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

[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 much everyone got what was coming to them (for good or bad). Whew!

[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!