Director: Colin Bucksey
Writer: Noah Hawley
Cast: Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Joey King, Julie Ann Emery, Adam Goldberg, Russell Harvard, Bob Odenkirk
Synopsis: Molly Solverson gets closer to finding out the truth as Lester Nygaard has a close call.
After last week’s nail biting episode, this week’s episode of FARGO took on a more sedate tone. It felt almost like a filler episode, it wasn’t bad but I think after last week, it felt the need to remind you what you was watching.
The episode opens with a flashback on Lester Nygaard haggling a price of socks, he somehow manages to get a shotgun thrown into the deal. We see the night he killed his wife and how he was going to take down the sinister Lorne Malvo. And if anyone had any doubts on his wound, we see a slowed down version of the buckshot entering his hand as Sheriff Thurman is gunned down. Back to real time and of course Nygaard is stuck in his cell with Mr Numbers and Mr Wrench breathing over him. They force him to confess by squeezing his heavily infected puss filled wound. He gives them Malvo’s name and the two hitmen seem happy enough.
One can’t help but wonder what Malvo will do when he finds out that Nygaard sold him out. It can’t be good for Nygaard either way.
Meanwhile Deputy Molly Solverson is making headways into the case as she links phone calls made from Nygaard’s house to the motel Malvo was at. Chief Bill Oswalt actually seems interested in Solverson’s findings and tells her that Nygaard is in the cells already.When they go to visit Nygaard, the infection in his hand has caused him to pass out. Delirious and consumed by guilt, Nygaard is babbling all kinds of nonsense. Solverson cleverly asks him about Sam Hess and he admits he didn’t pay to have him killed and his mumblings about the washing machine are enough for Solverson to investigate his home again.
Fresh from the plague of locusts, Stavros is certain that God is punishing him. He tells Malvo that he will pay the blackmailers and fearing for his son’s life, he has him put someplace safe. Funnily enough, his dumb son has started to figure it all out when he finds out the locusts were bought at a local pet store. Of course Stavros won’t listen and packs him off.
Meanwhile, Officer Gus Grimly is still trying to locate Malvo, he traces his steps back to Stavros’ place but heads home with no findings. Unbeknownst to him, Malvo has followed him home. The episode ends with Malvo listening in to his daughter’s conversations via walkie talkie.
Billy Bob Thornton was as great as ever, and the scene where he locks fitness instructor Don Chumph into the closet is hilarious and it really shows how effortlessly manipulative his character really is. Due to this episode’s slower pace, it looks like the next episode will be pretty full on.
What will happen when Nygaard leaves the hospital? Will Malvo let Grimly know he’s onto him? And will Mr Numbers and Mr Wrench catch their man?
[usr=3] Fargo is currently airing on Channel 4. Follow our full series blog here!
