Fargo: Fear and Trembling
November 3, 2015 4:09 AM - Season 2, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Floyd responds to Kansas City's proposal, Hanzee takes a road trip, and Lou has a realization.
"Kill a king, be the king. That's the world. If you're feelin' sour about it, write a letter to Napoleon."
So Dodd's been a real swell lad since he was young. I liked how they dubbed in Michael Hogan's voice in the flashback (or they found a REAL good sound-a-like?). Also we got to see Todd's butt, learned that Karl is friend to no toilet, and that Mike is okay with certain kinds of surprises. Saul Tigh's still got the most hateful, murderous one-eyed death stare in all of television.
Also that scene with the oncologist was perfectly Fargo tragicomedy. I'm still pulling for Betsy Solverson even though she's gone by the time we get to season 1's events, but I'm really not feeling good about the Blomquist's chances either individually or as a pair.
"Kill a king, be the king. That's the world. If you're feelin' sour about it, write a letter to Napoleon."
So Dodd's been a real swell lad since he was young. I liked how they dubbed in Michael Hogan's voice in the flashback (or they found a REAL good sound-a-like?). Also we got to see Todd's butt, learned that Karl is friend to no toilet, and that Mike is okay with certain kinds of surprises. Saul Tigh's still got the most hateful, murderous one-eyed death stare in all of television.
Also that scene with the oncologist was perfectly Fargo tragicomedy. I'm still pulling for Betsy Solverson even though she's gone by the time we get to season 1's events, but I'm really not feeling good about the Blomquist's chances either individually or as a pair.
It's mentioned in passing in Sepinwall's review that that actually is Michael Hogan in the flashback. I guess I am easier to fool than him (it didn't look enough like Hogan to me for me to peg it as the same person in a lot of makeup and a wig).
posted by sparkletone at 5:23 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by sparkletone at 5:23 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
I kept staring at flashback-Hogan thinking, "That's incredible that they found someone that looks so much like him and sounds so much like him ... but obviously that can't really be him."
and yet it is, apparently.
I really enjoyed how this series is treating Lou Solverson as a capable and competent police officer, and then they go and show Hanzee doing better detective-ing in half the time. Of course he doesn't have the restrictions about following the law, not threatening people, not breaking into houses, and so on, so that makes it a bit easier I suppose.
Also enjoyed the scene of Hanzee investigating the Blomquist garage. When he touched the floor and then smelled his finger I thought, "He's going to smell the bleach, and who bleaches their floors? But how ... I mean it would be completely out of character for him to speak out loud to himself, "Bleach." so how are they going to show the viewer what ..." and then they cut to a shot of the shelves and a bottle of bleach is featured but not too prominently. There are a dozen ways they could have made that more clumsy and obvious (character talking to self, big close-up shot of the bleach, flashback toRicky HitlerJesse cleaning the floor) but they went with an appropriate subtle solution. I liked it.
posted by komara at 8:19 AM on November 3, 2015 [12 favorites]
and yet it is, apparently.
I really enjoyed how this series is treating Lou Solverson as a capable and competent police officer, and then they go and show Hanzee doing better detective-ing in half the time. Of course he doesn't have the restrictions about following the law, not threatening people, not breaking into houses, and so on, so that makes it a bit easier I suppose.
Also enjoyed the scene of Hanzee investigating the Blomquist garage. When he touched the floor and then smelled his finger I thought, "He's going to smell the bleach, and who bleaches their floors? But how ... I mean it would be completely out of character for him to speak out loud to himself, "Bleach." so how are they going to show the viewer what ..." and then they cut to a shot of the shelves and a bottle of bleach is featured but not too prominently. There are a dozen ways they could have made that more clumsy and obvious (character talking to self, big close-up shot of the bleach, flashback to
posted by komara at 8:19 AM on November 3, 2015 [12 favorites]
I was wondering if Lou sitting outside was this scene, or meant to allude to it.
It's pretty clear a lot of bodies are going to fall. I do wonder what's going to happen with Hanzee and Ed and Peggy though.
This was just the fourth episode out of ten, I'm sure there's plenty of twists coming up. Can't wait to see that seminar!
posted by Catblack at 8:35 AM on November 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
It's pretty clear a lot of bodies are going to fall. I do wonder what's going to happen with Hanzee and Ed and Peggy though.
This was just the fourth episode out of ten, I'm sure there's plenty of twists coming up. Can't wait to see that seminar!
posted by Catblack at 8:35 AM on November 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
This episode was certified "Great!" early-on, when the soundtrack started blasting Too Much Paranoias!
