The Zone

by **Fievel** on Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:08 am

I had zero interest in this when it was first announced.
But now with the announcement of Martin Freeman to play the William H. Macy role (but a different character)...... I am completely intrigued.
The fact that the Coens are producing this helps, too.

by **Fievel** on Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:45 pm

Trailer...... and the intrigue just grows.....

Seriously, this cast looks fantastic. Odenkirk though.... can he do two shows? Will he not survive this one? This character (based on one line and a SWEET mustache & hat) looks awesome.... would be a shame to lose.

by **TheBaxter** on Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:16 pm

who's playing the Marge Gunderson role? i know BB Thornton is in it, but this can't possibly succeed unless whoever they cast nails frances mcdormand's part.

by **Fievel** on Wed Apr 16, 2014 7:27 am

Loved the first episode.
Hard.
Real hard.

This cast is stacked, and it's not even funny. I think this show will be able to stand out on its own and succeed.

by **so sorry** on Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:38 am

I taped it, gonna try and squeeze it in this weekend. Looks really good. Is this intended to be an ongoing series, or is it a mini series?

by **Fievel** on Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:28 am

Wikipedia says it's a 10 episode limited series.... and that's fine with me. Keep it small, fresh, and special. Plus, with people like Freeman, Odenkirk, Billy Bob, Key and Peele (WTF?!?), and other people with other potential commitments, it would seem difficult to make this an ongoing thing.

Someone in this who doesn't seem to have enough going on (of quality, anyways) is Keith Carradine. Damn I loves to see me some Keith Carradine on the screen - TV or movie, it just doesn't matter. I don't know what it is about the man, I just enjoy his presence, and there he is.

by **so sorry** on Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:03 am

Fievel wrote:Wikipedia says it's a 10 episode limited series.... and that's fine with me.

That's great actually, I agree.

by **Fievel** on Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:42 am

This show is fucking awesome.
It's not the movie.... at all.... and in a lot of ways (the overall story), I like it better.

by **TheBaxter** on Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:17 am

it's been too long since i've seen the movie (which i really liked) to say whether i like this better, but it is really good.

billy bob thornton is da bomb in fargo, yo!

by **Fievel** on Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:02 pm

TheBaxter wrote:billy bob thornton is da bomb in fargo, yo!

That last episode where he essentially called himself The Devil in the diner gave me honest chills and is probably THE moment that pushes it ahead of the movie for me.
Easily my favorite Billy Bob role.

by **Fievel** on Wed Jun 18, 2014 2:32 am

Damn.... that was awesome.

by **TheBaxter** on Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:00 am

haven't seen it yet, i'll be catching up tonight.

by **John-Locke** on Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:45 am

Loved it.

by **TheBaxter** on Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:35 am

some random thoughts now that i've caught up with it.

lester nygaard sure is one tricksy little hobbit.

BBT is basically playing Bruce the Shark from jaws. the final look he gives gus says it all.

i sure hope i never get my leg caught in a bear trap.

can't say whether i liked the tv series or movie better without seeing the movie again. both are really good. the tv show benefits from the greater length to be able to fit in more characters, flesh them out a bit more, hit more plot points, etc.

i was disappointed the FBI agents never got around to discussing liam neeson in non-stop.

i'm really appreciating this new era of "one-and-done" tv show seasons like this show and true detective and the american horror story series. the talent these limited runs attract combined with the ability to actually plan out a complete story, beginning to end, is creating some real quality television.

i still don't understand the moral/meaning/significance/purpose of the glove story.

by **Ribbons** on Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:56 am

I've just started watching the show. I'm on the first episode so I don't have much to contribute, but here is a list of the paradoxes that the series takes its episode titles from:

1. Crocodile dilemma

2. The Rooster Prince

3. The Muddy Road

4. Eating the Blame

5. The Six Ungraspables

6. Buridan's ass

7. Barber paradox

8. Paradox of the heap

9. Fox, goose and bag of beans puzzle

10. Morton's fork

by **so sorry** on Thu Jul 10, 2014 4:25 pm

On the DVD there will be an unaired epsidoe titled:

The Goofy/Pluto Dilemma

by **Ribbons** on Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:22 am

I was already on the fence about Fargo, and this time jump just made things worse

by **Fievel** on Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:51 pm

Ribbons wrote:I was already on the fence about Fargo, and this time jump just made things worse

I'm sorry.

