Much of the pre-coverage has said this is rebound season. I’m not sure yet.

From where I'm standing...

This just looks very simplistic when it has to follow last season. Not that it's bad, mind you. Just that it is "Well, this isn't terrible..." following a season where almost every character could have carried a season on their own.

numberthirty wrote: following a season where almost every character could have carried a season on their own.

We’re talking about the season where Jason “Nearly An Automatic Reason Not To Watch Something” Schwartzman was supposed to be believable as an Italian?

Bit of a sidebar, but I've been curious about the show and have watched none. Anyone care to rank the seasons?

Just started watching it and up to the second episode. So far quite good.

Enjoying the new season so far, but I don’t think S2 will ever be topped. Thats one of the few recent seasons of TV I’ve rewatched multiple times, just cooks at every moment.

Tree wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:44 am

numberthirty wrote: following a season where almost every character could have carried a season on their own.

We’re talking about the season where Jason “Nearly An Automatic Reason Not To Watch Something” Schwartzman was supposed to be believable as an Italian?

He’s as Italian as DeNiro!

So far, I am cautiously liking what I see in season 5. It's escapist and over-the-top in a noir kinda way, but that's obviously in the spirit of the original movie. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Joe Keery are so spot-on odious. Jon Hamm is both gross and hilarious. And Juno Temple's character seems like a classic Coen-esque heroine. Sam Spruell's villain is a bit heavy on the Anton Chigurh vibes, but that hasn't bugged me too much.

The last season sucked. It was like some kinda forced Hollywood attempt at jamming woke cliches where they had no business being. (And where they would not do any tangible social good.) The excellent Italian actor Salvatore Esposito (from the far more brutal series Gomorrah) was totally wasted in it. And as noted, Jason Schwartzman was hard to watch. (And no, not in an effective way!) Poor Chris Rock seemed miscast (did Samuel L. Jackson say no or is he too old?) and clumsy, as well.

Anyway, the new season avoids that nonsense (and says more w/one casually racist comment than the whole previous season did hitting you over the head constantly). So far, this goes back to doing what Fargo did best.

Anyway, by season:

1 is a ludicrous and bloody mixed-bag that sets the tone. It's also truest to the film. Martin Freeman is good, and Billy Bob Thornton chews the scenery.

2 is absolutely terrific and kooky, w/a less heavy-handed attempt at dealing w/racial issues than season 4 (via the relative complexity of Mike Milligan [Bokeem Woodbine turning a character than could be a Tarantino cliche into flesh and blood] and Hanzee Dent [Zahn McClarnon]). Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Jean Smart are all excellent. Ted Danson and Nick Offerman are amusing. And Rachel Keller is very easy on the eyes. Never mind that she and Dunst sport some fabulous outfits. The second-to-last episode is fucking insane.

3 isn't quite as good and perhaps even more of an absurdist and pulpy homage to B movies. But it's funny as hell w/a complex plot, and Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon (so likable!), and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are all well cast. Even Ray Wise come out of the woodwork.

4 is a comparative disappointment, see above.

Season 2 is by far the best, then maybe 3, then 1, then 4 by a large margin of suck. Not sure where 5 fits in yet.

tallchris wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 2:06 pm

Tree wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:44 am

numberthirty wrote: following a season where almost every character could have carried a season on their own.

We’re talking about the season where Jason “Nearly An Automatic Reason Not To Watch Something” Schwartzman was supposed to be believable as an Italian?

He’s as Italian as DeNiro!

Since Hanzee winds up being Moses Tripoli?

Personally, I don't see much of an issue.

Past that?

They straight up got the right guy to play the tool that Schwartzman was playing.

losthighway wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:48 am Bit of a sidebar, but I've been curious about the show and have watched none. Anyone care to rank the seasons?

Try going in in the order they were released. Three is a little bit weaker than one and two, but the antagonist is incredible and chilling, pretty much makes up for it. Still great TV.