Agreed, though I wish they'd cut it sooner. The weirdo ringmod break just felt like really badly-synced Looney Toons sound effects during the fight scene.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:42 AM on November 3, 2015
Agreed, though I wish they'd cut it sooner. The weirdo ringmod break just felt like really badly-synced Looney Toons sound effects during the fight scene.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:42 AM on November 3, 2015
I really enjoyed how this series is treating Lou Solverson as a capable and competent police officer, and then they go and show Hanzee doing better detective-ing in half the time.
Hanzee didn't spend the morning at a specialists office for his wife's cancer, which looked like it took a good chunk of the morning.
posted by LizBoBiz at 8:42 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hanzee didn't spend the morning at a specialists office for his wife's cancer, which looked like it took a good chunk of the morning.
posted by LizBoBiz at 8:42 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
You don't know that.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:45 AM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Sys Rq at 8:45 AM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
Actually we do because we saw him go to the crime scene, get some glass, then go to a body shop.
It was after he left the shop that Lou was called on the radio to go over there, which was after they got home from the appointment.
posted by LizBoBiz at 8:53 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was after he left the shop that Lou was called on the radio to go over there, which was after they got home from the appointment.
posted by LizBoBiz at 8:53 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
"Hanzee didn't spend the morning at a specialists office for his wife's cancer, which looked like it took a good chunk of the morning."
In one single day Hanzee drove to the scene of the murder, sussed out the order of events inside, tracked the movement outdoors, tracked Rye's footprints to where he was hit by a car, found a piece of overlooked evidence, lost time to aliens, located the car that hit Rye, found out who owned it, found their house, the bleach, and the belt buckle.
The only reason Solverson got as far as he did is because Hanzee was at the shop making a scene. Without the mechanics calling the police Solverson wouldn't have gotten a look at the Blomquist car to piece together what had happened.
posted by komara at 8:55 AM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
In one single day Hanzee drove to the scene of the murder, sussed out the order of events inside, tracked the movement outdoors, tracked Rye's footprints to where he was hit by a car, found a piece of overlooked evidence, lost time to aliens, located the car that hit Rye, found out who owned it, found their house, the bleach, and the belt buckle.
The only reason Solverson got as far as he did is because Hanzee was at the shop making a scene. Without the mechanics calling the police Solverson wouldn't have gotten a look at the Blomquist car to piece together what had happened.
posted by komara at 8:55 AM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
I mean none of that is a knock on Solverson. I'm just trying to say that Hanzee is really good at what he does, which involves using methods to which reputable law enforcement officers do not have access.
posted by komara at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by komara at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh! Back to the Devo soundtrack: What are the odds that the drive to Sioux Falls (or certain events there) gets accompanied by "Soo Bawls"?
posted by Sys Rq at 8:58 AM on November 3, 2015
posted by Sys Rq at 8:58 AM on November 3, 2015
I kinda wonder re Hanzee if they are playing up the 'magical native american' trope with his near supernatural 'tracking' skills.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:57 AM on November 3, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 9:57 AM on November 3, 2015 [6 favorites]
I read it more as a typical Fargo style fluke that Hanzee found the shard of glass from the car headlight.
posted by 2ht at 10:29 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by 2ht at 10:29 AM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some of Hanzee's detective work in the house seems magical until you realize he's that good because he has a lot of experience making bodies disappear.
I didn't know Lifespring was the real name of the seminar. "A cheaper course, so I could be a less good me?"
posted by Gary at 3:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
I didn't know Lifespring was the real name of the seminar. "A cheaper course, so I could be a less good me?"
posted by Gary at 3:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
Interesting that Lifespring is so closely related to est, which I only know about from another fantastic show, The Americans.
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:14 PM on November 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:14 PM on November 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
I mean none of that is a knock on Solverson. I'm just trying to say that Hanzee is really good at what he does, which involves using methods to which reputable law enforcement officers do not have access.
The sense of smell?
posted by Xavier Xavier at 7:19 PM on November 3, 2015
The sense of smell?
posted by Xavier Xavier at 7:19 PM on November 3, 2015
Teasing, of course. Fantastic episode, great show. The body count is about to grow, though. Obviously.
posted by Xavier Xavier at 7:20 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by Xavier Xavier at 7:20 PM on November 3, 2015
Really liking this season. Nice to see Jeffrey Donovan doing good work.
