Fargo: Eating the Blame
May 7, 2014 7:07 AM - Season 1, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Lorne Malvo and Lester Nygaard are each accosted by people interested in their prior activities.
In a flashback, we see Milos finding what is presumably the case of money buried by Jerry Lundegaard in the 1996 movie.
Malvo is found in Duluth and arrested by Gus Grimly, only to be released a few hours later after convincing Oswalt and Grimly's superior that he's a respected minister from a nearby town. Malvo then continues his torment of Milos.
Numbers and Wrench catch up to Nygaard, twice.
In a flashback, we see Milos finding what is presumably the case of money buried by Jerry Lundegaard in the 1996 movie.
Malvo is found in Duluth and arrested by Gus Grimly, only to be released a few hours later after convincing Oswalt and Grimly's superior that he's a respected minister from a nearby town. Malvo then continues his torment of Milos.
Numbers and Wrench catch up to Nygaard, twice.
Upon double-checking, it turns out I was mis-remembering the movie; it's Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi's character) who buries the case. Anyway, that bit was a nice hat-tip to the movie, I thought.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:49 AM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:49 AM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
...but I thought that he was playing with the cops in the interrogation room a little too much, and they were going to realize he was playing with them.
When you think about it, Thornton's performance in the interrogation room was almost a parody of the "you betcha" speak that the movie made so famous (and which, imho, a lot of people were expecting in the TV show) It was as if the producers said "Okay. You want it. Here's your five minute fix."
What I was surprised about is that Malvo apparently matches the appearance of the minister he's pretending to be. I mean, I assume the cops described Malvo to whomever they contacted when they called to corroborate his story. Unless, of course, the fake identity he was provided with was from someone he actually looked like. And, from someone who just happened to be out of town.
It was an odd little episode. To me, it was just surreal enough to where it really had an almost David Lynch feeling to it.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:59 AM on May 7, 2014
When you think about it, Thornton's performance in the interrogation room was almost a parody of the "you betcha" speak that the movie made so famous (and which, imho, a lot of people were expecting in the TV show) It was as if the producers said "Okay. You want it. Here's your five minute fix."
What I was surprised about is that Malvo apparently matches the appearance of the minister he's pretending to be. I mean, I assume the cops described Malvo to whomever they contacted when they called to corroborate his story. Unless, of course, the fake identity he was provided with was from someone he actually looked like. And, from someone who just happened to be out of town.
It was an odd little episode. To me, it was just surreal enough to where it really had an almost David Lynch feeling to it.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:59 AM on May 7, 2014
I wasn't surprised that the cops didn't see through Malvo in the interregation room. There seems to be a pretty large divide in this show between a handful of smart, competent police officers (Molly, Gus, the deceased chief) and all the other cops, who tend to come off as, at best, too trusting and naive, and at worst incompetent. Without any of the competent cops in the room, I could see that Malvo would get away with that.
I was curious about their call to verify Malvo's story. While I'm not so sure the bumbling cops would have given a physical description, the name still has to match the name of an actual minister, and, as Thorzdad points out, one who's out of town. I was imagining something more sinister had happened to the minister whose identity Malvo had assumed, but that can only last so long before it's noticed that he's missing.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:21 AM on May 7, 2014
I was curious about their call to verify Malvo's story. While I'm not so sure the bumbling cops would have given a physical description, the name still has to match the name of an actual minister, and, as Thorzdad points out, one who's out of town. I was imagining something more sinister had happened to the minister whose identity Malvo had assumed, but that can only last so long before it's noticed that he's missing.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:21 AM on May 7, 2014
"I wasn't surprised that the cops didn't see through Malvo in the interregation room."
I think they did, to some extent. Specifically, I think Oswalt (Odenkirk) knows exactly who Malvo is. He's taken great pains to keep Solverson away from the case, and the instant that the other captain whassisname expresses doubt about Malvo, Oswalt gently whacks him on the shoulder with the case file to say, "Yeah, let's drop it." Oswalt is encouraging the other officer to see things how Malvo wants them seen. A little reinforcement from one's peers goes a long way.
