FARGO SEASON ONE VERDICT: I Hit Play And Suddenly It’s 2 AM

I wind down at night with calamansi juice, air out a quick thought on current news, then shift into what finally grabbed me on Netflix. Fargo Season 1 starts slow for me, then turns into a binge that makes me laugh, get annoyed, and still want to hit play again. 

• Finishing Peaky Blinders and struggling to care about a richer, slower show 
• Deciding to finally give Fargo the TV series a chance after loving the Fargo     movie 
• Noticing the homages and callbacks that reward fans of the film 
• Getting pulled in by Lorne Malvo’s calm menace and Lester Nygaard’s spiral 
• Reacting to the time jump and the surprisingly wholesome family moments 
• Switching from rooting interest to frustration when choices get selfish 
• Unpacking the “based on true events” message and why it works as a hook 
• Nitpicking realism from a trained-eye view, from first aid to weapon handling 
• Talking about ageing into pickier viewing habits, including subtitle fatigue 

Transcript

Nighttime Check-In

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You're listening to the Objective Jerk, and I am said jerk. What's up? How's everybody doing? Hope everybody's well. It's actually nighttime for me. Like it's bedtime. So no uh no coffee for me. I got some calamuncy juice, which is like a local citrus that grows around here.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

I got a few of the actual little trees in my yard, but yeah. Iran thing's still going on.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

They gave them a little extra time. Dude, they just need

Iran Brief Then TV Talk

SPEAKER_02 0:41

I don't know. I'm at the point where it's like Iran just keeps reneging and oh yeah, oh yeah, and then they I don't know, they're just can't trust them, just get it done. Supposedly there's like a coup going on. Actually, I did have some notes. I think I want to talk about the Fargo TV show. Like, holy crap, dude. I just watched it. I just got done watching the first season. And it's pretty damn good. Uh SBLC. Nah, I don't want to talk about that crap. So I used to be a film buff, right? I used to. I have a lot of films or movies, DVDs, Blu-rays, but they're all like older movies. I don't really get too many new movies. Still buy older movies. Cuz, you know, new movies suck. People that make them suck. They all suck. They're all garbage pieces of shit. And that's why Hollywood is failing. But anyway, so Fargo, right? That's one of my favorite movies. I own it. And actually, not too long ago, I had my oldest son sit down and watch it. And he liked it, you know. And it's one of those movies that you gotta watch. You know, it's one of the films you gotta see before you die, I guess, or whatever. Whatever the saying. Whatever the saying is. So yeah, I kinda, you know, I just was looking for something to watch. I just got done watching

Hunting For A New Series

SPEAKER_02 2:33

Peaky Blinders, and then the movie.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Movie was pretty good. I don't know. I'm not I don't it was alright. I was kind of expecting a little more. But I guess it's a good ending to the whole series. So good show, Peaky Blinders.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

I think that's a show you could watch. You know, I'll watch it again sometime. But anyway, Fargo, right? So Fargo. So I was looking for another show. I started watching the I guess the guy that write that wrote Peaky Blinders, he has another show about the the family that started the Guinness Beer. I don't know. I started watching it, I got like halfway through the first episode, and it's just like I don't care about rich people and all this kind of crap. You know what I mean? Like my favorite part about Peaky Blinders was when they were poor, destitute, and fighting for scraps, and you know what I mean? Those were my favorite like first two episodes were or first two seasons of Peaky Blinders were my favorite. I hated the third one. Well, not hate, but anyway. Keep going back to Peaky Blinders, anyway. So Fargo. Oh, okay. So I and I just didn't like the Guinness. It was just like, eh, I don't know, not really my thing. So then I was like, okay, you know what? Maybe I'll give Fargo a shot. You know, I like the movie. I remember seeing a thing about, you know, the series, and I'm like, oh my gosh, what are they doing? Is it like a reboot or they're just gonna redo the movie but in longer form, or what you know what I mean? I really didn't give it a chance. I saw there was many, you know, Billy Bob Thornton in the first season, and you know, but I just I don't know. And gosh, this thing came out in 2014, I think. And I didn't realize it was that long ago. But the at that time I wasn't really hip to television and what was going on. That was right around the time I got rid of my satellite, and I was just like just gonna Netflix and like rent movies on voodoo digitally or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, I I don't know. I wasn't really watching any shows, nothing really, you know, really care. So that's why I never I never watched it. So Fargo, it's on Netflix. Glad it is now because I got something to look to watch. I guess I don't know, the other seasons aren't maybe as good as the first one, but anyway, so for those that have not seen it, you should go watch it. It's pretty good. There's a lot of little member berries, I guess, and

