Fargo (TV Series) Fear and Trembling (2015) User Reviews

Futures darken

[Mr-Fusion · 8/10 · 20 March 2017]

Presently, the Blumquists (Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons) are the weakest aspect of the show. They're just mostly vanilla and have served primarily as outliers. But 'Fear and Trembling' certainly does its part to change that as they're suspected in the death of Rye Gerhardt (Kieran Culkin). Serious foreboding there.

And speaking of he Gerhardts, the tide's really turned for their negotiations with Kansas City (in one fell swoop, no less). Bad implications all over.

I really like that Nick Offerman's still in the mix. He fits in very well here.

8/10

It's War

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 3 November 2015]

The undercurrents in this episode speak more loudly than a bomb going off. Ed and Peggy are so far in over their heads and have a chance to right the ship, but she maintains so much power over him. It's interesting that the point of contention is a self improvement course when she is already a ball-busting virago. Ed is such a wimp in so many ways and yet he is strong when it comes to serious actions. But Lou is on it and he knows. There is a most disturbing scene at the garage where the car is, and we find out about more demons. The Gerhardt's deal is literally laughed at. The Kansas city bunch strikes for the first time and we see how formidable they are. We also see Lou's wife becoming part of an experimental cancer drug where she may simply be part of the placebo group. Everything that happens in this episode holds weight. Outstanding.

Deliberation Without Provocation

[ThomasDrufke · 9/10 · 3 November 2015]

I love this show. It's great writing, acting, and directing at its absolute finest. Last season was great, but I have a feeling this season will be even better. Much like the previous few episodes, 'Fear and Trembling' doesn't necessarily do much for any one particular arc, but the show as a whole took another huge step forward this week. I'm embracing the coincidences and conveniences of the story because it all makes sense for what Fargo is at its core. A story about unfortunate circumstances happening to unfortunate people.

True Detective season 2 tackled many different story lines that all seemed too prevent any one story from taking off or becoming great at any particular aspect. But Fargo season 2 has far more characters than the previous season, but it actually improves the narrative. I love that this episode focuses more on some of the minor characters such as Hanzee, Mike Milligan, and most importantly Dodd Gerhardt. We seemed to get a bit of clarification on the opening scene of the first episode with Ronald Reagan's film as a callback to Dodd's childhood and the one particularly tragic moment. That scene with Dodd and his son felt a lot like Kingpin and his father back in Daredevil season 1. But I liked that we got to see more about the Gerhardt's who are as entertaining as they are deceptive. Judging by the end scene, it looks like we are going to get some big time mob murders in the coming episodes.

It was good to see Nick Offerman back as Lou's friend and car dealer. It was definitely a little convenient that he was in fact the dealer who has the Blomquist's car, but again, I bought into it. It was hard to watch the Blomquist's struggle to tell Lou about the accident. Now that they have reached that no point of return I think it's inevitable that they both die at the end of the season. Just as you rooted for Lester in season 1, you root for the Blomquist's here. It's unfortunate because I think Ed was just about to confess to Lou what really happened, oh well. Once again, another gem of an episode. It's funny that I can go from watching a mediocre and playful show like Supergirl to then immediately watching a masterpiece like Fargo.

+Esposition episode that was just as if not more entertaining than usual.

+Focused on minor characters

+Dodd

+Just tell them Blomquist's!

9.5/10

The critics were right; the first four episodes are amazing.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 9/10 · 2 November 2015]

Critics were shown the first four episodes in advance of the release. Now I see why they loved it. While not advancing things terribly, it continues to push the walls in around the Blomquists.

The story lines here are like two reciprocal functions approaching a shared asymptote; they get infinitely closer but don't converge. I honestly don't get it; how is this going to last another 6 episodes? They'll have to do some time jumping like the last season. This means there will probably be a big mid-season episode.

The Gerhardts rivalry with the city reaches a head, and the Blomquists are pursued both by the police and the Gerhardts. Lou had a particularly potent scene with the Blomquists. The sheer number of times that someone could have done something to prevent the bloodbath that is coming is staggering. Much like Dexter in season 4, there were so many ways to avoid the tragic route, but that's the way it goes.

They are still refusing to show us Ronald Reagan. The teasing in this episode was almost unbearable. I just want to see it. We got more Nick Offerma. this episode, which is good.

Things can only get worse

[TheDonaldofDoom · 27 February 2018]

It looks like Ed and Peggy have their fates sealed. Wise warnings have a habit of coming true, as Lou's probably will. That look he gives them as he leaves, that he knows, and that he knows they know he knows, is like a sigh of understanding, him giving up on trying to save them as they won't let him. It's a final chance for them to tell the truth, but no, they won't say it and he can see they won't. They ignore his advice at their peril.

