Season 2, Episode 10: Palindrome
SUMMARY: Peggy (Kirsten Dunst) and Ed (Jesse Plemons) make one last, desperate attempt to be free.
REVIEW: Following last week's bloodbath climax, it's not surprising that for the finale, Fargo took a step back, giving the show an affectionate wrap-up that wisely doesn't try to outdo last week's epic, but rather gives us closure on all of our favorite characters and plants seeds for the next instalment of the series. While it's too early to say what EP Noah Hawley's going to do, with a few things left hanging towards the end, Hawley could easily either follow the younger Lou (Patrick Wilson) into his final days on the force, or it can pick up the story of his daughter Molly, or perhaps even criss-cross back-and-forth GODFATHER PART II-style in an ultra ambitious third installment.
Whatever the case ends up being, Hawley's truly outdone himself with season two. Arguably better that the already excellent first run, season two will very likely go down as one of the finest individual seasons or short-form runs of any show ever, being superior even to True Detective season one. What made it so good wasn't just Hawley's sophisticated style – which was nicely complimented by a series of strong directors including Adam Arkin – but rather the heart at the show's centre. Lou (Patrick Wilson) was as likeable a protagonist as his daughter Molly wound up being in season one, with Wilson's every-man charm finding the perfect vehicle in the low-key, heroic cop (similar to how he was used in the excellent BONE TOMAHAWK).
Lou, his wife Betsy (Cristin Milioti), and father-in-law Hank (Ted Danson) made for a likeable family to centre the season around, which is an interesting contrast to the dysfunctional, homicidal Gerhardt clan – all of whom are dead before the credits roll this week. But, they're not the whole show, with even the most minor supporting characters like babysitter Doreen and Nick Offerman's Karl Weathers making a huge impression. I'd love to see all of them back for another go-round.
The Peggy & Lou story-line comes to a particularly satisfying end, with Ed giving Peggy the heave-ho before passing-on, and her finally having to deal with the result of her own actions in her own deluded way with her hopeful she'll finally get to make her move out west, even if it's by way of prison. Probably the most interesting wrap-up came for Bokeem Woodbine's scene-stealing Mike Milligan, who gets what he wants and is crowned the crime king of the mid-west. Alas, he soon realizes the gig isn't quite what he thinks it will be, with him now a faceless office drone for the Kansas City mob, who's been ordered to cut his hair, buy a grey suit and start wearing a real tie (and also learn golf).
All of these wrap-ups have a degree of ambiguity which – to me – suggests Hawley isn't finished telling their story. Most significantly, Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) is still on the run and bent on revenge against the Kansas City mob. Betsy's dream of her family consisting of Alison Tolman's now-adult Molly, and Keith Carradine's aged Lou with them being threatened by a vision of Hanzee suggests he will be back to wreak havoc on them sometime in the future. Could the now bureaucratic Mike Milligan be involved? Whatever the case, I'm insanely eager for season three but even if it never winds up happen (although it's been officially order by FX) the fact remains season two was a perfect mini-series in it's own right and something it'll be a tall order to top.