Fargo’s Movie Links And Details

SPEAKER_02 5:16

you know it's it shows what happens to the money that Buscemi buries, which is kind of cool. And there's lots of other little stuff that kind of pay homage to the movie, the the female cop who ends up being pregnant, you know, just like what's her face in the first one. The DLR plate that made me laugh. The car that Billy Bob steals from the dealership on the last episode. It's got DLR on it. I just I don't know, I thought that was funny. So yeah, so that was kind of cool. At first, it took me a while. It took me three days to watch the first season. I just got done. I watched the last two and a half, and I watched the bulk of it yesterday, I think, and then the day before, two days before that is when I started. It took me a while to get through the first episode, but you know, once I got hooked, it was it was couldn't stop, couldn't stop, and you know, at first I was kind of like, oh gosh, they're making just like the kind of normal, kind of retarded, woke stuff, you know, like they got all the white men are bumbling idiots, the women are you know smarter, and there wasn't really anybody of color until Key and Peel showed up, which I thought was funny. They didn't last long, but yeah, so at first I was kind of thinking they were gonna do that whole thing, and I guess it kind of does, and the movie does, you know, sort of that way, some of the males, and it's fine, I guess. It's it it all depends on how they do it, you know? It's just when they make, you know, like the chief or the guy that became the chief after the chief died, right? So at first he's just a bumbling idiot, he doesn't want to listen, and oh, he's worried about the weather and this and that. But he does come to realize that he's not meant for that kind of stuff, and you know, so that's a little you're just not a bumbling idiot the whole time, and you know, so I mean there's character development, and but I think what was like the most interesting was just how oh, I'm gonna make it make that weird noise again.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

I need to move closer.

SPEAKER_02 7:36

Alright. Um just kind of like how how detail-oriented I say that right, Billy Bob's character is, I forget his name, the hitman guy. Just how cunning and smart he is, it's you know, pretty entertaining. And then actually, the main goofball idiot who is kind of like um what's his face in the movie, the car salesman. But now this guy's the insurance salesman. You know, there's a lot of similarities, but that's fine. What was his name? God, I just got them watching it. Anyway, I should pull it up.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Gosh dang it.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

The guy, you know who I'm talking about. What's his face? I don't know. Okay, let's see. Let's pull it up cast. So you got Billy Bob is Lauren Malvo. Okay. Yeah. Allison Tolman Deputy. Oh, yeah, she was pretty good, man. Colin Hanks, yeah. Marty Freeman, Lester, that's right, Lester Nygaard. Nygaard. But it took me a minute to kind of because I remember the first episode where the bully, the big guy, was picking on Lester, and I'm just like, what? I don't know. It's just like, does do adults even do that really? Oh, I remember you know what I mean? Like, it just I don't know. I was kind of like I wasn't really watching it because I was just like, I don't know. But by the end of the first episode, though, I was like, okay, I'm gonna watch this. So there was that. And it was kind of it was fun to to kind of you know, watch Lester kind of go through and get away with it, you know? And then the best part of the show, this may sound maybe because I'm getting I'm getting older or something.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

But I love so you know you have I just went to a different stupid thing. So kidding on. See, there's so many people but gosh dang it.

Getting Hooked On The Characters

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Alright, where's it?

SPEAKER_02 10:06

Okay, so what was I talking about? Okay, so how Molly Salverson, okay, her dad, the retired or you know, pension medically retired, kind of like me. And then Colin Hanks is Gus Grimley.

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Like their their whole thing was pretty cool. I don't know, man.

