When news first broke of FX’s currently in-production small screen adaptation of cult Coen Brothers dark comedy, Fargo, we were confused and skeptical. But now we kind of get it.
Airing in Australia in May on SBS One, the self-contained ten episode miniseries writer/showrunner Noah Hawley calls a “ten hour movie” inherits all the mood, look and themes of its source material, filtered through an intriguing new cast of players headlined by perpetual shady guy Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade, Monster’s Ball, Angelina Jolie’s second marriage), Martin Freeman (The Office, Sherlock), Colin Hanks (Orange County, Tom Hanks’ gene pool) and Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Nebraska).
Thornton plays the embodiment of satan manipulative drifter Lorne Malvo who “influences the population” of a quaint small town in Minnesota “with his malice and violence”, including Freeman’s downtrodden insurance salesman Lester Nygaard (the William H. Macy surrogate), while Hanks and Odenkirk play the type of aw geez local police officers (feat. ridiculous hats/accents) so indelibly portrayed by Frances McDormand. It’s not yet known if they’ve recast the wood chipper.
Speculate on that as you watch the pilot’s first seven minutes over at Yahoo. You won’t regret it.
Fargo premieres 9.30pm, Thursday 1 May on SBS ONE.
