One thing FX has seemingly cornered the market on is the anthology series. After American Horror Story was able to take different parts of the horror genre and make interesting series of note, Fargo managed to do the same with small town crime. Three seasons in it doesn’t seem to be stopping as the show has managed to find a niche as one of television’s best shows despite not having the same cast, plot or location from a season to season basis.
Taking place in the Minneapolis suburbs this season, season 3 of Fargo follows a couple Nikki and Ray (Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor). The setup is simple: they try to rob Ray’s twin brother Emmit (McGregor, also). He’s tied into a shady criminal organization because of a loan he took out, years ago. A double murder winds up connecting all of them.
Much like the past two seasons, the ability to craft one tale over 10 episodes has a certain freedom to it that Fargo darkly embraces. Without much to have to worry about, except for telling a good story, Fargo takes even significantly more risks this time out. And it works in part because Ewan McGregor is talented enough that he plays two great parts that carry the piece, not just one.
McGregor has a hard task as an actor to provide two very different characters, in markedly different wardrobe and makeup, and manages to give us wildly different characters that just happen to be twins. It’s a genuinely interesting and unique character study and acting study; McGregor uses a slightly different gait for each character, among other things, and it becomes interesting to observe on a surface level.
Fargo is a terrific anthology series that does for small town crime what American Horror Story does for horror.
Nothing of note.
20th Century Fox presents Fargo (Season 3). Created by Noah Hawley based off Fargo by Joel & Ethan Coen. Starring Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Run Time: 420 minutes Not rated . Released on DVD: 12.5.17
