Whereas season 3 was the most recently set story in the series, this season is set the farthest back in 1950s Kansas City, Missouri. In it, we follow the simmering conflict between Italian and African American crime organizations, which soon draws in a mixed-race family who own a funeral home, two outlaws, and an odd nurse. Last season had been a letdown, so I was so pleased to see the show return to form for this great season.
What we get is an interesting look inside what it is to pursue the American Dream or the illusion of the American dream and the tragic inability of groups, be they ethnic, racial, or religious, to identify with each other even if they're under the same boot. Given that this is Fargo, this is naturally told with the show's trademark combination of moments of unforgettable dialogue, characters, dark humor, and violence. Though, bare in mind that the show has the same tendency it always had of having some killings feel arbitrary. I found that creator Noah Hawley was able to find the right balance between depicting the racism of the time and being a piece of entertainment.
This season has the same strength I thought season 2 had: a large cast, which kept things busy and managed to prevent the show from feeling drawn out. That having been said, there are parts where the flow could have been smoother. (The brunt of focus is on the mobsters.) This season's primary protagonist Ethelrida Smutney (played by Emyri Crutchfield) felt like and her family needed more screentime. The nurse Oraetta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley) felt like her story was spread too thin (usually in small bits). What makes this worse is that you could predict several points where her story went an episode or two ahead.
Again, the show looks great, maintaining a film-like auteur-heavy quality. I won't spoil it, but the episode East/West in particular takes an interesting visual choice. The music remains superb.
The cast, including the likes of Chris Rock, Ben Whishaw, Timothy Olyphant, and Jason Schwatzman, is strong across the board. There are so many fine characters and performances, I don't have time to mention them all.
I highly recommend this. This is just some engrossing stuff. (P.S. When you get to the last episode, make sure you don't immediately turn it off when the credits start.)
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