Fargo's Mysteries Await In New First Look Preview And 'Philosophy' Spot

Based on what is arguably the Coen brothers’ most perfect film, FX’s upcoming mystery drama Fargo has quite a pair of darkly comedic shoes to fill, don’tcha know. But those shoes are walking in the right direction, as the series’ marketing campaign has done a fantastic job of laying the groundwork and setting the scene, all without actually delving into where the storyline is going. If you held my head just above a wood chipper and asked me to explain the plot, I’d likely shrug my way into tragedy. The above video, subtitled “First Look,” is an even deeper look into the show than we’ve seen so far…and it still doesn’t give anything away.

Creator Noah Hawley makes generic assertions like “it’s a good vs. evil story” and “it’s about the best of America vs. the worst of America,” describing it as a 10-hour movie, with a fittingly big screen cast. He talks about his inspirations for bringing this tightly wound cinematic universe to the TV, while different members of the cast, including Bob Odenkirk and The Hobbit’s Martin Freeman, drop their own soundbites about it being a dark and character-driven project. Colin Hanks even says the episodes’ scripts are the best he’s ever read.

Fargo is structured on the burgeoning relationship between hapless insurance salesman Lester Nygaard (Freeman) and the confidently duplicitous outsider Lorne Malvo, who moves to town with plans of ridding its citizens of their morals and kind nature. This will have something to do with a man that Lester may or may not want Malvo to kill, and the consequences that may or may not arise from that predicament.

We get to see more of Malvo’s cunning ways in the “Philosophy” clip below, as he tries to convince Lester that none of life’s rules naturally occur in nature. He says this as we see a body dumped into a hole drilled into a thick sheet of ice, so I doubt he’s referring to board games. But Malvo paints a better picture of Lester’s life for us, showing us he’s been stepped on for far too long by his boss and his wife Pearl (Kelly Holden Bashar), and that Lester is just about ready to snap.

And then of course, there’s Adam Goldberg with a gun in a bag. Who’s he shooting? Are we going to get to see Malvo find a human foot inside of a toaster oven? I guess we’ll have to wait and see when Fargo makes its debut on Tuesday, April 15. But while you’re waiting, take a peek at the previously released clip below that lays out this ensemble cast, which also includes Oliver Platt, Glenn Howerton, Kate Walsh, Russell Harvard, Joey King and Susan Park.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.