User reviews

What can I say about Fargo that hasn't already been said? It's just an incredible series. Everyone has their own favorite season for some reason because they're all amazing. The weak link is easily season four but even that one is still pretty good, as long as you don't compare it to the first three seasons. This is an anthology series that was inspired by the 1996 film where each season follows a new murder story in some Midwest town with a different cast every season. It has the same feel, style, dark humor, unpredictability, etc as the film did. It has the feel of the Coen brothers but creator Noah Hawley definitely puts his own stamp on it. They're making Season 5 now so I'm definitely looking forward to watching that one too.

Well, I'm Brazilian and my English is not the best, so I apologize for any mistakes.

I start by saying that one thing I don't really understand is why people lower the rating given to a show just because the last season is weaker, even more being seasons with practically independent stories, where you can abandon the last season if you don't like it, because it will not interfere with the others. My rating here is 9/10 because Fargo brings so many sensational things in the first three seasons that it does not deserve a downgrade due to the fourth season. Especially because the fourth season, despite being full of problems, has some wonderful moments.

Fargo is simply the best TV series I have ever seen in my life. The first two seasons are brutal criminal stories permeated with black humor and coincidences typical of a comedy of errors, but full of philosophical, religious, cultural, political, social, economic and historical references. The third season still follows the same line, but with a little less black humor and comedy, and investing once and for all in the moral, philosophical, religious and even spiritual aspects. In these three seasons we can see the conflict between good and evil, the evil being represented by figures with clear references in mephistoles.

In my opinion, the fourth season lost a lot of the essence of the series, in addition to having a confusing and dragged script, but even so it presented moments of historical and cultural references of great quality, the highlight being episode 9, a masterpiece, all done on top of "The Wizard of Oz", "Alice in Wonderland" and other children's stories with the theme of a lost child somewhere far from home.

I highly recommend this series and I suggest you watch it trying to capture all the details, like the real natural phenomenon of fish rain, which is shown in the first season, or the Val Johnson incident with flying saucer and the beginning of Ronald Reagan's Alzheimer's in season two, as well as all biblical and religious references, already beginning with the evil speaking of the Garden of Eden in the first season. Oh, don't forget to also look in the independent stories of each season that you are watching for references to previous seasons. Ex: the second season showed you the origin of Mr. Tripoli, Mr. Wrench and Mr. Numbers from the first season, did you notice?

Finally, I would like to praise the excellent work of production, direction and setting of each season, as well as the acting: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Kirsten Dunst, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Daniel Thewlis are spectacular.

Season 1 - rate 9/10 - Highest point: episode 6.

Season 2 - rate 9.5/10 - Highest point: episode 9.

Season 3 - rate 8.5/10 - Highest point: episode 9.

Season 4 - rate 5.5/10 - Highest point: episode 9 (one of the best in the entire series).

* I wrote this review in 2021, after watching the 4th season, now I come back here almost 3 years later, as I just watched the 5th season: even though it didn't maintain the level of the first 3 seasons, there was already a clear improvement compared to the 4th, which was the most inconsistent of all. Superb performances from a wonderful cast, beautiful photography and soundtrack, engaging characters and a typical Fargo story. The closing episode simply brought tears to my eyes.

Season 5 - rate 8/10 - Highest point: the last episode (10).

You don't have to have seen the original Coen film to enjoy this series, nor does it spoil anything for you if you have seen it: the new TV-show 'Fargo' is entirely its own beast. So far, the only thing the series and the film do have in common is the title and the (fake) premise that both are - allegedly - based on true events that happened somewhere in Minnesota.

The writers (and the actors!) do a great job in creating new characters that are as strange and somewhat over the top as most of the iconic Coen creations we've come to love over the years - and Billy Bob Thornton's 'Lorne Malvo' (from season 01) has the potential to reach cult status. Watching bad situations get worse as bad decisions lead to even worse ones and the lives of ordinary people spiral violently out of control is - I shamefully admit - a lot of fun to watch, and it's told here with such a wicked sense of humor that I've so far enjoyed every minute of it.

