How NOT to Stop Being a Doormat; or, Why You Should Maybe Watch FARGO-the-TV-Show

[rockinlibrarian]

Here's a post that's been at least seven weeks in the making, because I keep thinking ALL THESE THINGS I want to say about my Latest Favorite TV Show, but then I'd see another episode and think, "Wait, maybe I'd better see how THIS plays out, first," or then I'd think about how I want to recommend it and I don't want to be spoilery and then after

Comments

[elouise82]

UNCANNY

[rockinlibrarian]

Oooooo. It all comes together even in real life

[zimbra1006]

I was out of town so my husband and I just finally got around to watching the finale. Loved it!
I originally watched the show because I love all the actors in it and I also liked the movie Fargo, so it seemed like good times all around. (I use "good times" loosely). When we first started watching we liked the parallels to the movie, like the bumbling main character who tries to not be a pushover for once, with disastrous results; the tough but soft female cop; the creepy hired criminal; etc. But it quickly showed itself to be its own thing.
The thing that fascinated me about the show was how I kept finding myself rooting for Lester to get out of whatever corner he'd painted himself into - and then I'd remember, wait, he's a total asshole! But they made him weirdly sympathetic at the same time, just because he was the main character and all, and because there was someone else who was way way worse.
I was happy with the ending, too. So many shows these days throw you curve balls by offing your favorite characters and stuff, and pretty

[rockinlibrarian]

Looking back I'm not sure WHY I was so certain the good guys would win, except that it honestly seemed to be built that way-- but then I read how many other people totally assumed they wouldn't, and the writer did an interview where he said the ending is not what you might expect, and I'm like, "huh, I must be weird."

I gave up on Lester after he VAGUE SPOILERS did what he did to his brother and family. That was the point I thought Oh, poor Lester, now you've done it, there's no hope left for your soul. Although I did cheer for him during the moment with the stapler. But I guess I felt bad about the complete loss of his soul, rather than hating him, so that's something! But you know my Martin (okay, you know what I THINK of Martin), he's always so brilliant at getting to the heart of characters and making you believe in them and feel what they're feeling, even slimy creeps like Lester!

[ext_784244]

Oh, sounds interesting! Could be something my husband and I both watch (which is getting infrequent these days). I'm concerned about the violence, but the fact that there are good guys may save it for me. Hubby kept trying to get me to watch Breaking Bad because the writing is so good, and I'd watch part of an episode and agree, yes, the writing is great, these characters are so well developed, oh my heavens that is just awful I cannot watch this! Because the ultimate message is how horrible everyone is, and I don't need to hear that message, thanks.

[rockinlibrarian]

I haven't seen Breaking Bad, but I've seen a lot of people compare the two shows, and they point out that Lester is very like the main character there. They're the same sort of increasingly despicable antihero. But what seemed to confuse some people when they started watching Fargo is that this ISN'T Lester's story. Well, it is, but he's not meant to be the protagonist-- he'd BE an antihero, except that this show has REAL HEROIC HEROES to root for, instead. And people were like, wait, I thought antihero stories were the Thing, now. You mean this story has ACTUAL heroes? I'm confused! ;) It does get really dark, but you can depend on the good people to keep being good people.

It's also not CONSTANT violence. It's just when there IS violence, it's brutal and often startling.

[ext_784244]

yes! Actual Heroes! They still exist. (In the real world, too, though my husband tends not to believe it. Probably why he resonates more with Breaking Bad kind of stories.)

[rockinlibrarian]

I just found this while looking for a different article on Tumblr: a discussion of this very issue in Time Magazine.