I believe - but I was distracted while watching so I can not confirm 100% - that there was a nice split-second shot of Oswalt and Malvo standing together with no one else around. Sharing a look?
posted by komara at 10:31 AM on May 7, 2014 [6 favorites]
I think they did, to some extent. Specifically, I think Oswalt (Odenkirk) knows exactly who Malvo is. He's taken great pains to keep Solverson away from the case, and the instant that the other captain whassisname expresses doubt about Malvo, Oswalt gently whacks him on the shoulder with the case file to say, "Yeah, let's drop it." Oswalt is encouraging the other officer to see things how Malvo wants them seen. A little reinforcement from one's peers goes a long way.
I believe - but I was distracted while watching so I can not confirm 100% - that there was a nice split-second shot of Oswalt and Malvo standing together with no one else around. Sharing a look?
posted by komara at 10:31 AM on May 7, 2014 [6 favorites]
What I was surprised about is that Malvo apparently matches the appearance of the minister he's pretending to be. I mean, I assume the cops described Malvo to whomever they contacted when they called to corroborate his story. Unless, of course, the fake identity he was provided with was from someone he actually looked like. And, from someone who just happened to be out of town.
When Grimly catches him, Malvo says into his phone, "This is Duluth. Package required. Frank Peterson." So he's setting something up with someone -- probably warning people at the phone number to a "church" that doesn't actually exist except as a quick alibi.
I think they did, to some extent. Specifically, I think Oswalt (Odenkirk) knows exactly who Malvo is.
Innnteresting. I didn't notice -- was Oswalt the one who said that the Frank Peterson story checked out?
posted by Etrigan at 10:33 AM on May 7, 2014 [7 favorites]
When Grimly catches him, Malvo says into his phone, "This is Duluth. Package required. Frank Peterson." So he's setting something up with someone -- probably warning people at the phone number to a "church" that doesn't actually exist except as a quick alibi.
I think they did, to some extent. Specifically, I think Oswalt (Odenkirk) knows exactly who Malvo is.
Innnteresting. I didn't notice -- was Oswalt the one who said that the Frank Peterson story checked out?
posted by Etrigan at 10:33 AM on May 7, 2014 [7 favorites]
That's a great theory, komara. I'll have to start watching the show with your spin on Oswalt in mind. The character has certainly been played (over-played?) as a buffoon to where it would be a great twist to discover the buffoonery was simply a cover.
Then again, it seems to begger belief that whatever organization Malvo is working for would just happen to have an inside man (Oswalt) on the police force, and the chief is conveniently killed so as to raise the inside man to the position.
Of course, wierder things happen in Coen Bros productions.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:41 AM on May 7, 2014
Then again, it seems to begger belief that whatever organization Malvo is working for would just happen to have an inside man (Oswalt) on the police force, and the chief is conveniently killed so as to raise the inside man to the position.
Of course, wierder things happen in Coen Bros productions.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:41 AM on May 7, 2014
Funny, here I was coming to this thread to throw out the "Anyone think Oswalt and Malvo are connected in some way?" theory, figuring there is no way Oswalt could so aggressively be against pursuing this line of investigation without there being more to the story than simple incompetence. Now that I see many people have come to the same conclusion I'm wondering if that is too obvious and there is maybe something else at play.
Alison Tolman is doing absolute career-making work in this series.
posted by The Gooch at 10:53 AM on May 7, 2014 [5 favorites]
Alison Tolman is doing absolute career-making work in this series.
posted by The Gooch at 10:53 AM on May 7, 2014 [5 favorites]
"Then again, it seems to begger belief that whatever organization Malvo is working for would just happen to have an inside man (Oswalt) on the police force, and the chief is conveniently killed so as to raise the inside man to the position."
I don't think that's the case - I think it's just happy coincidence. I mean the murdered police chief said in the first episode that he envisioned Solverson becoming chief one day so I don't know if it was a given that Oswalt was next in line of succession.
I just get the impression that he knows what's going on and he's lucked into a position of being able to help through neglect.
posted by komara at 10:55 AM on May 7, 2014
I don't think that's the case - I think it's just happy coincidence. I mean the murdered police chief said in the first episode that he envisioned Solverson becoming chief one day so I don't know if it was a given that Oswalt was next in line of succession.
I just get the impression that he knows what's going on and he's lucked into a position of being able to help through neglect.
posted by komara at 10:55 AM on May 7, 2014
"the chief is conveniently killed"
Forgot to mention - if this is the case, just remember who he was conveniently killed by.
posted by komara at 11:15 AM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
Forgot to mention - if this is the case, just remember who he was conveniently killed by.
posted by komara at 11:15 AM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
At first I figured Malvo's fake minister cover story must have something to do with the Malvo-lookalike that Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench dropped into the ice fishing hole, but I'm not sure that makes sense either since the community supposedly corroborated Malvo's fake story.
