Guess I'm in the minority, thought the 1st episode was underwhelming. Well done as always, but felt a little been there, done that to me.

Alan Sepinwall has a good article about the premiere which discusses the possible meanings and relevance behind the opening East German sequence.

http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/fargo-pr...vacant-places/

sepinwall is a bloviating idiot at this point, and also he is fat

I thought the first episode was a bit slow and plodding, but I'm okay with that over things coming too fast. Still - I was pretty sucked into S1 and S2 right away, so I'm a bit concerned. Tough break for Scoot in E1 - see you on the final season of Halt buddy!

The scene with the air conditioner was darkly hilarious.

I guess I wasn't the only one, but heard Ehrmantraut when they said Ermentraub in the episode. Part of it probably was due to DVD watching Better Call Saul and Fargo back to back.

Nobody does hilarious grisly death scenes like the Coen Bros

Sysyphus is back ! great catch

Where is the love for this show? Both episodes this season have been amazing.

I was almost done with the show until the lawyer got the virus that took his photo....

Dude doesn't know how to use Google but has a webcam

That was the first time I felt a Fargo episode drag.

If the goal of the show is to make the viewer want to smash their TV screen every time Britty Mc****Teeth is in a scene, then mission accomplished.

I dont get how the "parking log king" would need a million dollars or how it would even help him if he was in a bad spot. I mean, its the late 00s, a million aint sht for a big business.

I loved the first two seasons and even sought out and read Noah Hawley's novel 'The Good Father' because he seemed like such a genius auteur (not the best read, and surprisingly very plot-light, but it was OK). This season isn't doing a whole lot for me though. It's well-shot and all but it just seems to require so much suspension of disbelief that it's hard to even take seriously as a drama.

The parolee that the main McGregor hires for the robbery was such an over the top F-up it was downright cartoonish. He couldn't even open his eyes when he was getting the instructions for the job. The lawyer never having used Google, or the internet generally, in freakin' 2010 was ridiculous. Everything about the 'it's not a loan anymore I now own your business' plot is so divorced from reality it's surreal.

They've also doubled down hard on writing male characters as bumbling, ultra-incompetent fools that can only function by the grace of their wiser, superior in every way female counterparts. I know that dates back to the movie itself but it has gotten completely out of hand. I was shocked when new police chief Nucky's brother started to legitimately whip processes and people into shape but I have every expectation that he'll quickly be made a clown.

This is still strong TV and I'm in for the season in any event, but this is a sizeable step down from what it was and it ain't gonna recover with the issues being plot and characters.

i enjoyed his book "before the fall".

I don't see how the loan stuff could be so hard to accept if you were OK with the UFOs last season. So far the tone seems pretty consistent with the first two seasons. Maybe a little more comic this season... I thought the slave girls line was pretty hilarious and there's been a few more actual LOL moments for me.

The UFO was set up within the universe they created and was a nod to the time that story took place. I'm fine with some properly done fictional elements in my fiction. But this loan situation is what half the show's plot is based on - it's going to be a whole snowballing thing - and all that has to happen to stop it at any time is telling the villain no. Telling him to get off the premises. Real rock and a hard place.

I agree. First of he is supposed to be the "parking lot king of Minnesota", and he still cant get a 1M$ loan from a bank or other legit investors. 1M$ seem to be a very small amount for his company when they are now able to pay it all back in full.

Would be different IMO if it was like say 10M$ and they said that they were ready to start paying of the debt by small amounts each month or something.

But as it is presented it seems pretty easy to call the cops right away and tell them the full story.

That's true it would have worked so much better if they were in a tough spot, starting to violate debt covenants, looking for more time to start making payments or what have you. And they don't even have to give the cops a full story and prove out this and that - just call in a trespasser on the property and boom done. The creditor/villain's recourse is to file an arbitration claim or whatever the loan agreement stipulates in case of dispute. He immediately loses and thanks for coming out. Or he can get all violent and now we have something of a plot going on.

I think this is a case of an english major trying to cleverly write a plot around a business law scenario but couldn't be bothered with a modicum of research. I think Noah Hawley phoned this script in. 'We've got top notch acting, directing, cinematography, scoring...I'll just whip up a bit of the same 'ol with the bumbling fools and the menacing bad guys and the smart women and get back to my book/other show/whatever'.

Anyway it's up against reruns of Modern Family and @midnight with Chris Hardwick and local news so I shouldn't complain so much.

I get that point, but there were a lot of businesses in 2010 that couldn't secure short term loans from banks even though the business itself was healthy.

I have no clue how seasonal the parking lot business in Minnesota is, but they wouldn't have been the only business that struggled to get money to pay their bills over the winter before business picked back up in the spring.

How bout you fellas research whatcha think The Parking Lot King of Minnesota circa 31 years after the Massacre of Sioux Falls ought to have in dispersible loans... then realize you're being Hanzee-lobotomy level morons by treating this show like The Wire. Cuz it ain't.

Anyone who's considering the ****ing financial climate in deciding whether this show is believable or not is thinking into it far too much. Love that they have a ridiculous music budget yet finished this episode with ****ing gogol bordello who would probably accept a meal and a 12 pack. Haven't thought about them since i was 14 and they were getting airplay but their latest on spotify isn't half bad. Another great episode imo.

It doesn't have to be the Wire. But it also doesn't have to be the 3 Stooges.

LOL at using those examples as opposites. Both are elite.