Should I Check This Out - Fargo season 1

Better late than never, I finally caught up on viewing the Fargo TV adaptation, starring Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman and Colin Hanks. A while ago I reviewed the first episode and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Over the course of ten episodes, did the show maintain this great start?

Well it is certainly difficult to pinpoint but I sometimes found myself not quite rushing back to the next episode. While each delivered high quality, there was something about the story that didn't quite encourage me to continue watching, only to realise what the time is. The story is neatly told, complimented by excellent acting, fantastic visuals and a great score, but the story sometimes fell too hardly on coincidence or pushing the viewer's belief in human behaviour. Sometimes it made sense why a scene would play out the way it did, other times were a little too hard to swallow. Overall though, the makers remained smart and the show delivered a very impressive first season.

Around the halfway point, Fargo kicked into gear and setted off for a great if unexpected season final. The dark humour flowed well throughout and while sometimes bleak, Fargo packs plenty of edge-of-your-seat type moments as seen by the Coen Brothers with No Country for Old Men, but with a never been better Billy Bob Thornton in place of Javier Bardem.

Which leads me onto the cast who are all terrific. Unlike other, louder shows, Fargo says a lot when there isn't a lot being said, resulting in plenty of unnerving scenes. Supporting actors including Oliver Platt, Adam Goldberg and Keith Carradine keep the tension high as the body count rises, but it is Thornton who steels the show against a very solid cast.

That said, Fargo is a difficult show to recommend and will not be to everyone's taste. Some will find it too bleak, the characters unlikable or just the slight lull midway through too long, but for those who enjoy the first episode, this is a fine show that stands out far away from the rest. A slow-burner, but one well worth watching.