SPEAKER_02 10:33

It was like just when they when they skipped ahead of year, you know, which was kind of unexpected. I wasn't expecting that. But it showed them together as a family and everything, and I was like, I don't know. I was like, oh, that's awesome, man. This is cool. And I guess they kind of do that though to make you really like hope that none of them get killed, you know what I mean? The the writer, who wrote this thing? He he freaking or hopefully it's just you know what, it's so well written, it probably was written by one person. Because usually when it sucks, it's written by like five people.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Set between son of a bitch. Okay, I gotta go back. Hold on. Fargo season one. What? No, I just want to watch this.

SPEAKER_02 11:21

But it was, I don't know, it was very warming, and I don't know. I was it made me, you know, happy for the for the people, even though it's the TV show. And his daughter and how she got along with her new grandpa and everything, you know. It was very sweet and wholesome, and you know, there was no, I don't know if I'm a boy or a girl, and you know, all that crap. Thank goodness. Created by Noah Haley, showrunner Noah Haley Writers, Music Origin or Executive Producers, Noah Haley. Seems like this guy is pretty much involved with it. Who wrote the damn thing? Writers. Well, they probably had a few different ones, I guess. Music.

SPEAKER_01 12:06

I was kind of hoping it would say written by Oh, it was on FX. Okay. Producers. Executive. Well, he's the showrunner, so he's kind of in charge of everything. He's probably got a few writers, I guess. But Noah Hawley, so he seems like he's uh Alien. He worked on Bones.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Uh I kinda I didn't even finish watching that show. I got tired of it. Anyway. Sorry. So the I don't know, man. So the show was, you know, I liked it. It it you know, I wanted to see what happened and everything, and how Lester framed his brother, and it was just like, oh, you know, it was like crazy. And I and the whole time I'm just like, dude, you need to sell everything and move out of the country because through trial and everything, they're gonna something's gonna come up. There's no way, you know what I mean? What I guess he did, framed his brother. It's kind of messed up. But it was, you know, I remember when I was in the hospital, I was like, yeah, he's gonna wrap. I kind of figured he was just gonna escape. I didn't realize he was gonna use it to frame his brother and come back, so that was pretty ingenious on his part, I thought. But then yeah, so it skips ahead of year and everybody's doing great. And then so honestly, I mean, other than the fact that he killed his wife, but she was a bitch, man. Not to say that, you know, that's I condone somebody murdering their significant other because they're an asshole or something. But other than that, you know, I felt for the guy and I was kind of rooting for him, you know. I I I it was like you want him to get away with it, you know what I mean? And that was probably the point, really. And but when they jump ahead a year, and then he sees Billy Bob's character, and you know, just insists on him recognizing or talking to him or whatever, and he's like, Do you want this? Do you really want this? And he's like, you know, and that was insane, dude. I was like, I remember when it was showing him as the dentist, and I'm like, Did he like learn to be a dentist to kill somebody? Like, I was thinking he was gonna kill the guy in the chair or something. And then, but yeah, they come to find out it

When Lester Crosses The Line

SPEAKER_02 14:33

was the one guy's brother who's you know on on hiding for the what do they call it? Witness protection. And then he just blows it all, shoots his newly engaged wine like it's insane. But but yeah, it was like when when he did that, I was just like, dude, what are you doing? Like, dude, why would you even you should have just finished your drink and left, or you know what I mean? I was just like, oh god, this guy's stupid. And then when he fucking gives his new wife, who seems awesome, tells her to put his coat on to go in to get the passport. So I was like, dude, fuck you. Now I want you to fucking bite it. You know what I mean? Like, right then and there it was like dude's a fucking piece of shit.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

I mean, he was always a piece of shit, I guess, but like I said, I kind of was rooting for the dude at the beginning, but so and then he dies because of his stupidity. Fucking retard.

