Fargo Review: Welcome to the Alternate Economy / The Land of Taking and Killing (Season 4 Episodes 1 and 2)
After a three year break, Fargo is back for Season 4!
The show is kicking things off with the premiere of Fargo Season 4 Episode 1, “Welcome to the Alternate Economy,” and Fargo Season 4 Episode 2, “The Land of Taking and Killing.”
The new season of the FX anthology series takes viewers to 1950s Kansas City, Missouri to follow two rival crime families, the Cannons and Faddas, and a handful of other interconnected stories.
Starting with a history of crime families that have operated in the city since 1900 and the violent cycles of betrayal that brought each new organization to power, “Welcome to the Alternate Economy” spends a significant amount of time setting the stage. Not to mention, introducing a large cast of characters and major plot points.
“The Land of Taking and Killing” continues to solidify some of the different dynamics introduced on the first episode and gives the audience time to get to know the players more as it follows the initial fallout from Donatello Fadda’s death.
Except for the Cannons’ attempt to take over the slaughterhouse and that cliff-hanger ending, “The Land of the Taking and Killing” still feels very much like an introduction — but it is a solid introduction.
It’s easy for a show with as many moving pieces as this one to struggle with clarity or feel like there are too many characters to keep track of.
Fargo generally avoids that. There are a few minor characters that remain indistinct and few plot details that aren’t completely clear, but that’s to be expected this early in the season.
Thanks to solid writing and a fantastic cast, all of the major characters are well defined and have a presence that helps the audience feel invested right away.
They also do an excellent job of weaving all the different pieces into a cohesive and engaging start to the story.
From a plot perspective, “Welcome to the Alternate Economy” is a bit slow in some spots, and both episodes might have benefited from being confined to the sixty minutes of a typical TV drama rather than the 80 plus they are given.
Each episode successfully establishes the show’s unique style and rhythm. They expertly build tension and engrosses you into the world these characters inhabit.
There is a bit of weird juxtaposition of the dark quirky tone of the story centered around Oraetta Mayflower and the Smutny family with the straightforward tension between the Cannons and the Faddas. It makes Oraetta, in particular, feel out of place.
However, that might be the point.
That weirdness isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Oraetta is supposed to make you feel unsettled even before you know she is killing people.
There is a routine to the cycle of violence and power grabs of each new crime syndicate. It has a sort of perverse stability to it that is reflected in the tone of scenes with those characters. Oraetta, and possibly the Smutnys, are disruptive forces to that status quo, so it makes sense that the tone of their scene feels different and disruptive as well.
It’s too early to tell if that juxtaposition will be successful, but it’s an interesting additional layer to the show’s style.
“Welcome to the Alternate Economy” and “The Land of Taking and Killing” are a great introduction to the world and characters of Fargo’s fourth season.
I’m intrigued to see where the rest of the season goes, and ready to find out what’s in store of the Cannons, Faddas, