Fargo Season 1

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

I am writing this review after finishing the “Who Shaves the Barber” episode, and I must say that not since Breaking Bad have I come across such a well-made, clever television show. Of course Fargo being a dark comedy is not of the same genre as Breaking Bad; it is, however, of the same caliber of film/television making. SPOILER ALERT: I think this one scene is the perfect example of how brilliantly made this show is: one of the characters shoots up an office, but the clever part is that the scene is shot not from inside the building but from outside and all we see are the windows and the camera follows the shots from outside the window (you can’t see inside, but you can hear it) as the shooter makes his way through the office from the first to the third floor. I can imagine seeing this way of shooting a scene in a movie but not a TV show. I always felt Breaking Bad went to such lengths to shoot a scene as the creators of Fargo are doing now. Just brilliant. It feels like I am watching a film and not just a TV show on FX.

At first I was a bit put off by the Minnesota accents (I am originally from Minnesota). I just didn’t think the actors, especially Freeman, really got the accent right. However, I believe that in this episode either I am used to it or they have gotten their accents closer to the real thing. I had really liked Freeman in Sherlock and the Hobbit, and I am liking him more and more as this show progresses. Billy Bob Thornton is as most people in their reviews is brilliant. The deputy Molly is one of my favorite characters. There are just so many famous actors in this show from the police chief to Molly’s father. You will even see an appearance by Key and Peele. The acting is stellar.

I also think the concept of the picked on weakling taking revenge on everyone else who has belittled him is very appealing. It reminds me of Breaking Bad and how Walter White transformed from this meek chemistry teacher to Heisenberg. You can see Lester Nygard changing from this weakling to someone who is in control of the situation and who becomes the manipulator rather than the manipulated. It’s very entertaining.

-Ke Laoshi

I don’t think there’s anything I can add to the other reviews or what pop culture and the critics have already weighed in on. The only surprising thing is that I am so familiar with the Fargo movie and so familiar with the other work of the cast members I was absolutely dreading this – I did not think or see how it could possibly be compelling. I was wrong. Once I recognized Martin Freeman and realized everyone was going to be full-on Minnesota, all the time, every day and night, and that Billy Bob was going to not just chew scenery, but spit it out and build log cabins with it – I had to watch it and ended saving the episodes so it didn’t go by too fast. Like reading a long Stephen King novel – that still goes by too fast. Season 2 was better in some ways. And we have 3 to look forward to – so life just got about 1% better. That’s not bad for a TV show. My frame of reference going in was Game of Thrones and the Sopranos. Hard to make direct comparisons, but it is special in it’s own way. But no – spoiler alert – none of it is true! (the Coens lie! – it’s a thematic element)

– Jimmy Hoffa

How many stars would I give Fargo season 1? You don’t have enough stars to express how excellent this series is. The subtle unveiling of the main characters is nothing short of poetry and the unraveling of the intricate story line keeps the viewer on the edge of your seat from first to last episode. There should be academy awards for the stellar acting performances. Even the music and filming of the wintery Minnesota landscape is breathtaking beyond anything television normally delivers. Don’t let your young children watch it but get ready for a surprising brilliantly crafted storytelling. You won’t regret seeing this one.

– Reader

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk
Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, NTSC
Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Dubbed: Spanish
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 4
Studio: Fox
DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014
Run Time: 561 minutes