The cast so far has been outstanding (this is an anthology series, so each new season will have its own cast and a new storyline) and the production values - especially the cinematography - are fantastic. Now whether 'Fargo' will appeal to a larger audience despite its quirky characters and non-mainstream look the way a show like 'Breaking Bad' did remains to be seen, but I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys black comedies in general as well as pretty much anything the Coens ever did. Great, pitch black entertainment - 9 out of 10 from me.

Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

Season 1: 10/10 Season 2: 10/10 Season 3: 8/10 Season 4: 7/10 Overall: 9/10

Fargo is one of the best and top rated series that's come out in the last few years. It has a great review/rating on just about every website there is (including this one, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, etc.) for a reason and that's because this show is amazing. I know that people aren't as impressed with Season 4 as they were with the first three seasons and even though I agree it's weakest of the four, it's still definitely worth watching. Being an anthology series means they can continue to put out as many seasons as they want without it ever going stale and I hope they do a bunch more. The writing and acting are as good as anything you'll see on television. I really can't recommend this show enough...it's absolutely brilliant!

Fargo is an absolute masterpiece and one of my favorite shows all time. This show doesn't have a general rating of 8.9 for nothing.

First the EXTRAORDINARY atmosphere of the Cohen brothers' film, this sensation like no other, which takes hold of us when we enter with the characters into this universe as dark as it is crazy. Fargo immerse you in this special world that is the snowy Minnesota of the Cohen brothers. And more than represented, it is developed here, with talent.

Secondly a stroke of pure and simple scriptwriting genius. To be able to fascinate to this extent, from the first episode, was very strong. And yet. Paced in an almost dreamlike manner, each episode of the series will take its time to reestablish the atmosphere that has disappeared since the previous week, before taking you by the guts with talent, bringing you down with it into the barbaric violence hidden by this snow white and immaculate. Ultra violent, bloodshed is rare, the series preferring to torture its characters psychologically. Lester's evolution (which I feared was a copy and paste of that of Walter White), is more than intelligent. Like i said, the writing is so brillant. An investigation with multiple twists and turns, in a remote town populated by formidable losers, notorious incompetents, methodical and relentless killers, and devious manipulators.

Thirdly the actors. They are all amazing (except those of season 4) but all the credits goes to Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thorton who delivered 2 performances that are among the best in television and i'm not even exaggerating. Martin Freeman plays a perfect loser to who we become attached quite quickly, he plays on his qualities already known for often seeming to be completely out of sync with the situations and characters he will face. Billy Bob Thomton is absolutely phenomenal as a cold, methodical and intelligent killer. Lorne Malvo is easily one of the best villains of television and i'm still not exaggerating.

Fourth the music. The music is magnificently beautiful and the series is filled with little melodies that accompany the scenes (mainly in season 1).

Fifth this is the best anthology serie ever. Fargo beat true detective because Fargo offers 2 amazing season and 2 ok seasons while true detective only offers 1 amazing season and 1 ok season (season 3).

No episode is too much, everything is orchestrated to perfection, the work absolutely does not lack rhythm and we remain glued to these 10 episodes of very high quality.

Six months ago I finished watching Breaking Bad and I really think that's the best thing I've ever watched and I always felt it is nonpareil in terms of excitement. From then on I couldn't forget it, I missed it. I started watching several shows later, but nothing came close to BB. I went on a search for such exciting crime dramas and then I saw few people on reddit talk about Narcos and Fargo (most of them) to experience something similar. At first, I googled them and decided to watch Narcos as Google knowledge graph mentions Fargo as a comedy series. So, yeah Narcos was enthralling, but didn't really feel 10/10 especially with too much Spanish. Then I decided to give a try on Fargo and boy oh boy! It's simply sensational.

