Fargo: The Lord of No Mercy
May 25, 2017 10:55 PM - Season 3, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Gloria and Winnie get closer to the truth; Emmit tries to make things right; Nikki and Ray prepare for payback; Varga cleans up a mess.
This episode received some of the strongest reviews this season from Alan Sepinwall and the AV Club. It also included a hell of a cliffhanger (that left me thinking I would have been OK with an hour-30 or two hour or whatever episode).
Featured music included the Son House version of "John the Revelator," "The Cossack's Song," by the Russian Red Army Choir," and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23, "Appassionata," (which Lenin was really quoted as saying what Varga recited, although the idea about WWI being started by a sandwich is in doubt, and then, then the moon landing thing deserved a, "Wha-what?".
Fake stories, perception versus reality, truthiness, Russia just happen to play major roles in "Fargo" this season. The 2007-'08 credit crunch and recession, as well as private equity (via an explanation from Nikki Swango!), also get firm nods in this episode.
This episode received some of the strongest reviews this season from Alan Sepinwall and the AV Club. It also included a hell of a cliffhanger (that left me thinking I would have been OK with an hour-30 or two hour or whatever episode).
Featured music included the Son House version of "John the Revelator," "The Cossack's Song," by the Russian Red Army Choir," and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23, "Appassionata," (which Lenin was really quoted as saying what Varga recited, although the idea about WWI being started by a sandwich is in doubt, and then, then the moon landing thing deserved a, "Wha-what?".
Fake stories, perception versus reality, truthiness, Russia just happen to play major roles in "Fargo" this season. The 2007-'08 credit crunch and recession, as well as private equity (via an explanation from Nikki Swango!), also get firm nods in this episode.
Was it just me, or was the "THIS IS A TRUE STORY" opening much more overt this time?
And yeah, that Moon landing thing really pissed me off. I can understand that it was just another one of Varga's stories but I really don't want to see anything anything that gives even a shred of legitimacy to nutjob conspiracy theories.
I think Sy was pretty much an audience surrogate here; he was seduced by Varga's storytelling until the moon landing conspiracy jolted him out of it.
As viewers we're often shown Varga as having a snakish charm -- the fascinating eccentric -- but which is regularly undercut by something which reveals him as repellent. Last week: the cock-mug, the ravings about Jews. This week, the bloody toothpick for us; and the conspiracy theory for Sy.
The "return to the house for something precious / sudden surprising death" plot felt very much like a nod towards Pulp Fiction.
I also very much liked the symmetrical compulsiveness of the tax inspector and the lawyer.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:08 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
And yeah, that Moon landing thing really pissed me off. I can understand that it was just another one of Varga's stories but I really don't want to see anything anything that gives even a shred of legitimacy to nutjob conspiracy theories.
I think Sy was pretty much an audience surrogate here; he was seduced by Varga's storytelling until the moon landing conspiracy jolted him out of it.
As viewers we're often shown Varga as having a snakish charm -- the fascinating eccentric -- but which is regularly undercut by something which reveals him as repellent. Last week: the cock-mug, the ravings about Jews. This week, the bloody toothpick for us; and the conspiracy theory for Sy.
The "return to the house for something precious / sudden surprising death" plot felt very much like a nod towards Pulp Fiction.
I also very much liked the symmetrical compulsiveness of the tax inspector and the lawyer.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:08 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
I thought the same about the Moon landing conspiracy as Kyle. I thought it made him seem not as on top of things as he had come off earlier. (Scott Tobias, writing at the NY Times, evidently thought much the same.)
Interesting about the nod to "Pulp Fiction." The mixing animation of an homage sort in with live action in Ep 3 already seemed kind of "Kill Bill"-esque. I was thinking that this episode was meant to bring in a bit of"No Country for Old Men" as well. And I've seen people mention that the glass breaking scene echoed "The Grifters." It's been far too many years since I've seen that one, though--like, 25-ish.
posted by raysmj at 9:23 AM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Interesting about the nod to "Pulp Fiction." The mixing animation of an homage sort in with live action in Ep 3 already seemed kind of "Kill Bill"-esque. I was thinking that this episode was meant to bring in a bit of"No Country for Old Men" as well. And I've seen people mention that the glass breaking scene echoed "The Grifters." It's been far too many years since I've seen that one, though--like, 25-ish.
posted by raysmj at 9:23 AM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think Sy was pretty much an audience surrogate here; he was seduced by Varga's storytelling until the moon landing conspiracy jolted him out of it.
