Fargo

[CBStew]

What just happened?

Lester knows that Malvo knows where he is and what he's up to. And while Lester is enjoying his new alpha-male status, one guy who can knock him back to where he started is sitting in the room with him. All those feelings of fear and dread an inadequacy came flooding back due to Malvo's mere presence. Malvo doesn't even need a reason to destroy Lester. He just enjoys killing and harming people. He's a predator.

Also: Molly and Gus bumped uglies.

And Bill went to the ballet.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.  Key and Peale are going to bust this case wide open.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

What just happened?

Lester knows that Malvo knows where he is and what he's up to. And while Lester is enjoying his new alpha-male status, one guy who can knock him back to where he started is sitting in the room with him. All those feelings of fear and dread an inadequacy came flooding back due to Malvo's mere presence. Malvo doesn't even need a reason to destroy Lester. He just enjoys killing and harming people. He's a predator.

Also: Molly and Gus bumped uglies.

And Bill went to the ballet.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.

Are you saying your eyes have beheld Colin Hanks' junk?

[CT III]

Jesus Fucking Christ, Lester.

[CBStew]

Jesus Fucking Christ, Lester.

Now I know why I wouldn't want Lester on my side in a fight.

[CT III]

This was quite possibly one of the most tense hours of television I've seen in some time (granted I don't watch a ton of dramas). 

From the confrontation in the elevator (is this what you want?) to the diner scene to Lester and Linda's drive to his office the whole thing was beautiful.  In fact, the way the scene in the car was framed I kept expecting to see the headlights of Malvo's car come into view and t-bone Lester, killing Linda.  Then they arrived at the office and it turned out what Lester had planned was much, much worse.

[InternetApex]

I hated last night's episode. The part where the Spurs shot 75.8% percent in the first half was totally not believable.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Jesus Fucking Christ, Lester.

Lester bought into his own New Lester hype a little too much.

[flannj]

This was quite possibly one of the most tense hours of television I've seen in some time (granted I don't watch a ton of dramas).  

From the confrontation in the elevator (is this what you want?) to the diner scene to Lester and Linda's drive to his office the whole thing was beautiful.  In fact, the way the scene in the car was framed I kept expecting to see the headlights of Malvo's car come into view and t-bone Lester, killing Linda.  Then they arrived at the office and it turned out what Lester had planned was much, much worse.

"That's on you."
and
"Shit, Lester."

[R-V]

This was quite possibly one of the most tense hours of television I've seen in some time (granted I don't watch a ton of dramas).  

From the confrontation in the elevator (is this what you want?) to the diner scene to Lester and Linda's drive to his office the whole thing was beautiful.  In fact, the way the scene in the car was framed I kept expecting to see the headlights of Malvo's car come into view and t-bone Lester, killing Linda.  Then they arrived at the office and it turned out what Lester had planned was much, much worse.

"That's on you."
and
"Shit, Lester."

I could watch Billy Bob and Wild Bill exchange old war stories for hours on end. This show is so damn good.

[CT III]

This was quite possibly one of the most tense hours of television I've seen in some time (granted I don't watch a ton of dramas).  

From the confrontation in the elevator (is this what you want?) to the diner scene to Lester and Linda's drive to his office the whole thing was beautiful.  In fact, the way the scene in the car was framed I kept expecting to see the headlights of Malvo's car come into view and t-bone Lester, killing Linda.  Then they arrived at the office and it turned out what Lester had planned was much, much worse.

"That's on you."
and
"Shit, Lester."

I could watch Billy Bob and Wild Bill exchange old war stories for hours on end. This show is so damn good.

Yep, and Lou punctuating his story of stacking bodies up in Sioux Falls with a cheerful "ever been?" cracked me right up.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

This was quite possibly one of the most tense hours of television I've seen in some time (granted I don't watch a ton of dramas).  

From the confrontation in the elevator (is this what you want?) to the diner scene to Lester and Linda's drive to his office the whole thing was beautiful.  In fact, the way the scene in the car was framed I kept expecting to see the headlights of Malvo's car come into view and t-bone Lester, killing Linda.  Then they arrived at the office and it turned out what Lester had planned was much, much worse.

"That's on you."
and
"Shit, Lester."

I could watch Billy Bob and Wild Bill exchange old war stories for hours on end. This show is so damn good.

Yep, and Lou punctuating his story of stacking bodies up in Sioux Falls with a cheerful "ever been?" cracked me right up.

I honestly can't tell if there was more to that "ever been?" or if it was just a dry joke, but I like that Lou Solverson is seemingly the only person so far not utterly cowed when Malvo turns on his quiet menace. The man's seen some shit.

[CBStew]

I feel like I just lost two close friends.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

I feel like I just lost two close friends.

Agents Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

[CT III]

I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.  As is the pattern these days, the penultimate episode was better than the finale, but that's a pretty tall measuring stick.

I see some noise on the internets about people being dissatisfied with Gus taking down Malvo, but it made sense to me.  As much as Malvo's influence set Lester on the path from sadsack to sociopath, Molly was responsible for Gus' transformation. In the pilot, he lets Malvo go thinking he's protecting his daughter. In the end he realizes the only way he can protect his loved ones is by stopping Malvo.   

Also, it surprised me at how relieved I was that Bill's just a decent guy who is in over his head as sheriff.  With all the good actors on this show, I think Odenkirk's turn gets overlooked a bit. He was excellent.

Also somebody pointed me to this:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2014/06/23/140623crte_television_nussbaum

It certainly juices the story, by giving "Fargo" 's antihero, Lester, a motive and a history, and amplifying the evil he embraces, dramatizing it in the human (or possibly superhuman) form of Malvo.

I would think the television critic for the New Yorker would know the difference between an antihero and a goddamned antagonist.

[R-V]

I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.  As is the pattern these days, the penultimate episode was better than the finale, but that's a pretty tall measuring stick.

I see some noise on the internets about people being dissatisfied with Gus taking down Malvo, but it made sense to me.  As much as Malvo's influence set Lester on the path from sadsack to sociopath, Molly was responsible for Gus' transformation. In the pilot, he lets Malvo go thinking he's protecting his daughter. In the end he realizes the only way he can protect his loved ones is by stopping Malvo.   

Also, it surprised me at how relieved I was that Bill's just a decent guy who is in over his head as sheriff.  With all the good actors on this show, I think Odenkirk's turn gets overlooked a bit. He was excellent.

Also somebody pointed me to this:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2014/06/23/140623crte_television_nussbaum

It certainly juices the story, by giving "Fargo" 's antihero, Lester, a motive and a history, and amplifying the evil he embraces, dramatizing it in the human (or possibly superhuman) form of Malvo.

I would think the television critic for the New Yorker would know the difference between an antihero and a goddamned antagonist.

Seriously. The only differences I see between Lester and Malvo is that Lester (a) isn't honest (with others or himself) about the extent of his broken moral compass (b) isn't as skilled at killing and (c) isn't as skilled at delivering menacing parables about how humans are really just animals. Otherwise they are both villains and I don't see how anyone could view either of them as any sort of hero.