Just a bit of annoyance; the clinical trial for cancer treatment. Don't know if that was really how it was done back then, but for something as serious as cancer, the "control" arm isn't placebo. It's typically "standard treatment" and compares whether the new drug is more effective than standard treatment.
posted by porpoise at 7:49 PM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
Just a bit of annoyance; the clinical trial for cancer treatment. Don't know if that was really how it was done back then, but for something as serious as cancer, the "control" arm isn't placebo. It's typically "standard treatment" and compares whether the new drug is more effective than standard treatment.
posted by porpoise at 7:49 PM on November 3, 2015 [5 favorites]
He's going to smell the bleach, and who bleaches their floors?
Honestly? Lots of places. I learned to do that after working in a restaurant, where we mopped the floor with diluted bleach every single night.
posted by LionIndex at 7:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Honestly? Lots of places. I learned to do that after working in a restaurant, where we mopped the floor with diluted bleach every single night.
posted by LionIndex at 7:59 PM on November 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
My girlfriend pointed out that in the few seconds Hanzee saw the spaceship, he lost two hours.
posted by maxsparber at 9:37 PM on November 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by maxsparber at 9:37 PM on November 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
My girlfriend pointed out that in the few seconds Hanzee saw the spaceship, he lost two hours
Really? I briefly considered going back and checking the watch we see in a couple shots but I wasn't sure if we got a "before" look at it. If that's verifiable, that's kind of awesome. Mulder dancing around like a dork in the rain after he and Scully lose some minutes in the X-Files pilot was always one of my favorite bits from that episode.
posted by sparkletone at 2:06 AM on November 4, 2015
Really? I briefly considered going back and checking the watch we see in a couple shots but I wasn't sure if we got a "before" look at it. If that's verifiable, that's kind of awesome. Mulder dancing around like a dork in the rain after he and Scully lose some minutes in the X-Files pilot was always one of my favorite bits from that episode.
posted by sparkletone at 2:06 AM on November 4, 2015
There's a cutaway shot to the clock on the wall when he's in the diner and it's about seven minutes past seven and when he looks at his watch post lights in the sky it's about seven minutes past nine.... there's a lot split scene stuff going on, which could indicate a passage of time as he ponders stuff, looks for clues etc but not for two hours I think
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:27 AM on November 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:27 AM on November 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Slight disappointed there's no actual Ronnie Reagan film called Moonbase Freedom
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:39 AM on November 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:39 AM on November 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
I saw the shot of the clock on the wall, and then the weird lights, and then the shot of the watch. I couldn't see the watch exactly but I knew it didn't match the clock, and that the implication was that time had been altered. Hence my comment above: "... found a piece of overlooked evidence, lost time to aliens, located the car that hit Rye ..."
posted by komara at 7:20 AM on November 4, 2015
posted by komara at 7:20 AM on November 4, 2015
they cut to a shot of the shelves and a bottle of bleach is featured … they went with an appropriate subtle solution.
Did they really need to show the bleach at all?
I mean, we know they bleached the floor, we see him taste the residue, we know he has experience disposing of bodies… showing us the bottle of bleach was hardly "subtle" at that point.
posted by robcorr at 3:21 PM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Did they really need to show the bleach at all?
I mean, we know they bleached the floor, we see him taste the residue, we know he has experience disposing of bodies… showing us the bottle of bleach was hardly "subtle" at that point.
posted by robcorr at 3:21 PM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
The bleach bottle is doing more than that, though. It's showing, like the belt buckle in the fireplace, just how sloppy these people are at covering their tracks. Not just that they covered up a murder, but that they've completely neglected to cover up the coverup. The obviousness is the point.
(I suspect the same is true of the giant pile of asphalt in the road. Someone might notice that, boys!)
posted by Sys Rq at 5:54 PM on November 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
(I suspect the same is true of the giant pile of asphalt in the road. Someone might notice that, boys!)
posted by Sys Rq at 5:54 PM on November 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
Not just that they covered up a murder, but that they've completely neglected to cover up the coverup.
Is it really so weird to have bleach in your garage?
posted by meese at 7:21 PM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Is it really so weird to have bleach in your garage?
posted by meese at 7:21 PM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yes. Bleach doesn't have a lot of automotive uses. Full bottle, okay, maybe you're storing it there while you finish the one by the washer/under the sink/wherever, but a half-obviously-dumped-on-the-bleach-reeking-floor bottle? Kinda weird.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:37 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by Sys Rq at 8:37 PM on November 5, 2015
"Did they really need to show the bleach at all?"
For me and for you? No, they did not. However, go read through the FanFare threads for, say, True Detective and count up every time someone was like, "Wait, who was that? How did that happen?"
