That was a great episode. I understand that some folks are a little jaded by the formula, but i’ll watch it all day long when the writing and the acting are this good.
The music choices are great, and the sound and vision of that air conditioner smashing Maurice to the sidewalk was hilarious.
That’s the thing - I like this formula :). It worked for the movie, it worked for season 1 and it worked for season 2. As long as it continues to be as clever as the first two seasons ( and so far, so good ), I’m perfectly happy to continue wallowing in the Fargo version of formulaic.
I mean, I still like macaroni and cheese and I’ve been eating it since forever.
I just watched it. Looks like another good season! I don’t mind the formula at all.
I’m thinking that the valuable stamp is Eastern European and is the link with the opening scene.
Regarding the stamps that were mistakenly stolen: were they just a plain old book of first class postage stamps? What an idiot.
What were those things she found in the box in the floor, some sort of printing plates?
Not even beer?
Never mind: thinking of a different series.
What a beautiful coincidence, I just finished re-watching S1 & S2 with no idea there even was a season 3.
I started watching it the other night, not knowing anything about S3 going in, and had no idea that was Ewan MacGregor until I saw his name in the end credits. In fact, my wife specifically asked who was the actor playing Ray, and I said “I have no idea – I haven’t recognized anybody yet.” Yeah, I’m an idiot.
I don’t know why I thought this, but when they showed he’d stolen what looked like a book of normal stamps, I immediately thought, hey, maybe those stamps are 3¢ stamps featuring the Mallard that Norm painted from the movie.
Oh, that’s good. They HAVE to bring that in somehow! I’d completely forgotten about that. Anyone notice any other ties to previous stories?
RE: What she found in the box in the floor - I thought they were vintage comic books. But then I’m an idiot sometimes.
The AV Club recap said what she found in the box were two books; The Dungeon Lurk and Planet Wym. The titles sound like science fiction. And they note that the thing she picked up as a weapon looked like a Hugo Award (although not exactly, based on the photos I found online). So was the grandfather an SF author?
As for Ewan MacGregor, I knew in advance that he was playing the dual role but I recognized him more as Ray than as Emmit.
“The Dungeon Lurk” sounds much more like fantasy than SF. The other one could be either.
Given that they were hidden in the floor, it strikes me that they may have some monetary value. Maybe they’re first editions or something.
And on rewatching last night, it appears the cover of Planet Wym has two figures (one a robot) in the same positions as the model the old man made.
Is that a way of indicating that science fiction may be involved in this story, connecting with the UFO in season 2?
Off to a great start. A very Coenesque feel to the first episode, I’d say.
Absolutely. Hard to believe McGregor is the same guy who was in Trainspotting and played a young Obi-Wan Kenobi! And taking on two very different roles here - wow. Great work so far. I’ve been a Winstead fan since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter; she’s terrific, too. Stuhlbarg also has Coen Bros. cred - he starred in their underrated (and IMHO very good) A Serious Man. Very talented actor.
Could be. It seemed to depict Sisyphus pointlessly pushing his boulder up a hill, which I’m sure will metaphorically factor into this season: Sisyphus - Wikipedia
Agreed. Didn’t the cop hear footsteps upstairs? But then it looked like the ex-con had left sometime before she and her son returned to get the carving.
Ah, could be.
Remind me of the shared elements of each season with the original movie:
S1 - The ice scraper and money stash from the movie
S2 - ?
S3 - Maybe nothing so far
I thought the cop heard footsteps upstairs, but on rewatching I figured out what she actually heard was the door opening and footsteps from her son coming in.
One thing I don’t remember - in his rush to leave the apartment, did Ray remember to take his phone, or is it still on the edge of the tub in the bathroom? I wonder if the cops will find it and figure out he was there.
“Prisencolinensinainciusol” —I’ve loved that piece of music deeply for years. The video of its 1972 debut on Italian television is classic (with the 1972 black-and-white version being superior to the later color version). “SOB,” over the end credits, was perfect, too.
Noah Hawley always has great music in his shows (in Legion, too). Must cost his productions a mint, but it’s worth it.
I also hoped that Nikki remembered to move that screw driver away from the empty space where the A/C unit used to be. It wouldn’t look good to have it within view.
Well that one is kind of intended isn’t it? he traded his fortune in rare stamps for the car, and now it’s old and beat up and he has nothing to show for it. He has to drive the car, his entire life turned on it.
On tonight’s episode Emmit mentioned contacting Stan Grossman, in case they were going to look into building condos on one of their sprawling parking lots. Could that be the same Stan Grossman from the original film? If so, is that the shared element?
It HAS to be. All I can think of when they say parking lots is Jerry getting hosed by his FIL.
I don’t know if it was just me, but I didn’t like e2 as much as e1. I slept very poorly last night so when I watched this afternoon, I might have been just too tired to concentrate properly.
I had to look up on IMDB that McGregor really was playing both those roles when I saw the first one. He’s doing an exellent job.
Yeah, seeing him driving that beat-up, salt-rimed Corvette around in the snow is a great visual metaphor for a once-promising life sunken into dissolution and despair.