I'll admit - the jump was the one thing that bugged me simply because I didn't buy Lester's seemingly instant swagger. But since it ultimately led to his comeuppance, I didn't mind it in the end.

by **TheBaxter** on Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:16 pm

Fievel wrote:
Ribbons wrote:I was already on the fence about Fargo, and this time jump just made things worse

I'm sorry.

I'll admit - the jump was the one thing that bugged me simply because I didn't buy Lester's seemingly instant swagger. But since it ultimately led to his comeuppance, I didn't mind it in the end.

the time jump was a bit BSG'ish. but it's the only way Lester's "swag" made sense. you could see bits and pieces of it coming out pre-jump, so it made perfect sense to me that a year later, having basically gotten away with his crimes, and profited from them nicely in fact, that he would grow so overconfident that he'd even go so far as poking the one hornet's nest that could bring him back down when the opportunity arises. also by the time you get to the jump, you realize that lester is a complete sociopath, that he's willing to do anything he has to, and hurt anybody he has to, to get what he wants. so his behavior seems totally in line with his character.

by **Ribbons** on Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:33 pm

I'm trying to untangle my feelings in regards to this show. I feel kind of bad because I do appreciate the fact that it was very well-shot, and also the kind of offbeat story that you don't usually see on television. But I didn't really like it. Right off the bat, there's something problematic about trying to do a "Coen Bros.' Greatest Hits." There's a little bit of Fargo in here, a little bit of Blood Simple, a little bit of Burn After Reading, and a LOT of No Country for Old Men. But it doesn't work like that. Porting Anton Chigurh over to Bemidji fundamentally changes the story. Malvo, with his million secret identities and (near) invincibility is no fuck-up hitman like Peter Stormare. He's the kind of ruthless master criminal that pothead film school brats love to write stories about, but that don't actually exist, certainly not in the middle of sleepy podunk towns, anyway. But there he is with his weird haircut, smiling while he strangles a cop with a belt, calling people "friendo" and shooting Stephen Root in the neck. So okay, whatever. Maybe he's just like a personification of chaos. But then everybody gets away with everything, Bilbo becomes salesman of the year and buys a million-dollar house, and the final grisly showdown happens because he... wants Malvo to say hi to him while he's on a job? If anything I would be running in the other direction. And then Malvo breaks his cover... just because? And then Bilbo hits him in the head and runs away why? And then Malvo kills himself going after some loser in Bemidji because he hit him in the head? Why? The whole show to me is just a big studly "so what?" What's the moral, even? It's okay to kill your bitch wife as long as you don't get too cocky after you get away with it? If you lose a metaphorical glove you should give up the other metaphorical glove? There's no middle ground where you get a divorce and move to Florida or something? They did a really good job of copying the look and tone of a Coen Bros. movie, although it felt a little forced at times (Gus talking to his boss while he was taking a shit, again for no discernible reason). But beyond that slick veneer there's nothing there.

As you can probably tell, I thought the movie was better.

by **Fievel** on Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:53 am

To me, Malvo was The Devil personified. I was waiting for John Goodman (a nod to Barton Fink) to show up as his ultimate boss! Malvo hinted/it was hinted at several times in the last few episodes. It was like his relationship with Lester was a little "Devil & Daniel Webster"-ish. Malvo gave him what he wanted, and all Lester had to do was be cool about it. I think Lester would have been okay, but since he became a loose cannon, Malvo had to take him out.

by **Ribbons** on Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:55 am

I was getting more of an animal vibe than a devil vibe. He compares himself to a predator through that story about the human eye, dies on his own terms like the bear who chews his leg off, is obsessed with wolves (Rome, The Jungle Book, etc.). Also Gus says something along the lines of how animals do whatever they want but humans are supposed to know better.

by **Fievel** on Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:39 pm

‘Fargo’ Season 2 to Change Timeline, Characters, Location

YES!!