SPEAKER_02 15:38

But man, I was watching it, and I just remember when you know when that happened, and I was like, I'd go in my son's on the computer doing homework or something, and I'm like, oh my gosh, dude, this show is driving me nuts. I was like, I can't believe this fucking dude. You know, he he it was new home, new wife, doing great, and he just fucks it up.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Oh, dude. I don't know, it's just a show.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

But yeah, you know, at the beginning where it shows like, oh, this is based on a true story, blah blah blah. They get away with that because they do take like an incident that actually happened and use it, you know. Like for years, people thought that the original Fargo movie was like straight up real, like all the people and just everything that happened, you know. And the only thing that um I think if I remember right, the only thing there was two things that

The “Based On True Events” Angle

SPEAKER_02 16:40

were actually true in the movie, god, my glasses are driving me nuts. And it was there was a car salesman guy who was committing fraud with the VIN numbers and stuff like that, like what's his face does. But that was it. And then another a woman was murdered by her husband, and then she was thrown in the wood chipper or something like that. So it was something that kind of inspired and was part of the movie. So based on that, they can be like, oh, this is based on true story, which it is, but you know, we also made up a lot. So the show it does that, does it between it beginning of every episode, and god man, I got like allergies going crazy.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

What is going on? Sorry, that was loud. I heard that.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

Dude, my allergies are like going nuts right now. What is going on? I don't have the AC on. Oh man, I never really had allergies that bad until I moved here. That's what sucks. The air is cleaner, I think, but anyway. So the show does that, it it it shows or it says, you know, based on true events, you know, the the people who were involved, names have been changed, but you know, everything else is true. So they kind of it's a little it's a little white lie, I guess you could say. So I was kind of curious because I was because of the movie, I was like, okay, there's something something that's in this show had to be true. And I guess the only thing that was true or that they took inspiration from was a guy shot in the house and then a woman bludgeoned to death with a hammer. But I don't think it was a cop, and I don't you know what I mean. But they took that and just kind of, you know, expanded upon that. Which is cool. I think that's the way you gotta I think those are the best stories really. When you take I love the stories that well, like even Peaky Blinders, I keep talking about Peaky Blinders, but you know, they they drew from real events and incorporated it into the show, which is you know kind of cool. And I've I don't know, I've written some I'm well ideas. I haven't really written a few short stories, but and they're kind of based on like, you know, an incident, and I think about like what would I do so I put myself in that place and you know create a little story based around it. I think that's the way you gotta do it.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Man.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

Anyway, but but it yeah, that show was just it's a good show because I I was hooked.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

I don't know. It kept me engaged and it was entertaining, it was funny, it was sad, it was violent, of course, and and then man, just like I said, towards the end, I was just getting pissed off. I was like, dude, this guy. And then when Colin Hanks, when he's driving to the police station at the end, where they're all trying to set up a little sting or whatever to catch the guy, and then he ends up, he runs into the wolf, and then he sees the car and sees the the house where the hitman's staying at. And he's like, like, I get it. You know, he wanted to redeem himself from the second episode, I think it was, where he let the guy go, and you know, because he felt was afraid and this and that. So he's it's kind of like a self-redemption. So it was a cool like overall looking at it, it's like, okay, it's cool, you know. He kind of come came off as kind of like weak, and and then he kind of, you know. But I'm yelling at the phone because that's what I watched it on, and I'm just like, dude, just call them, call them, tell them where you're at, drive down the road, you know, call them, let them know. But you know, then it wouldn't be a show or whatever. So it was a few times where it's just like some of I was just like, dude, some of these people and their decision making is just horrendous. And I kept wondering when that bear trap was gonna get used. I remember thinking about it, I was like, oh, that's gonna be used somehow. And then I forgot about it, and then you know, he got uh the hitman with that, and that was pretty gnarly injury there. And then I can't believe the the dumbass didn't like check his mag. He only had like one round in or something. It's like dude. I mean, I guess you know he's not trained in it, whatever. But but then the hitman guy, so he gets his leg broke because those those bear traps are no joke. And as he's as he's walking from the car to his house, he's got the tourniquet above his knee, so his his shin is broken. But his tourniquet is above the knee, which is wrong.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

You can't have it past the joint of the injury. It should have been right below his knee.

