Small Screen Favorites: Fargo Season 3

Now that the third season of Fargo has come to a close, it is important to review it as a whole and see how it measures up to the masterful first two seasons. Is it a step down, or will it be remembered as another stellar story from the show? I would say that while it was a highly entertaining, expertly crafted season, it fell just slightly short of the first two in certain areas.

The place where this season shined the most was with its absolutely phenomenal cast. The show has always had great characters, and that is a trend that is continued here. Having Ewan McGregor play two main characters was a risky move that paid off--Ray and Emmit Stussy are totally distinct characters, each with their own quirks, motivations, and tragic storylines. Their sibling rivalry feels totally real, a battle one can get invested in. But these two characters could not carry the show on their own. Carrie Coon is perfect as the sane, good-hearted cop in the midst of the chaos, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Michael Stuhlbarg kill their respective roles as the quick-witted criminal and pitiable buffoon. But it's David Thewlis who emerges as perhaps the most memorable role of the season. His turn as criminal mastermind VM Varga creates a character who may take first place as the most reprehensible and disgusting villain to ever appear on the show. Everything about him is vile, from his rotting teeth to his violent actions, but one can't help be fascinated by him at the same time (similarly to Billy Bob Thornton's role as Lorne Malvo in the first season).

Unfortunately, the season occasionally stumbled when it came to the script. There was the usual helping of twists and turns that make this show fun to watch (including a particularly shocking one that occurred about halfway through the season, and was one of my favorite moments), but at times these events felt contrived. This is a show that constantly subverts audience expectations, but it was almost done to a fault this season--certain moments, especially in the finale, felt as though the writers were trying too hard to surprise viewers without giving thought to logical story development or established characterization. That is not to say that this season had a disappointing story--far from it. I had a blast watching this season week to week, and the final scene is a thought-provoking one that will stick with me for a long time. It just felt as though the plot took some odd turns that should not have been taken.

This was definitely the "worst" season of Fargo, but considering the incredibly high bar set by the first two, I do not consider that to be a damning statement. The music, cinematography, and acting was top-notch, as it has always been--I just wish the writers had left certain paths untraveled when it came to developing the story. I would award the third season of Fargo a score of 4 stars out of 5.