The only other second season I'd want to see is someone else picking up the bad of money, but this is the real story I wanted to hear!!!

by **Ribbons** on Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:52 am

I'm wondering if that means Billy Bob Thornton will be back. Whether the character of Malvo was involved in the Sioux Falls incident was kind of ambiguous... possibly that was just me reading too much into things.

by **Fievel** on Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:24 am

Ribbons wrote:I'm wondering if that means Billy Bob Thornton will be back. Whether the character of Malvo was involved in the Sioux Falls incident was kind of ambiguous... possibly that was just me reading too much into things.

I like that thought. A lot. Plus, with the shift to the late 70's...... he could really look amazing!! :lol:

by **TheBaxter** on Thu Jul 09, 2015 4:25 pm

here's a couple tv spots for Fargo season 2

but never mind that.

bruce campbell is in this?
and he's playing RONALD REAGAN!?1?

how frikkin cool is that?

by **Fievel** on Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:36 pm

The Ted Danson/Patrick Wilson clip just confirmed that it will own me this fall. Did anything happen in it? Nope. Was it full of the tone of the first season? Yup.

by **Fievel** on Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:11 am

Ummmmm..... so this second season......

I have to sit on a hemorrhoid pillow because my ass hurts so much from the beating this show gives me.
Nick Offerman deserves some recognition. If not for his outstanding performance, then just for that beard!!!

by **Maui** on Fri Nov 27, 2015 2:20 pm

Fievel wrote:Ummmmm..... so this second season......

I have to sit on a hemorrhoid pillow because my ass hurts so much from the beating this show gives me.
Nick Offerman deserves some recognition. If not for his outstanding performance, then just for that beard!!!

The King of Breakfast.

This is my favourite show on TV right now. Season 2 is proving to be as excellent as season 1.

by **RaulMonkey** on Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:58 pm

Maui wrote:
Fievel wrote:Ummmmm..... so this second season......

I have to sit on a hemorrhoid pillow because my ass hurts so much from the beating this show gives me.
Nick Offerman deserves some recognition. If not for his outstanding performance, then just for that beard!!!

The King of Breakfast.

This is my favourite show on TV right now. Season 2 is proving to be as excellent as season 1.

It's filmed in Calgary, eh? They're trying to turn that hotel the Kansas City crew stays at into low-income housing. In high school I took an acting for film class in that room with the plastic, where Raymond's brother negotiated with Jean Smart.

Anyone who wants to stop on by, we'll go on a Fargo tour.

by **Ribbons** on Tue Dec 08, 2015 1:28 am

RaulMonkey wrote:Anyone who wants to stop on by, we'll go on a Fargo tour.

HARD PASS. Unless poutine is involved.

by **Maui** on Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:54 am

RaulMonkey wrote:
It's filmed in Calgary, eh? They're trying to turn that hotel the Kansas City crew stays at into low-income housing. In high school I took an acting for film class in that room with the plastic, where Raymond's brother negotiated with Jean Smart.

Anyone who wants to stop on by, we'll go on a Fargo tour.

That's really cool Raul. That's a funky looking hotel which really worked well with the whole 70s vibe.

Ribbons, you need to head further east for the perfect poutine. Cheese curds in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Also, they film Trailer Park boys here in N.S. too. So I'm thinking feast on poutine then head on over to the trailer park.

by **RaulMonkey** on Tue Dec 08, 2015 10:05 pm

Ribbons wrote:
RaulMonkey wrote:Anyone who wants to stop on by, we'll go on a Fargo tour.