Season 1: The first episode itself left me exuberant. This Martin Freeman guy, right from the day I saw him as Bilbao Baggins, everything he does impresses me and in Fargo there's nothing less. And the others were excellent too, especially Billy Bob Throtton, that man is really one hell of an actor. He is an assassin, every scene of him is jaw dropping with some chills. All in all, Season 1 of Fargo was really the one I was waiting for these whole 6 months and I didn't want to end this beautiful experience, so I immediately decided to watch Season 2.

Season 2: Everyone who watched season 1 will have some idea about how season 2 will go on. It opened off very well and the first episode here too ends dramatically. The next 2 episodes were slow-paced and I thought this might turn out like True Detective Season 2 as it couldn't really recreate the magic of the first season (just my opinion). So, right when I thought it's sinking, it just gets better and better from episode 4. There won't be a moment you could take your eyes off till the last minute of the season finale. I'm glad they renewed it for the next season and I really can't wait for that.

The music utilized over the two seasons is absolutely mind blowing, the way it relates to each and every scenario is just spectacular. Along with this awesome music, the outstanding piece of poetry depicts the ongoing lives of the people in Fargo. The direction part is really masterful and you can clearly see that in the second season". It has few flaws but if you're just looking for some real piece of art then Fargo is a must watch.

Update: Ok, it's sad to say that this amazing show went downhill later. Season 3 for me was 7/10 but at least very Fargoish but Season 4 is pathetic and should be ignored.

(Review updated after Season 5).

Stories generally set in Minnesota, often involving a minor incident that leads to something huge, and multiple-homicidal. In Season 1 an insurance salesman accidentally hires a hitman to kill the man who has been bullying him all his life. In Season 2 a covered-up hit-and-run has major repercussions. In Season 3 a family feud over a stamp leads to a case of mistaken identity and several murders. In Season 4 two crime gangs feud over territory.

Brilliant...for the first two seasons. I was initially sceptical of this series, thinking it was just a serialised version of the Coen Brothers' superb film of the same name. Turns out it's not, but it does have a lot in common with the movie, and this is a good thing.

Creator Noah Hawley manages to capture the atmosphere and central concept of the movie without copying the movie. The plots are different to the movie but have the same pattern: a minor incident/decision that, through misunderstanding and bad luck, escalates into something massive, involving multiple murders. There's the white, cold visual aspect to the movie (being set in Minnesota in winter) which leads to a brooding, desolate feel to the series. Plus, there's the dark Coenesque humour. All this, without the Coens having any creative input into the series: they're executive producers, and nothing more.

This was especially true in Season 1. The season was so true to the feel of the movie I was sure the Coen brothers had a major hand in it (they didn't). Add in a superb performance by Billy Bob Thornton as the psychopathic Lorne Malvo and Season 1 was off-the-charts brilliant.

Season 2 was less intriguing than Season 1 and had a less-tight plot, but had more action. It builds up to this action though and the pacing is superb, building like an avalanche. The last few episodes are absolutely frenetic and riveting. While largely an independent season, the links to characters in Season 1 make this even more interesting. Only downside: the UFOs. They seemed rather gimmicky, added nothing to the story and didn't help the tightness of the plot.

Season 3 marked the down-turn of the series. It has some good passages of play, some interesting characters and a wonderful tie-in with Season 1 but is definitely not in the same league as the first two seasons. The plot is far-fetched, truly testing the series' "This is a true story" line. Quite clumsy and disjointed at times, with sub-plots that add nothing except to take up time, a cartoonish villain (and one of the most dentally-unhygienic characters of all time) and plot developments that don't always make sense.

It also feels a bit unoriginal: the "police officer who sees the full picture but is hindered by the incompetence of their boss" angle was covered in Season 1.

Throw in some David Lynch-like sequences (often involving Ray Wise, who starred in Twin Peaks) and the season has a style-over-substance feel to it.

Overall, Season 3 is watchable but is a major disappointment after Seasons 1 and 2.

Season 4 is even worse. It started well enough, with an interesting and intriguing setup, but the writers clearly didn't know where to take everything. There's far too many characters and sub-plots and the pace is pedestrian, resulting in an unfocused, meandering, seemingly interminable season.