It just seems so terribly convenient that there was even one Malvo dead-ringer walking around for them to find, and now there's another one?
Lester's disgusting hand is starting to give me anxiety attacks. Why doesn't his brother or anyone notice that his hand is gangrenous and swollen?! How is he even still walking around with an infection becoming systemic like that? He'd have a ridiculously high fever by now. How can he even put on his gloves anymore?
I know the injury is also doing a lot of symbolic heavy lifting (oh noez, the moral infection is going systemic!) but jeez, he's going to lose that hand altogether if he doesn't get on some antibiotics, stat. I darn near puked when he unwrapped the bandage this time.
As an aside, I would pay good money to see a version of this show in which every single character was simultaneously played by Martin Freeman.
posted by dialetheia at 3:02 PM on May 7, 2014 [8 favorites]
It just seems so terribly convenient that there was even one Malvo dead-ringer walking around for them to find, and now there's another one?
Lester's disgusting hand is starting to give me anxiety attacks. Why doesn't his brother or anyone notice that his hand is gangrenous and swollen?! How is he even still walking around with an infection becoming systemic like that? He'd have a ridiculously high fever by now. How can he even put on his gloves anymore?
I know the injury is also doing a lot of symbolic heavy lifting (oh noez, the moral infection is going systemic!) but jeez, he's going to lose that hand altogether if he doesn't get on some antibiotics, stat. I darn near puked when he unwrapped the bandage this time.
As an aside, I would pay good money to see a version of this show in which every single character was simultaneously played by Martin Freeman.
posted by dialetheia at 3:02 PM on May 7, 2014 [8 favorites]
Freeman's accent was a bit wobbly at the beginning -- in the first episode he accidentally slipped into John Watson for a brief moment -- but his performance has really grown on me. It's very physical; he's perfectly captured Lester's shrimpiness. That limp punch he throws at the cop.
The hand injury gives me the jeebies too.
When Grimly catches him, Malvo says into his phone, "This is Duluth. Package required. Frank Peterson."
Right; and he deliberately finishes the call before "surrendering" to Grimly.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:32 PM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
The hand injury gives me the jeebies too.
When Grimly catches him, Malvo says into his phone, "This is Duluth. Package required. Frank Peterson."
Right; and he deliberately finishes the call before "surrendering" to Grimly.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:32 PM on May 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think they did, to some extent. Specifically, I think Oswalt (Odenkirk) knows exactly who Malvo is.
That makes sense, more so than his being that stupid. And it would explain the emphasis on the handshake when they parted ways.
posted by homunculus at 10:55 PM on May 7, 2014
That makes sense, more so than his being that stupid. And it would explain the emphasis on the handshake when they parted ways.
posted by homunculus at 10:55 PM on May 7, 2014
Martin Freeman baffles me because he is such a good actor and yet so vapid in his interviews, that I have given up on reading anything featuring him.
posted by viggorlijah at 2:55 AM on May 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by viggorlijah at 2:55 AM on May 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
It just seems so terribly convenient that there was even one Malvo dead-ringer walking around for them to find, and now there's another one?
...
As an aside, I would pay good money to see a version of this show in which every single character was simultaneously played by Martin Freeman.
You're watching Orphan Black too, aren't you.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:23 AM on May 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
...
As an aside, I would pay good money to see a version of this show in which every single character was simultaneously played by Martin Freeman.
You're watching Orphan Black too, aren't you.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:23 AM on May 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
General series question: Each episode opens with "This is a true story. The events happened in 2006."
Um, is that actually true?
posted by dnash at 12:38 PM on May 8, 2014
Um, is that actually true?
posted by dnash at 12:38 PM on May 8, 2014
General series question: Each episode opens with "This is a true story. The events happened in 2006."
Um, is that actually true?
Not in the slightest. It's similar to the opening of the movie.
Note: I am not saying that Billy Bob Thornton would not kill you dead or screw up your life if you pissed him off for any reason whatsoever. I'm just saying that he didn't do these things.
posted by Etrigan at 12:45 PM on May 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
Um, is that actually true?