I got that, but I still hate anything that gives even a shred of legitimacy to conspiracy theories. Anything that even acknowledges that they exist. It's just this weird thing I have. Not really a fault of the show.
posted by bondcliff at 10:36 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
I got that, but I still hate anything that gives even a shred of legitimacy to conspiracy theories. Anything that even acknowledges that they exist. It's just this weird thing I have. Not really a fault of the show.
posted by bondcliff at 10:36 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
The lawyer was the henchman who's usually wearing earbuds. I'm sure he was imitating the IRS guy on purpose, which was delightful to watch.
I'm liking this season and look forward to watching every week. Fargo's m.o. is to have an all-powerful baddie who's prone to story telling and pontificating being foiled by a cop doing good cop work. (And all three within a 150-200 mile radius, just guessing) Somehow they make it interesting every time for me.
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:47 AM on May 26, 2017
I'm liking this season and look forward to watching every week. Fargo's m.o. is to have an all-powerful baddie who's prone to story telling and pontificating being foiled by a cop doing good cop work. (And all three within a 150-200 mile radius, just guessing) Somehow they make it interesting every time for me.
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:47 AM on May 26, 2017
I was fully on board to accept that Fargo takes place in an alternate universe where the moon landing WAS fake, just like I accepted the UFO last season, but I think it was a deliberate lie Varga told. "Perception is reality." he's messing with Sy and Emmett and wants them to question reality a bit, classic manipulation technique.
I am still underwhelmed by this season but it felt like at least something happened in this one, and not the thing I expected. I like the character development of Emmett from victim to reluctant patsy to full-on conspirator.
I did love seeing Mr. Headphones play lawyer with the IRS guy.
posted by mmoncur at 12:03 PM on May 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
I am still underwhelmed by this season but it felt like at least something happened in this one, and not the thing I expected. I like the character development of Emmett from victim to reluctant patsy to full-on conspirator.
I did love seeing Mr. Headphones play lawyer with the IRS guy.
posted by mmoncur at 12:03 PM on May 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
I finally was able to see this episode, and it feels like the pieces are coming together. I like that Varga narrated the stories, and was struck: Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman also narrated starting stories in earlier episodes, correct? So the three main "bad guys" so far have given narration. Who'll narrate next week's opening?
posted by jazon at 7:40 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by jazon at 7:40 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
I wonder whether IRS guy is actually FBI guy.
posted by Grangousier at 4:33 AM on May 27, 2017
posted by Grangousier at 4:33 AM on May 27, 2017
I think Sy was pretty much an audience surrogate here; he was seduced by Varga's storytelling until the moon landing conspiracy jolted him out of it.
To me, I think part of the intention was to contrast the levels of credulity between Emmet and Sy - in the first scene- and Gloria and Winnie - in the interrogation that we see later on. In the first scene we see that Sy is surprised by the moon landing story - but does not give it the derision it merits. In the second case we see Varga's claim that there were 24 Hitlers in the phone book - get short shrift from Gloria -making him look a bit of a fool (the claim, so far I am am aware, is also false - Hitler would have been "Schickelgruber" had his farther not changed his name to "Hiedler" which then got mis-transcribed as "Hitler" - apparently - so it was not at all a common surname). The female police characters in Fargo survive by being a whole lot better at detecting bullshit.