Realism Nitpicks And Viewing Habits

SPEAKER_02 22:10

And then like, you know, he sets his foot or his leg in place and then he puts the splint like right on the wound. Just like you gotta open wound and fucking put a bandage on that shit. Put a thing on it, then put the the splint, you know. I mean that's just stuff I learned in the army and learned taking, you know, first aid and all that kind of stuff, so I mean, you know, that's stupid, it's nitpicky or whatever, but I I noticed it and I was just like, what the crap? Why is he so that's kind of a kind of annoying, I guess, but you know, whatever. That's the thing about, you know, when you're if you're a fireman, like there's that guy that makes those videos, but you know, if you're a fireman or you're, you know, anything, you're a lawyer, a doctor, or whatever. You've been trained and you've gone to school or whatever, then you would see movies try and present that, and you're just like, dude, that is not how it works, or you know, it's so stupid or retarded. And for me, it's like weapon handling, the way they handle their weapons, police officers or whatever, when they're trying to find somebody or clears the rooms, like that stuff kind of bugs me. Like it annoys me a little bit. Turning on their flashlights when you really don't need it, and you're just giving yourself away. I don't know, just stuff like that. So it's like, and my dad, he was an engineer, a train engineer, so certain movies, that movie with uh Denzel, Washington, where they're catching that train, he was just like, Oh my gosh, there's no way you could use the brakes for the you know, and I'm like, Okay, okay, let's just watch it.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Yeah, it's a good movie though. What's it called? The train, Denzel. Man, I don't know. It's pretty good though. It's got the dude from Star Trek. Oh, what is it called? I have to watch that again. I do have that. Anyway.

SPEAKER_02 24:10

But yeah, so I'm just I don't know, I'm I'm little I'm happy because there was a television show that I like. Man, I just got them watching Peaky Blinders. I feel a little spoiled, I guess. You just gotta try. I don't know how many times I've started watching a show and I just quit watching it. Like the Guinness one. Yeah, like halfway through the first episode, and I'm just like, yeah, I don't think I'm gonna like this. I don't know if I don't like it. And then, you know, that happens all the time. So I'm just glad that I was able to find some shows. And you know, I hear that some of these shows are good. Like there's Shogun, there's some samurai show on Netflix, The Last Shogun, or something like that. I keep hearing it's like awesome. And, you know, 10-15 years ago I would have been all over it. I will watch it one of these days, but I don't know, as I get older, I hate reading subtitles. I didn't mind it as when I was younger. But now I kinda hate it. I don't know, it's weird. I'd rather just, you know, hear it so I can watch it, so I can look at it. Because when you're reading the subtitles, you miss some of this stuff, you know. I mean, if they do it right, it works, I guess. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it worked. I remember watching that in theaters. But I mean, plus the screen is so huge and you're right there and you're just kind of reading. Still see what's going on. And, you know, when it's like a very visual movie, you don't want to miss anything. My wife, like, she watches Korean stuff all the time, and she's cooking, she has it on, you know, it's got the subtitles, and I'm like, like, she's over there at the stove cooking something, and the phone's over here, and I'm like, what you're not you how you don't even know what they're saying, so how are you can't listen to it? Like, what are you doing with it? And she's like, well, I'll watch it again later. Like, okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Anyway, but yeah, if I'm watching something, I gotta sit and watch it.

SPEAKER_02 26:17

I can't I mean I can watch stupid shit, you know, YouTube or something. But if I'm gonna sit and watch a show or a movie, it's like I gotta sit and watch it. But anyway, I'm old, I guess. So that's

Final Recommendation And Goodbye

SPEAKER_02 26:31

all. I just Wow, that's a lot louder right there. I was over here. Now I'm right here. That makes a big difference. Shit. Anyway, Fargo, great movie, awesome movie. Fargo the series. So far, it's pretty damn good. I guess it goes back and forth. Like the next one's in the 70s or something, so something like that. Interested to see how that goes. But yeah, it was pretty good. So if you're looking for a show to watch, give it a give it a chance. Just watch that first episode, and then yeah, by the end of it, you'll be like, okay. So yeah, that's it. I just wanted to talk about it because I was just like talking to my son, and he was just like, okay. You know, I'm gonna wait to talk to you about it. So shit. Anyway, thanks for hanging out, appreciate your time, and I'll see you guys next time. Alright, God bless.