The lead up to gang warfare takes thrilling turns. Criminal gangs are evil, end of, so it's unsettling seeing one gang being bested by another. Again, this is an example of a deal which could have been worked out, in this case by Floyd showing Joe Bulo that she has control of her family by punishing her son. But as a mother, she can't do that. She makes the wrong decision for which, like Ed and Peggy, she will pay. Her son is the most responsible for this however with his reckless violence. It's interesting because Fargo shows what goes wrong if you're take the coward's way out in situations but also the consequences of being too aggressive. The only characters who will make it are the ones who will tread that fine line.

This is the great thing about Fargo, each tragedy is the sum of bad decisions that could have been avoided. In both these cases, characters didn't do the brave thing even though it would have worked out better for everyone if they had. As well as terrible (but always understandable) decisions, there are real surprises, such as the discovery that Simone is sleeping with Mike Milligan. That complicates things just a little.

Anything that seems too contrived? Hanzee finding the buckle in Ed's fireplace. A certain amount of coincidences is fine, but there's a point where it becomes ridiculous, and Fargo has reached that point with this. Hopefully there won't be much more of people carelessly leaving something behind and other people amazingly stumbling across it.

As war approaches, what can be certain is that the most weak-willed, including Ed and Peggy, will be responsible for their own demise.

Fargo: S2E4 "Fear and Trembling" Review - King Cadmium

[kingcadmium · 8/10 · 10 March 2022]

Floyd responds to Kansas City's proposal, Hanzee takes a road trip, and Lou has a realization.

What I Liked:

The cinematography is solid, and each scene perfectly implements its well-crafted and memorable music score. On top of that, each actor gives a strong performance.

As the gang war intensifies, each scene involving the Gerhardts and the Kansas City Mafia becomes tenser and tenser, making for some highly enthralling television.

What I Disliked:

I am not a fan of several editing choices, particularly the usage of split screens and flashbacks, which appear superfluous at best.

Each scene with Ed & Peggy is noticeably uninteresting, especially compared to the other storylines. These characters are not likable enough to warrant the amount of screen time they receive.

Overall:

Fargo maintains its high quality in what remains a strong sophomore season. One can surmise that the events in this story are all building to an epic climax.

8/10

King Cadmium.

Show don't tell

[mgidb · 9/10 · 2 September 2019]

Great scenario, acting, narration, characters even directing the story becomes more sophisticated on this episode especially the flashback of Dodd.. To summarize, this show is good enough to ding the other series.

the beginning of the end

[trevontm · 10/10 · 3 June 2023]

One of the more tense moments in television history. We knew early there is an inevitably harsh future ahead for more than a few characters. This is when these things begin to happen. A turning point in the 4th episode out of 10. A true cascade of terror.

The sense of dread begins here, in a potent, upsetting, heartless, sick, way. Like you just know something terrible is going to happen. And you're going to have to watch it in the soulless yet comical Fargo style way. Which can be a difficult style to watch.

This episode just falls off a cliff of unending suffering. I feel bad for all characters- brutal and scary, yet scared themselves, characters.

Still not picking up...

[dierregi · 4/10 · 27 January 2018]

I get it. Ed and Peggy are a stupid couple which will be undone by their stupidity and stubbornness. As it happens in real life. But this does not make them more sympathetic or interesting.

The episodes that focus on them are dragging on, because they are such unlikable characters. I understand Peggy's desire to live a more interesting life than being married to a brute butcher, but why not just divorce and move to California?

Seriously, how spaced out can anybody be to drive home with a person stuck through their windshield? I will never get that part...

Also, when it comes to battling gangs, it is impossible to pick a side, because they are both despicable.

Lou's wife struggle seems a scriptwriter's attempt to infuse some humanity into a story that so far is just brutal and dry.

The Ed and Peggy show

[silverton-37959 · 5/10 · 13 March 2021]

This episode dashed my hopes that we were done with Ed and Peggy, or at least Peggy. Kirsten Dunst seems to be coming up with her own dialog and it's very bad dialog. Her character seems to be aimed at depicting Minnesota women as ditzes. Peggy is over the top as a ditz. What kind of airhead hits a man on the road and drives home with him stuck through her windshield?

I was hoping that the couple would be minor players, pushed out of the tale early, but it's not to be. These two are fixtures and that kind of ruins the whole story for me.

It's war!

[gedikreverdi · 20 November 2021]

I'm hooked but I don't want to binge watch and consume it all at once. Lou the officer and the Native American guy found out that it's Ed and Peggy. They messed it all up with the fake accident to hide the real accident. The mother took over and she declared war against the Kansas City mafia.