The Sopranos. The Wire. Breaking Bad. Mad Men. Lost. Twin Peaks. Succession. Better Call Saul. Games of Thrones (mostly). True Detective (season 1 haha). Any other prestige TV drama you can think of. They all have a moment where your eyes are so glued to the screen, the story feels far beyond just "a story", and you are reminded of just how powerful it can be to experience something on the waves. This episode reached that peak for me. The Fargo formula has not lended itself so perfectly for a buildup like this one since the first couple of seasons and I (clearly) cannot contain the joy I felt watching this one unfold. A season worth of buildup finally crashing into this perfect crescendo that meets every expectation and more. Perhaps I am be a bit over dramatic as I was surprised to not see the same reaction from audiences and critics on this one but wow. I'm stunned at how well this episode unfolded. What has always been the calling card here is the, shall we say, randomness? Fargo, the movie counterpart, is obviously the foundation and the show takes its notes from there but man oh man. Watching these silly little folks and the silly little mishaps that lead them in and out of trouble as well as each other lives, building toward that grand fireworks finale has never felt so good. The acting, the chemistry, the path the story has taken, every needle drop, every look, every joke. It's perfection. I'm stunned, truly. If you haven't seen this episode or this season please give yourself that treat. If you have, well, consider yourself blessed.
Review of The Useless Hand