HARD PASS. Unless poutine is involved.

If we want the real deal we might gotta hit Montréal...

...but there's an A&W across the street from that hotel (which is the big building north of the Enterprise Rent-a-Car.)

My treat and a milkshake.

by **Maui** on Wed Dec 09, 2015 12:50 pm

RaulMonkey wrote:...but there's an A&W across the street from that hotel (which is the big building north of the Enterprise Rent-a-Car.)

My treat and a milkshake.

Wait...I see a Pho restaurant on the map. This might work out after all.

Those Coen bros. sure like their UFOs, eh?

by **RaulMonkey** on Wed Dec 09, 2015 9:34 pm

Maui wrote:
RaulMonkey wrote:...but there's an A&W across the street from that hotel (which is the big building north of the Enterprise Rent-a-Car.)

My treat and a milkshake.

Wait...I see a Pho restaurant on the map. This might work out after all.

Those Coen bros. sure like their UFOs, eh?

It's close to the airport too (zoom out), so it could even work if you got a long layover one day.

by **Maui** on Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:01 pm

RaulMonkey wrote:
It's close to the airport too (zoom out), so it could even work if you got a long layover one day.

Alright, next time I visit my kin in cowtown, I'll hit you up.

by **RaulMonkey** on Sat Dec 12, 2015 3:25 am

Maui wrote:
RaulMonkey wrote:
It's close to the airport too (zoom out), so it could even work if you got a long layover one day.

Alright, next time I visit my kin in cowtown, I'll hit you up.

Do eet! YYC needs a meet-up. So long as I've got plenty of notice, we can plan for a Dumbledore old time.

by **Fievel** on Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:13 am

Amazing.

This season was so good. I'll hopefully post more thoughts later.

by **Maui** on Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:05 am

Fievel wrote:Amazing.

This season was so good. I'll hopefully post more thoughts later.

Kewl!

I'll be watching it tonight. Can't wait. Do the UFOs take everyone away to a far away planet?

by **Maui** on Wed Dec 16, 2015 10:23 am

Both season 1 and 2 were perfection.

So many thoughtful moments in the season finale. Lou driving Peggy back to town in the sheriff's car. The father explaining the visual language he created to his daughter and son in law. The mother's struggle with cancer. Mike Milligan sitting in front of the IBM Selectric.

Interesting to see that Alan Arkin both directed and starred in the finale. I was really impressed with Kirsten Dunst's performance as the wife who had no firm grasp on reality. She was so good in this role.

My love for this show is a bit over the top, but it ranks right up there with Breaking Bad.

Here's a Variety article for season 3's timeline: http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/fargo-season-3-cast-details-noah-hawley-1201662128/

by **Ribbons** on Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:14 pm

You guys are almost convincing me to watch season 2. But I was already burned by season 1. Never again.

by **Fievel** on Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:37 pm

I keep checking in on this thread when it's really late or I just don't have time to write a lot.

After reading Ribbons' thoughts on the first season, he pointed out a lot of issues with it. I didn't agree with all of them, and mentally justified others. But it did help to bring back that first season to my mind.

The second season was far better. It was much more original in the overall plot. It still had some stupid people doing stupid things, but it was expected of them (that's so Fargo!). The time shift to 1979 was a great character of the story - not that it assisted or pushed the story along, but rather it was a character in itself and felt right for being there. Far more interesting characters this time around - that's the good part. The bad part is that some of them weren't even around long enough to fully enjoy/appreciate.

I want to see Nick Offerman in an Elmore Leonard adaptation. He would fucking murder the role. Any role.

This was Fargo's Empire Strikes Back/Godfather 2/etc. where the second surpassed the first.

by **Maui** on Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:22 pm

Fievel wrote:
After reading Ribbons' thoughts on the first season, he pointed out a lot of issues with it. I didn't agree with all of them, and mentally justified others. But it did help to bring back that first season to my mind.