The writers' keenness to draw things out and lack of ideas is no more demonstrated in Episode 9, an episode that closes off one sub-plot but takes an entire episode to do it when the actual substance of the episode would have taken at most 10 minutes. Plus they throw in heaps of Coenisms to appear reverential and arty and appeal to fans of the original Fargo when all they are doing is padding out the episode. It's also quite ironic, as Season 4 feels nothing like the original film, the remainder of the series or a Coen Brothers production. It's not even set in Minnesota!

Season 4 is also not helped by Chris Rock being cast in the lead role. He's a decent comedic actor but here lacked the gravitas for the role.

When Season 5 was released I was first surprised that I existed, as it had been three years since S4, and then hesitant to watch it, figuring the show had had its day. When I did watch it I was pleasantly surprised. The season is a decent return to form with much of what made the movie, S1 and S2 back: the intelligence , humour, Coenesque plot, characters and dialogue. Plus, the casting and performances have lifted with Juno Temple being quite the revelation in the lead role.

It's not perfect though: the Minnesotan folksiness is overdone, some of the characters are cartoonish and there's a fair bit of filler, largely in the middle episodes. Still, at least it looks like the show is roughly on the right track after losing its way for two seasons.

Season ratings: Season 1 10/10 (can I go full Spinal Tap and give this an 11/10? It deserves such a score), S2 10, S3 7, S4 5, S5 8.5.

1st season - Good Fargo 2nd season - Best Fargo 3rd season - Good Fargo 4th season - Not Fargo, still watching, but waiting for it to end. Bad screenplay.

Wow, I remember when this show first came out I was very skeptical they could make an interesting show many seasons long based on the movie. It has the same vibe as the movie, takes place in or around Minnesota has similar characters but is it's own thing apart from the movie.

I just finished watching Season 3 and wow it was a doozy. I love this show, it is rare for me to get into a show where I don't notice the episodes flying by. There is some really strong writing with this show. I won't get into the details but will say you end up really caring about the characters, good or bad you want to see what happens to them. In some cases you are rooting for them to win and in others you are rooting for their demise. A lot of times neither plays out.

I don't normally go for religious undertones in shows/movies mostly because it is kind of cliche the ol good vs evil thing. This season does it a bit but does it well. I really enjoy this show and can't recommend it enough!

Just finished episode 5 and I'm done. As everyone has said, this is not the Fargo we all used to love. The storyline is not particularly scintillating and I've yet to latch onto any of the characters, other than the nurse and the undertakers' daughter. Disappointed for sure.

From the very start, from the opening shot of the cold dark icy road and the background music starting to play, I knew this would be something different, something awesome.

Coming from someone who hasn't watched the 1996 film by the Coen brothers, I really didn't know what to expect. I was in a way wondering if I was just wasting my time and watching a series that would fall short of everyone's expectations and just flop, like so many other TV series do nowadays. However, that didn't happen at all.

The performances were outstanding in my opinion. Martin Freeman was excellent and to my surprise did the accent fairly well. Billy Bob Thornton was amazing as Lorne Malvo, the enigmatic vibe you get from his performance gave me chills.

The cinematography is also one of the good things about this pilot. The shots are smart and intriguing, yet still simple and not too overdone. The music is also outstanding. There are times when it is quirky and funny, there are times where it is tragic and sad yet epic, and then there are also the times when it is intense and mysterious.

Fargo is mysterious, intense, funny (at times), tragic and just simply plain awesome! I really hope there are more to come like this.

10/10

Like others here, I recommend you skip season 4.

Season 1 was excellent.

Season 2 was good.

Season 3 was okay.

Season 4 took a dump in its own bed and we had to watch it.

I really enjoyed seasons 1-3. I found the writing to be very sharp. I especially liked how they tied the storylines together, not only within each season but within the entire series.

