Fargo

Great stuff. I think there's 10.

I  am looking forward to the scene where a wood chipping machine is chipping a body and spraying blood and bits over the snow.

Yes, very good indeed. Martin Freeman is excellent in the part, as is Billy Bob Thornton as the nasty bit of work. It's got the atmosphere of the original film, but obviously a different storyline.

I just could not bear it. Fargo is way on top of my favourite films of all time. I gritted my teeth and watched 3 minutes of the TV episode but it felt like a desecration-and pointless.

My wife and I then just watched the movie again. For the nth time. Did we love every single minute: you betcha!

Bruce

You should have stuck with it Bruce. Fargo's one of my favourite films too & I really wasn't keen to watch this new version but I was very surprised how good it was. A very interesting take.

I watched episode 1 last night - laugh out loud funny. 

Fargo fargin' rocks! ..... so far, at least. Hopefully the next eight episodes will keep pace. I'm getting chilly just anticipating the next hour of it. I can almost see my breath .

'Nasty and Minnesota Nice' black comedy. Delightfully different. The dark deeds perpetrated are somehow funny. There was an interesting body-disposal method in this evening's episode.

As Tony said; the film is a tough act to follow, but the TV series seems to be pulling it off - explaining the sanction of the Coen Brothers.

Martin Freeman is doing a great job (and accent) and Billy Bob Thornton does 'quiet menace' as few actors can. And we get Tom Hanks' son, Colin too.

John.

Switched off after half hour, very dark sad programme. Just don't understand this sort of humour. Each to his own.

Quite enjoying it, I have never seen the film so this is "new" to us.

They seem to have a strange accent in Minnesota. Is this the area that had a lot of Scandinavians settled in?

What channel is it on?  Catch-up available?

Channel 4 , "they" say it's available on 4OD.

Oh ya, you could say that, oh ya. There are more people of Norwegian and Swedish extraction  in Minnesota than there are Norwegians and Swedes living in Norway and Sweden. The accents in the film are even more funny. The film is a classic and hugely brilliant. 

I thought the scene between Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman in the hospital was brilliant and laugh out loud funny. In fact, I am going to watch it again right now. 

Yes.  A bunch of Swedes were first to make it this far west and stopped. Apparently, all of the lakes, birch and pine trees reminded them of home. The rest of the Scandinavians soon followed, but the largest group of settlers here by far are German. Post Vietnam War, Minnesota became home to the largest group of Cambodian immigrants in the US.  And more recently, the same became true for Somalis fleeing their war-torn country.

The Cohn brothers grew up in a relatively affluent inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis, just a couple of miles away from where I now live.  It's a very different world than the picture of "life up north" portrayed in Fargo. One of the brothers is quoted as saying northern Minnesota is “like Siberia, but with more family style restaurants.”  

Funny, but I am finding the accents in the TV show a bit more believable than the over-the-top "Ya, sure, you betcha's" from the movie. I also think Martin Freeman is a very good actor, but it is confusing for me to watch him, and not hear Bilbo Baggins voice coming out of his mouth!  

Am enjoying the show overall, but I get where Maze is coming from. The Cohn brothers do like to mess with their audience's heads.  They want you to feel...conflicted.  I catch myself giggling at one of the many horrible acts of violence and think, hey stop...oh my...that's just not right!  

Speaking of the Cohns, I finally got a chance to watch "Inside Llewyn Davis" last night, and enjoyed it thoroughly.  In fact, I think I am going to buy the soundtrack album today.

ATB.

Hook

PS - FYI, and despite the disclaimer at the beginning of each show, the events in Fargo are 100% fiction. And oh yeah, just for the record, Fargo is in North Dakota...

To find out more about how life is for the settled Scandinavians in Minnesota look up  Garrison Keillor and his books about the people eg Lake Woebegone etc

The Coen Bros stuff is definitely a bit "off" and out of the mainstream. It's not necessarily intended to be all about humor, nor should you find it overall funny. The first time I watched Fargo the movie I was left feeling disturbed. Subsequent viewings got me to appreciate the off-beat, edgy nature of their film making. I've only seen a few of the Coen Bros flicks, but like their non-mainstream and quirky approach to presenting a story.

If you are a fan of chick flicks and cookie cutter Hollywood films with predictable endings, the Coen Bros are probably not for you. But if, like me, you prefer films that take you out of your comfort zone and force you to follow at different levels, then the Coen Bros have much to offer. While "dark humor" may be the brand the Coens have been assigned, don't expect to find a comedy or laugh through their movies.

Strong character development is part of the brand, and following the responses of the players has as much to do with the story as the overall plot. Often, resolution of the overall plot is not apparent until the end, so stay with it.

Fargo is enjoyable to watch, well done to the Coen Bros. The series reminds me a little of Twin Peaks. Much better than the new 'Prey' series on ITV which I found suprisingly so boring, that I actually nearly fell asleep while watching it...!