Did anyone here see the new Fargo show? They really liked it on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. We no longer get FX but I was wondering if this is something worth seeking out at some point.

DVRed it but haven't watched it.

I just watched my DVRed copy. Wow. Billy Bob Thorton - just wow. What a character.

I'll certainly want to see more of this.

It's on my DVR list!

A bit of a new TV Round-Up.

Fargo

The basic plot is Martin Freeman is a put-upon man who gets absolutely no respect from anyone. One day he's humiliated on the street by his high school bully and tells his sad tale to Billy Bob Thorton during a chance meeting at the emergency room. What Billy Bob has been up to is kind of hard to say since it rarely relates to what everyone else is up to, but it's always entertaining. Billy Bob takes an interest in Freeman, does a psychotic version of the "stand up for yourself" speech, and the two go their separate ways to commit related murders. Billy Bob taken out the bully, while Freeman accidentally hammers his wife to death as she berates him about being unable to fix the washing machine.

Freeman is a great choice to anchor the central crime as it's easy to feel bad for the guy, while he does a good job of playing surprised delight as he engages his darker tendencies... and is completely in over his head when it comes to dealing with the consequences. And, like I said, Billy Bob is just pure entertainment.

On the good side of the story are Molly and Gus. Not much to say about Gus in the first two episodes as they're largely setting up him up as someone who let his fear get the better of him by letting Billy Bob slip away. Since he's off in Duluth away and has only shared one scene with any of the other regular cast members, his stuff is just character building at this point. I like him and you can see him struggling with the dangers of being a police officer with his responsibilities as a single father. Which leaves Allison Tolman as Molly who is set up as a relatively bright up-and-comer in the Bemidji police department, but she's not Frances McDormand's super-polite Columbo who had seemed to have worked things out fairly early in the film and just needed to fill in the blanks. Here Molly just knows something doesn't fit and is good enough at her job to keep asking questions until they do fit.

Reportedly this is going to be a self-contained 10-part story, which is a lesson I'm glad we Americans have finally taken to heart from the BBC where they recognize that not everything has to go on forever or be some big deal mini-series. Whether they come back next year with a second story with a largely different cast remains to be seen, but there's a nice sense of settling in for a good novel with this one. Very recommended.

Salem

It says a lot about the surge in quality on TV that I'm on the fence about continuing with this show. It's a well-made historical horror show with a good cast, and while it takes a bit too long getting started, it's because the set-up requires the pieces be moved into their starting positions rather than shooting out of the gate at the start. It's biggest flaw is it's a good show in a sea of great shows and I don't quite have the time or inclination to follow this one weekly. Definitely need to remember to check this one out next year when it hits the streaming sites.

Turn

Which goes double for Turn, a story about spies in the Revolutionary War. The pilot is a fairly sedate one which is mostly concerned about setting up the hero as torn between the Loyalists and the Colonials. As he needs to be pushed over the edge, there's the usual Bad Brit who always seems on the verge of raping an old love of his; but in the background in Torchwood alumnus Burn Gorman (also the funny English scientist in Pacific Rim) who is so habitually kind he's practically weary at his own decency. As the story seems to be about divided loyalties, I imagine he's going to be much more important in later episodes as our resident hero has to come to grips with not all British soldiers being Baby Eating Bastards.

But as its first episode has to an origin story (and I have an overloaded dance card as it is), I find myself filing this away for next year. As I have a weak spot for historicals, I kind of feel bad about that especially as I see a lot of potential here. This could very well become one of those shows where I fall madly in love with it in its second year.

I have Fargo and The Americans saved on my DVR for later viewing. Also taping the new season of Game Of Thrones but need to catch up with the boxes so I won't watch these for awhile.

Haven't been saving or watching Mad Men or Turn yet but I can catch up via On Demand anytime.

I didn't know Fargo was only 10 episodes. But I guess that's O.K., and maybe new seasons can be entirely new stories, possibly with some of the same characters. I liked American Horror Stories, where each season was a new story line and they recycled most of the same actors as new characters. I recall Nero Wolfe kept reusing the same actors as different characters, with the exception of a few main characters, and that was pretty good.

Anyway, 2 episodes in now for Fargo and I'm fairly certain I'll watch the other 8, and any other season they wish to make probably already deserves a look. But we'll see how this season goes, first.

Billy Bob Thorton - even taking a dump was quite a statement - what kind of person does that like that? An ex-convict, possibly.

I can see the Post Office scene happening... at least as presented (I find it hard to believe there's only one guy manning the counter in Duluth). Having worked a counter solo, you do find yourself giving in to difficult people out of simple "will you fucking leave if I do what you ask?" Dealing with someone who refuses to listen to what you're saying is exhausting, especially when you're denied the full range of colorful replies. So, how can I explain to this person yet again that he's a fucking idiot without seeming to imply that he's a fucking idiot because he'll complain to my boss who won't understand what a fucking idiot he is.

Unless actually threatened, I'd be more worried somebody would subsequently show up with proper ID and ask for his package, which, apparently, you gave away to a man without proper ID. If you don't need proper ID, it might be pretty easy to know a package is coming for somebody and then just step in and ask for it.

Besides, I find it nearly laughable anybody (who is legitimately entitled to a right or service) can't produce a proper photo ID, or doesn't know they should be ready to do so, or would argue so strenuously they should get the right or service even without proper ID (with the exception of when the clerk (or whoever) has personally known you all your life and he's just being a dick about it or something like that).

But then, maybe nobody could retroactively prove you inappropriately gave away the package, so your job wouldn't be in any danger just because you were bad at it.

Package? What package?

Billy Bob is sort of an agent of chaos who seems to view rules as illusions. And there's no end of stupid behavior which has come about because there's someone there telling you to do it.

Did a bit of googling on Fargo. If FX renews it, it sounds like the creator is interested in coming at it with an entirely new cast (as HBO is doing with True Detective). I think he already has an idea bubbling for the second season and can see it going to three.

does anyone else see a little david lynch in "fargo"?

Don't forget, but 24: Live Another Day starts tonight!

Jack is back!!

And so is Louie - the poker scene is hysterical.

Damn missed Louie, didn't know it was on again. I'll catch a repeat.

Got to give credit to two TV shows, The Blacklist and Marvels Agents of SHIELD. Both really improved as the season progressed.
I stuck with The Blacklist and was glad I did, the plot really came together at the end.

And SHIELD really improved once the movie Capt America came out. If you liked Capt America, then the plot of SHIELD really synthesized with the movie. Great stuff.

One word: Fury


Bravo.

A bad TV year for me continues. Letterman retires (not as big a deal as it would have been years ago), but that domino is taking away the Colbert Report. Then Craig Ferguson announced he's leaving his show. Then The Crazy Ones was canceled.

And now FX/FXX has canceled Legit. Which really sucks. I love Jim Jefferies, and this show was really well written. The network said the ratings were low, but I guess they didn't expect that moving it to a channel that hardly anyone gets might result in smaller numbers. Great cast, too - I had to remind myself that DJ Qualls isn't actually confined to a wheelchair.

Good week for Seinfeld this week:

The Doorman - Monday
Ya Da Ya Da- Tuesday
Marv Griffin- Wednesday
Bizarro Jerry- Thursday
The Hamptons- Friday

Started watching Fargo on FX last night and yes it's a very good series. Quirky yet brutal like many Coen Brother productions.

Set your DVR for tonight's 2014 Golden God Awards show on VH1 Classic at 8PM.

Thank you!

I have the 2014 Golden Gods Awards show on right now........Slayer!