posted by rongorongo at 11:47 PM on July 8, 2017
To me, I think part of the intention was to contrast the levels of credulity between Emmet and Sy - in the first scene- and Gloria and Winnie - in the interrogation that we see later on. In the first scene we see that Sy is surprised by the moon landing story - but does not give it the derision it merits. In the second case we see Varga's claim that there were 24 Hitlers in the phone book - get short shrift from Gloria -making him look a bit of a fool (the claim, so far I am am aware, is also false - Hitler would have been "Schickelgruber" had his farther not changed his name to "Hiedler" which then got mis-transcribed as "Hitler" - apparently - so it was not at all a common surname). The female police characters in Fargo survive by being a whole lot better at detecting bullshit.
posted by rongorongo at 11:47 PM on July 8, 2017
Also, on the subject of truthy tropes and to American readers - no, that is not something that we commonly do to our teeth!
posted by rongorongo at 11:55 PM on July 8, 2017
posted by rongorongo at 11:55 PM on July 8, 2017
So it's been 25 years and I still remember my freshman year history teacher (who was my favorite, yet most feared teacher, who lectured from a La-Z-Boy on a dais) telling us the Gavrilo Princip sandwich story, so I loved that.
(Sorry, finally watching the season now.)
Otherwise I'm not digging this season nearly as much as the first two. Not nearly enough for our lady cops to do (although I am enjoying the teaming up). Fargo needs a Marge Gunderson. Molly channeled Marge in her own way and she was the absolute heart and soul of Season 1. It wouldn't have been a success without her. Same with Season 2. Peggy may not have been a cop, but she was the heart of the show. This season it's all about the men and I'm getting kinda bored. I really don't care about any of the Stussys, not even the old fella who was murdered. They should have given us a reason to care about him before the Chief-not-Chief got a wild hair to solve his murder.
Also I get that you're on parole and all, but when you're hurt that bad, Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character who I can't even remember your name, JIMINIY CHRISTMAS GO TO THE DANG HOSPITAL ALREADY.
Uh. This show makes me talk funny.
(I did *love* the Peter and the Wolf thing in the last episode though.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:38 AM on February 18, 2018
(Sorry, finally watching the season now.)
Otherwise I'm not digging this season nearly as much as the first two. Not nearly enough for our lady cops to do (although I am enjoying the teaming up). Fargo needs a Marge Gunderson. Molly channeled Marge in her own way and she was the absolute heart and soul of Season 1. It wouldn't have been a success without her. Same with Season 2. Peggy may not have been a cop, but she was the heart of the show. This season it's all about the men and I'm getting kinda bored. I really don't care about any of the Stussys, not even the old fella who was murdered. They should have given us a reason to care about him before the Chief-not-Chief got a wild hair to solve his murder.
Also I get that you're on parole and all, but when you're hurt that bad, Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character who I can't even remember your name, JIMINIY CHRISTMAS GO TO THE DANG HOSPITAL ALREADY.
Uh. This show makes me talk funny.
(I did *love* the Peter and the Wolf thing in the last episode though.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:38 AM on February 18, 2018
I also very much liked the symmetrical compulsiveness of the tax inspector and the lawyer.
It kinda ruined it for me that he had the exact same pens and calculator; too cutsey.
posted by fleacircus at 11:48 AM on October 9, 2020
It kinda ruined it for me that he had the exact same pens and calculator; too cutsey.
posted by fleacircus at 11:48 AM on October 9, 2020
Our recordings of this were messed up I guess and we skipped from 5 to 7 so only walked back to catch this after that. Honestly I liked it better having skipped it. We're haven't finished the series, but this didn't feel like it added much and I was able to glean pretty much all the info from the jump. I actually liked it more!
posted by Carillon at 10:24 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Carillon at 10:24 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
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And yeah, that Moon landing thing really pissed me off. I can understand that it was just another one of Varga's stories but I really don't want to see anything anything that gives even a shred of legitimacy to nutjob conspiracy theories. I don't even like when people joke about Moon landing hoaxes or chemtrails or whatever.
I'll keep watching it, I mean it's not like True Detective S2E1 where I was just like "nope!", but I'm just not finding it as interesting this year. Hopefully S4 will be a bit better.
posted by bondcliff at 7:09 AM on May 26, 2017 [4 favorites]