Some people are just not attentive TV watchers is all, and I think the people making quality TV know that and are bending down juuu-u-u-u-st enough to help them out, but not leave the rest of us going, "OH MY GOD I KNOW IT WAS BLEACH HE SMELLED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A ONE-MINUTE FLASHBACK WITH WAVY WAYNE'S WORLD TRANSITION LINES BEFORE AND AFTER."
posted by komara at 10:09 AM on November 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
For me and for you? No, they did not. However, go read through the FanFare threads for, say, True Detective and count up every time someone was like, "Wait, who was that? How did that happen?"
Some people are just not attentive TV watchers is all, and I think the people making quality TV know that and are bending down juuu-u-u-u-st enough to help them out, but not leave the rest of us going, "OH MY GOD I KNOW IT WAS BLEACH HE SMELLED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A ONE-MINUTE FLASHBACK WITH WAVY WAYNE'S WORLD TRANSITION LINES BEFORE AND AFTER."
posted by komara at 10:09 AM on November 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, but a lot of the fault for those "wait, what?" issues lay with True Detective's terribly muddy writing.
I thought the bleach glance was just fine; if anything the repeated shots of the belt buckle in the fireplace in previous episodes (one when the clothes were being burned, one of it lying in the ashes) were much more "hey viewers, THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT" leading.
It's showing, like the belt buckle in the fireplace, just how sloppy these people are at covering their tracks. Not just that they covered up a murder, but that they've completely neglected to cover up the coverup. The obviousness is the point.
Yes -- and the clumsily transparent faked car accident, also. They are terrible at being accidental murderers. Is it just me that's wondering: what did Ed do with the body after he ground it up? I've a feeling that there's some repulsive "just what's in those sausages?" revelation to come...
I really liked the little moment in the back of the Gerhardt limo: Dodd seeking comfort from Floyd like a child, and Floyd initially withdrawing her hand before stroking his face.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:04 PM on November 6, 2015
I thought the bleach glance was just fine; if anything the repeated shots of the belt buckle in the fireplace in previous episodes (one when the clothes were being burned, one of it lying in the ashes) were much more "hey viewers, THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT" leading.
It's showing, like the belt buckle in the fireplace, just how sloppy these people are at covering their tracks. Not just that they covered up a murder, but that they've completely neglected to cover up the coverup. The obviousness is the point.
Yes -- and the clumsily transparent faked car accident, also. They are terrible at being accidental murderers. Is it just me that's wondering: what did Ed do with the body after he ground it up? I've a feeling that there's some repulsive "just what's in those sausages?" revelation to come...
I really liked the little moment in the back of the Gerhardt limo: Dodd seeking comfort from Floyd like a child, and Floyd initially withdrawing her hand before stroking his face.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:04 PM on November 6, 2015
Todd VanDerWerff, a piece that takes Bokeem Woodbine's performance as Mike Milligan as its jumping-off point: Why More Actors Should Be Cast Against Type.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:09 PM on November 6, 2015
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:09 PM on November 6, 2015
Is it just me that's wondering: what did Ed do with the body after he ground it up?
The Special Stuff
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:51 AM on November 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Special Stuff
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:51 AM on November 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mike Milligan and his Sleeve Gun!
posted by Monochrome at 11:58 AM on November 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Monochrome at 11:58 AM on November 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
All of the cancer lady scenes (especially this week) are very Wes Andersonesque. The centering, the lighting, the colors.
Sorry I can't remember her name. I am terrible with names and don't remember any until like...the season finale of any show. It's my thing.
posted by the webmistress at 1:10 PM on November 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sorry I can't remember her name. I am terrible with names and don't remember any until like...the season finale of any show. It's my thing.
posted by the webmistress at 1:10 PM on November 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
"Really? I briefly considered going back and checking the watch we see in a couple shots but I wasn't sure if we got a 'before' look at it. If that's verifiable, that's kind of awesome."
Here's that scene of Hanzee at the Waffle House. They give the audience a very clear shot of both the clock on the wall inside and of Hanzee's watch after he sees the lights. I guess it's possible that the clock (or his watch) isn't showing the actual time.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:18 PM on November 12, 2015
Here's that scene of Hanzee at the Waffle House. They give the audience a very clear shot of both the clock on the wall inside and of Hanzee's watch after he sees the lights. I guess it's possible that the clock (or his watch) isn't showing the actual time.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:18 PM on November 12, 2015
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posted by Thorzdad at 4:31 AM on November 3, 2015 [6 favorites]