Not in the slightest. It's similar to the opening of the movie.
Note: I am not saying that Billy Bob Thornton would not kill you dead or screw up your life if you pissed him off for any reason whatsoever. I'm just saying that he didn't do these things.
posted by Etrigan at 12:45 PM on May 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
Regarding the 'true story' thing: I can't find the exact quote I'm looking for - it may have been something I heard in an interview instead of read. Regardless, the Coen Brothers said, and I paraphrase wildly: things like 'recreation of actual events' or 'based on a true story' can't ever possibly be the story they're claiming to be telling. Everything is filtered through someone's lens, and even the most faithful recreation of a real-life event is going to be false.
So they chose to open their movie with the card 'This is a true story."
You'll notice it doesn't say based on. They're not implying this is a recreation of real-life events. They're giving the movie its own agency. They're saying, "What you're about to watch is a true story." I personally think it was a genius move and it's probably my favorite film opening because of that.
A related direct quote that I was able to find:
So they chose to open their movie with the card 'This is a true story."
You'll notice it doesn't say based on. They're not implying this is a recreation of real-life events. They're giving the movie its own agency. They're saying, "What you're about to watch is a true story." I personally think it was a genius move and it's probably my favorite film opening because of that.
A related direct quote that I was able to find:
"We weren’t interested in that kind of fidelity. The basic events are the same as in the real case, but the characterizations are fully imagined…If an audience believes that something’s based on a real event, it gives you permission to do things they might otherwise not accept."posted by komara at 2:10 PM on May 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
"We weren’t interested in that kind of fidelity. The basic events are the same as in the real case, but the characterizations are fully imagined…If an audience believes that something’s based on a real event, it gives you permission to do things they might otherwise not accept."I doubt it's even remotely based on any sort of actual event. I don't think can can really treat anything the Coens say about their own work as reliable.
posted by zixyer at 2:34 PM on May 8, 2014
I doubt it's even remotely based on any sort of actual event.
I think the movie Fargo is largely based on two crimes:
1) The murder of Helle Crafts (her husband used a wood chipper to dispose of her body) which took place in Connecticut. No kidnapping was involved.
2) The kidnapping of Virginia Piper (her husband has never been implicated in any way). She was kidnapped by two masked men from her suburban home. The kidnappers left behind a ransom note and the housekeeper duct-taped to a chair. Virginia Piper was later found alive, hand-cuffed and chained to a tree in a remote wooded area in northern Minnesota after her investment banker husband, Harry C. Piper, dropped off a $1 million ransom behind a seedy bar in north Minneapolis . Only about $4000 was ever recovered. It was the largest ransom paid in the U.S. up until that time. The Piper kidnapping was a huge event in Minnesota in 1972 and surely made an impression on the Coen brothers who would have been in their mid-teens then.
The kidnapping was also briefly alluded to in the movie All the President's Men. When Woodward is on the phone with Kenneth Dahlberg, Dahlberg says he's very upset because his neighbor has just been kidnapped: that's Virginia Piper.
Two men were tried and convicted for the kidnapping. But the conviction was overturned on appeal. They were retried and acquitted. One of the acquitted men, Donald Larson, went on to murder five other people including his own son.
posted by marsha56 at 6:55 PM on May 9, 2014 [15 favorites]
I think the movie Fargo is largely based on two crimes:
1) The murder of Helle Crafts (her husband used a wood chipper to dispose of her body) which took place in Connecticut. No kidnapping was involved.
2) The kidnapping of Virginia Piper (her husband has never been implicated in any way). She was kidnapped by two masked men from her suburban home. The kidnappers left behind a ransom note and the housekeeper duct-taped to a chair. Virginia Piper was later found alive, hand-cuffed and chained to a tree in a remote wooded area in northern Minnesota after her investment banker husband, Harry C. Piper, dropped off a $1 million ransom behind a seedy bar in north Minneapolis . Only about $4000 was ever recovered. It was the largest ransom paid in the U.S. up until that time. The Piper kidnapping was a huge event in Minnesota in 1972 and surely made an impression on the Coen brothers who would have been in their mid-teens then.
The kidnapping was also briefly alluded to in the movie All the President's Men. When Woodward is on the phone with Kenneth Dahlberg, Dahlberg says he's very upset because his neighbor has just been kidnapped: that's Virginia Piper.