The second season was far better. It was much more original in the overall plot. It still had some stupid people doing stupid things, but it was expected of them (that's so Fargo!).

Ribbons had a lot of valid points with his first season critique. However some of it was just downright nitpicky. 8-)

I would agree that season 2 outshines season 1. The story was more engaging and for me, I really cared about the characters more this time around.

by **King Of Nowhere** on Wed Dec 16, 2015 8:04 pm

Ribbons wrote:I'm trying to untangle my feelings in regards to this show. I feel kind of bad because I do appreciate the fact that it was very well-shot, and also the kind of offbeat story that you don't usually see on television. But I didn't really like it. Right off the bat, there's something problematic about trying to do a "Coen Bros.' Greatest Hits." There's a little bit of Fargo in here, a little bit of Blood Simple, a little bit of Burn After Reading, and a LOT of No Country for Old Men. But it doesn't work like that. Porting Anton Chigurh over to Bemidji fundamentally changes the story. Malvo, with his million secret identities and (near) invincibility is no fuck-up hitman like Peter Stormare. He's the kind of ruthless master criminal that pothead film school brats love to write stories about, but that don't actually exist, certainly not in the middle of sleepy podunk towns, anyway. But there he is with his weird haircut, smiling while he strangles a cop with a belt, calling people "friendo" and shooting Stephen Root in the neck. So okay, whatever. Maybe he's just like a personification of chaos. But then everybody gets away with everything, Bilbo becomes salesman of the year and buys a million-dollar house, and the final grisly showdown happens because he... wants Malvo to say hi to him while he's on a job? If anything I would be running in the other direction. And then Malvo breaks his cover... just because? And then Bilbo hits him in the head and runs away why? And then Malvo kills himself going after some loser in Bemidji because he hit him in the head? Why? The whole show to me is just a big studly "so what?" What's the moral, even? It's okay to kill your bitch wife as long as you don't get too cocky after you get away with it? If you lose a metaphorical glove you should give up the other metaphorical glove? There's no middle ground where you get a divorce and move to Florida or something? They did a really good job of copying the look and tone of a Coen Bros. movie, although it felt a little forced at times (Gus talking to his boss while he was taking a shit, again for no discernible reason). But beyond that slick veneer there's nothing there.

As you can probably tell, I thought the movie was better.

I rewatched season 1 before the season 2 finale, and i think the house Bilbo ended up living in is the same one Hess lived in (which would mean the wife had to sell after the insurance didn't pay out) I'm not 100 sure, but it made sense at the time. Also, after fucking the wife of the man he killed (then possibly getting the house as well), getting away with murder and whatnot, he became incredibly confident and thought he was sort of unstoppable, so him trying to talk to Malvo in Vegas doesn't seem that weird to me.
Malvo broke cover without caring too much because he'd been trying to kill the guy's brother for 6 or so months and finally got introduced to him. He was probably sick of doing the dentist thing. Have you ever met a nice dentist?
Completely agree with the Coen Brothers greatest hits thing, and the second series pretty much continued with that. Very much preferred the ending of the first season, maybe just because it didn't tie everything up too cleanly like the S2 Finale sorta went out of it's way to do.

Season 3 will air in Spring 2017

by **Fievel** on Fri May 20, 2016 6:47 pm

Ewan McGregor to star in Season 3!!

Awesome, awesome news!!

by **Ribbons** on Sat May 21, 2016 12:13 pm

And as twins!

by **Maui** on Tue May 24, 2016 10:33 am

Ribbons wrote:And as twins!

And as the parking lot king of Minnesota.

by **TheBaxter** on Tue May 24, 2016 11:33 am

but not twins.

by **Fievel** on Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:18 am

FARGO: SEASON 3 ADDS HARRY POTTER'S DAVID THEWLIS

I.....love.....this.....show!!

by **Ribbons** on Wed Dec 21, 2016 12:28 pm

He'll be playing his character from The Big Lebowski