Noah Hawley has his work cut out for him avoiding the sophomore slump with this fall’s second season premiere of Fargo. The Emmy-winning freshman run casts a big shadow, and the creator/writer/showrunner seems to be changing things up in order to set this new string of episodes apart.
For one, Fargo season 2 jumps back in time to 1979, back when Lou Solverson was still a young, handsome officer newly back from war (Patrick Wilson is taking over the role from Keith Carradine). For another, there’s a huge crop of new characters, from the seemingly normal Blomquist couple (Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst) to crime matriarch Floyd Gerhardt (Jean Smart). Already, there’s a huge sense of foreboding hanging over the events of this season – that Sioux Falls massacre mentioned in hushed tones throughout season 1 is expected to factor heavily into the plot.
The new trailer and teasers do a terrific job of establishing the same darkly comedic vibe that made the first season such a joy. Everything looks A-okay so far – which has got to be a relief for fans of quality television, most of whom are still recovering from True Detective‘s lackluster return.
Here’s the official synopsis:
The all new “true crime” case of Fargo’s new chapter travels back to 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota, where a young State Police Officer “Lou Solverson” (Wilson), recently back from Vietnam, investigates a case involving a local crime gang and a major Mob syndicate. Helping him piece things together is his father-in-law, “Sheriff Hank Larsson” (Danson). The investigation will lead them to a colorful cast of characters that includes “Karl Weathers” (Nick Offerman), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota. A Korean War vet, Karl is a flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con artist. Three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett will play “Joe Bulo,” the front man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate.
The new face of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America. His number two is “Mike Milligan” (Bokeem Woodbine). Part enforcer, part detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you. Bulo and his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently led by matriarch “Floyd Gerhardt” (Smart). With her husband at death’s door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, “Dodd Gerhardt” (Jeffrey Donovan). An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over and expand their business from kingdom to empire.“Bear Gerhardt” (Angus Sampson) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. “Rye Gerhardt” (Kieran Culkin), the youngest of the Gerhardt clan, views himself as a big shot, but in reality he’s just a small dog who barks big.
FX will premiere the second season of Fargo this fall, though the new teasers below cast doubt on whether that will be in September, as previously stated, or October.
