a different story. The series is set in a fictional universe where intense feelings, laughter, and shocking violence intertwine, with characters frequently finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to horrific murders.
The first three seasons and the fifth season were filmed in Calgary and its surroundings (the fourth season was filmed in Chicago). Alberta served as the backdrop for the American states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. More about the series is below on calgaryski.net.
New Season – New Story
The premiere of the series aired on April 15, 2014, on the American channel FX. “Fargo” follows an anthology format, with each season telling a new story with different characters and situations. The cast also changes, though occasional repetitions occur.
Season 1 (2014) primarily takes place in Minnesota and North Dakota during 2006-2007. The main character is the killer Lorne Malvo, who, after a car accident, stops at a hospital in Bemidji (Minnesota) and manipulates a local insurance salesman, Lester Nygaard, through cruelty and deception. Manipulating Lester is easy because, by society’s standards, he’s a failure – unnoticed at work and mocked by his wife. After their encounter, a series of murders occur across the city, which law enforcement tries to solve.
This season received positive reviews, an Emmy Award for Best Directing, Cast, and Mini-Series, and won two Golden Globe Awards. The mysterious plot and excellent cinematography create a narrative that constantly raises questions and answers them, engaging viewers in solving the mysteries.
Season 2 (2015) takes place in Minnesota, North and South Dakota in March 1979. It depicts the lives of a young couple, Peggy, a beautician, and Ed, a butcher, who try to hide the murder of Rye Gerhardt, keeping his body in a freezer. A sheriff and a police officer investigate the murder.
This season received three Golden Globe nominations and several Emmy nominations. The best part of the season is the characters, each of whom is well-thought-out and backed by stellar performances from the cast. Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, who later married in real life, create fantastic chemistry, making the whole season enjoyable to watch.
Season 3 (2017) is set in Minnesota in 2010-2011. The characters are probation officer Ray and his paroled girlfriend Nikki, who, in pursuit of a better life, plan to rob Ray’s wealthy brother Emmit. After a failed attempt, the couple kills two people, including the stepfather of a former police chief.
This season, like the previous ones, received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. The intricate criminal scheme keeps the tension high, and the atmosphere perfectly matches the original “Fargo” movie.
Season 4 (2020) is set in Missouri in 1950-1951. It involves two criminal syndicates whose leaders exchange their younger sons to maintain peace. However, things go awry with the arrival of the brash Gaetano Fadda and the unorthodox actions of nurse Oraetta Mayflower.
While the season received positive reviews, it was not as highly praised as the previous seasons. Trying to stand out, it loses some charm due to the somewhat clichéd and unoriginal story of the two feuding crime families.
How Was the Production?
In 1997, a pilot episode based on the Coen brothers’ 1996 film Fargo was filmed, which told the story of an unlucky businessman who stages the kidnapping of his wife for a financial scam. The film was a massive financial success, cementing the Coen brothers as talented filmmakers. The 1997 pilot was aired in 2003 during a series of unsuccessful TV shows, Trio Brilliant But Canceled.
In 2012, FX announced that, together with the Coen brothers as executive producers, they were developing a TV series based on the film, although the Coens had no creative control over the story or the episodic structure of the show.
In August 2013, it was announced that American actor, director, and screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton was cast in the lead role. In September, British actor Martin Freeman signed on for the lead role as well. In October, American actor and producer Colin Hanks was cast as a police officer. The first season resembled the original film’s story, revolving around murderers, a dissatisfied businessman, and a police officer.
The production of the series began at the end of 2013. In July 2014, writer Noah Hawley announced the second season, which began filming in January 2015 and concluded in May.
The third season was filmed in 2017, and the fourth season took place from October 2019 to March 2020 (production was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Filming resumed in August 2020 and wrapped in September. Since it was filmed outside of Alberta, different sets, costumes, and landscapes appeared on screen that didn’t resemble the snowy landscapes of Alberta. Winter – almost a character in itself in the series – had to be simulated in the fourth season, requiring vegetation clearing and the use of artificial snow. Additionally, the fourth season was distinguished by its use of jazz and blues music, as well as music from the early 1950s, unlike the previous seasons which often featured cover versions of songs.
In February 2022, the fifth season was announced, set in 2019, with production beginning in October 2022.
Just like in the film Fargo, each episode of the series starts with the words “This is a true story.” However, both in the film and the series, this statement is not true, as all the stories and characters are fictional. The heroes always make wrong decisions and suffer the consequences.
Underlying Idea
Although each season tells a completely different story, they all connect to form a compelling argument about the impact of the flaws in the economic system on human lives. The series portrays the death of capitalism, where the only people who can make a good profit are fraudsters or criminals.
That’s why the events in the first three seasons take place at significant moments of the slow collapse of American capitalism. For example, the first season is set in 2006-2007, during the housing market crash.
The second season is even more overt: set in 1979, it marks the rise of future US President Ronald Reagan. Reagan himself is depicted as a fool with good intentions. The increase in crime is a hint at the invasion of large corporations into the country’s market, which began in the 1980s and exploded in the 1990s and 2000s.
The third season takes place in 2010-2011, when Americans begin to realize that any economic recovery after the housing collapse will be slow, difficult, and unevenly distributed.
Criminal drama stories ultimately resemble more moral stories, with star actors showcased.