That's why I find season 4 to be very disappointing. The writing is tiresome and the characters are mostly plastic. The entire storyline about the black gang is simply stupid and the italian grand is loaded with stereotypes. I mean, Chris Rock as a gang leader? Really bad casting. They even have the terrible Kelsey Asbille who must've had available time between ruining an otherwise great Yellowstone.

There's only two bright spots: Timothy Olyphant and Jessie Buckley.

Stay away from season 4 and re-watch the other seasons.

You have to stop at season 3. Season 4 Fargone. Gone is the quirkiness. Gone is the storytelling. Gone is the dark humor. I'm going to rewatch the movie to cleanse my memory of this ordeal.

Fargo was (WAS) my favorite show. I was bummed when it went missing for a season, worried it had gotten the can, and then so excited to see it was coming back for season 4. Plus, Chris Rock? Cool.

But oh..oh, no. This season of Fargo feels like a completely different show. My husband and I forced ourselves through it, hoping it would get better, that it would start to feel like the rest. We watched half-heartedly until finally we saw the last episode tonight on the DVR.

All I can say is that if they bring back a new season next year, I'll be seriously skeptical of it. I don't know how they managed to blow it so badly.

The ONLY reason I gave it such a high rating is because of the first 3 seasons. Those are totally worth watching. Do yourself a favor and skip season 4 altogether.

1 Fargo is my fourth favorite movie of all time, so naturally my expectations were really high. I'm happy to say that the first season met them. 9/10

2 Since the first season was so good, the second season takes place in the seventies, the cast is unbelievable, the story revolves around two warring mafias, and some of the characters are younger versions of ones that appeared in the first season, my expectations were, again, really high. They were met and surpassed! I'd even say it's better than the film. The only problem I had was when Kirsten Dunst stabs Jeffrey Donovan in the foot, there's an obvious cut. It's nothing more than a nitpick. 10/10

3 High expectations again. They were met, but not surpassed. It was as good as the first season, but to be fair it's pretty hard to top the second season. And it's got Ewan McGregor playing two different characters, and he always does a good job! And in my opinion both Mary-Elizabeth Winstead and Carrie Coon give career-best performances in this! 9/10

Loved Seasons 1-3. Season 4 was excruciatingly bad. Some of the worst over-acting I've seen in a long time, by too many in this cast. The were a few exceptions, but not enough for me wanting this show over and done by the 3rd episode - watched it to the miserable end just to see how much worse each episode would get. I seriously doubt I'll watch this series again.

Season 1, 2 and 3 are all 8/10 seasons, but season for brings the whole series down and is only a 5/10 season at best... season 4 has multiple plot holes in multiple episodes and is honestly a disappointment. The only solice is that season 4 isn't connect to the other seasons at all in the story, and so you can just skip season 4 entirely and only watch the other seasons of the series and you'd be much better off that way.

First three season are A+. Season four gets a F. Don't even waste your time.

Previously rated 10, revised to 2. An outstanding tv series ruined. Season 4 is just awful. Putting aside the overly PC-ness, the acting is just plain bad, the storyline has huge holes in it and the whole plot is shoddy. Don't waste your time watching the 4th season.

Season 2 and 3 had some low points as well but season 4 is just constant low points. At this point it would be better to just cancel the series.

Fargo was one of my favorite tv shows of all time. I've rewatched the first 3 seasons multiple times. In the first 30 seconds of season 4, it is painfully clear, this isn't really a Fargo TV series anymore. Where there was once dark comedy, witty dialogue, and weird violence, now there's more of the political/social lecturing which has infected and destroyed so many great tv shows over the last 2 or 3 years. If you want to laugh and be entertained, I got some bad news for you. If you're looking to be outraged and angry about race stuff, then this your show.

Season 01: 9.5/10

Season 02: 10/10

Season 03: 07/10

Season 04: Skipped. Thanks to fellow IMDb users!

Overall 9/10.

S01 Simply great S02 Simply great S03 Simply great S04 Boring, really not worth watching