I watch a lot of TV – I mean, really, a lot. From stuff like Fargo and American Horror Story to Veep, Grey’s Anatomy, The Leftovers, Scream Queens, How to Get Away with Murder, and so on. Every end of the spectrum, I’ve got it covered. I love TV; the ability to follow characters, dig deep into stories, and watch as intricate plots unravel and reveal hidden truths.
No one, right now, tells a story quite like Noah Hawley.
This week while browsing Amazon I came across an old novel of his, The Good Father. I purchased a copy for my e-reader and got through half the book in less than a day; it’s incredibly written, interesting, suspenseful, and full of twists and human emotion (the story follows a doctor whose son has been accused of assassinating a presidential candidate.) The bottom line is that no matter what medium, Hawley’s writing is basically untouchable.
In “The Myth of Sisyphus”, the characters laid out in the first two episodes begin to cross paths – secrets are being exposed, deals are being made, and the story is beginning to really ramp up.
After a conversation with Hank and Betsy at the beauty shop, Peggy begins to worry that Rye’s murder will soon be solved. The lengths that she and Ed go to further cover it up might not help at all, but rather do more damage. Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons are both fantastic in their roles, and this episode is a great showcase for their comic timing.
Speaking of Rye – the massacre at the diner and his subsequent death are what start to bring everything together. Hank discovers that Rye’s prints are on the gun that Betsy recovered, and soon the sheriff’s are caught in a heated meeting with the Gerhardt’s. What they don’t realize is that the Gerhardt’s are just as eager to figure out where Rye is, even as they try to contend with the Kansas City mafia.
I’ve said it a few times; perhaps my favourite character so far this season is Rye’s accomplice, Skip. Mike Bradecich plays the squirrely character with an immense likeability, and his interactions with other characters are among the series' most memorable moments so far. While looking for Rye, he comes across Dodd’s daughter Simone (Rachel Keller) – which leads to an entire world of trouble for the crooked typewriter salesman.
All over “The Myth of Sisyphus” characters are hunting for truth and trying desperately to conceal secrets. Hawley’s series finds a perfect balance between story, setting, and character moments – there’s quite simply nothing like (or better than) Fargo on TV right now.
Aw Jeez: The Best Bits
• The toughest part of these previews is trying to give out praise where it’s due – which, frankly, is everywhere. The score, the cinematography, the cast, the direction; it’s all incredible.
• There’s a great moment between Bear Gerhardt (Angus Sampson) and his son Charles (Allan Dobrescu) concerning the latter’s future in the family business.
• Bokeem Woodbine continues to stun as the devilishly charming – and sinister – Mike Milligan. His scenes are both laugh-out-loud funny and wildly suspenseful; he’s a loose canon, and I have a feeling we’ve yet to see all that he’s capable of. There’s a particularly funny exchange between him and Joe Bulo (Brad Garrett) near the beginning of the episode.
That reminds me - I’ll be talking to Brad Garrett on Monday afternoon, so if you have any Fargo related questions please shoot them my way!
“The Myth of Sisyphus” airs Monday at 10 PM on FX. For more on Fargo and all my other SpoilerTV work, feel free to follow me on Twitter. Hit the comments with questions or let us know what you’re most excited to see in the next episode.