Two men were tried and convicted for the kidnapping. But the conviction was overturned on appeal. They were retried and acquitted. One of the acquitted men, Donald Larson, went on to murder five other people including his own son.
posted by marsha56 at 6:55 PM on May 9, 2014 [15 favorites]
I think the movie Fargo is largely based on two crimes...
I think "influenced" would be a better word. As you note, there are similarities to a couple of other crimes. IMDB lists a third, the Carol Thompson murder.
posted by Etrigan at 7:37 PM on May 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think "influenced" would be a better word. As you note, there are similarities to a couple of other crimes. IMDB lists a third, the Carol Thompson murder.
posted by Etrigan at 7:37 PM on May 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think it's plausible that the cops are just kind of bumbling, small-town cops. I thought Malvo was pretty convincing in his preacher act. His "gee willikers" persona is exactly how a lot of people in small-town Minnesota are. Out of all the Minnesota accents, his has been my favorite so far.
Also, I read awhile back that Fargo was only going to be a ten episode miniseries. Has anyone heard anything about that?
posted by triggerfinger at 7:22 PM on May 10, 2014 [3 favorites]
Also, I read awhile back that Fargo was only going to be a ten episode miniseries. Has anyone heard anything about that?
posted by triggerfinger at 7:22 PM on May 10, 2014 [3 favorites]
Also, I read awhile back that Fargo was only going to be a ten episode miniseries. Has anyone heard anything about that?
That's what I heard, and Wikipedia agrees. The linked article refers to FX (and FXX) wanting to do more limited serieses.
posted by Etrigan at 8:27 PM on May 10, 2014
That's what I heard, and Wikipedia agrees. The linked article refers to FX (and FXX) wanting to do more limited serieses.
posted by Etrigan at 8:27 PM on May 10, 2014
The callbacks to the original movie are brilliant. Given that it ended on a positive note, I'm hoping against hope that Molly, Gus, and Gus's daughter end up not only alive but in their own little family unit.
I hope to jeebus I didn't just jinx it.
posted by flyingsquirrel at 7:42 PM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
I hope to jeebus I didn't just jinx it.
posted by flyingsquirrel at 7:42 PM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
I know. I'm worried about Gus's daughter.
posted by triggerfinger at 5:48 AM on May 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by triggerfinger at 5:48 AM on May 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
It's true that it's a story.
It always bugged me about the movie that they decided to play around with that.
Btw, I am impressed how much recall everyone seems to have of the movie. I can remember hardly any of it except in general terms at this point. Well general terms plus a few mental images. Wood chippers and such.
posted by philipy at 2:57 PM on May 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
It always bugged me about the movie that they decided to play around with that.
Btw, I am impressed how much recall everyone seems to have of the movie. I can remember hardly any of it except in general terms at this point. Well general terms plus a few mental images. Wood chippers and such.
posted by philipy at 2:57 PM on May 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
"Btw, I am impressed how much recall everyone seems to have of the movie."
It only seems natural that fans of the movie Fargo would show up to watch the tv show Fargo.
posted by komara at 7:29 AM on May 15, 2014
It only seems natural that fans of the movie Fargo would show up to watch the tv show Fargo.
posted by komara at 7:29 AM on May 15, 2014
I really loved the moment Stavros found the ice scraper and the money, like I clapped my hands with excitement that they did a call-back to the film in such a great way.
posted by mathowie at 11:44 AM on December 27, 2014
posted by mathowie at 11:44 AM on December 27, 2014
I'm getting the feeling that Oswalt feels threatened by Molly, maybe always has, and with her continuing to find ways to work on the case he feels disrespected. I could see him realizing that Molly is right or probably right but would rather sweep the whole thing aside than risk bruising his ego. So I agree that the chief probably knows, but I don't think he's in cahoots with anyone. I guess I will find out soon.
posted by Room 641-A at 4:44 PM on November 21, 2015
posted by Room 641-A at 4:44 PM on November 21, 2015
I'm rewatching this and I just love the Malvo character. He's the Devil with a sense of humor.
posted by Monochrome at 4:14 PM on August 6, 2016
posted by Monochrome at 4:14 PM on August 6, 2016
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And I have to give it to the writers -- I have no idea where any of this is ever going, and I genuinely will not be surprised if anyone in the entire cast dies at any given moment.
posted by Etrigan at 7:34 AM on May 7, 2014 [6 favorites]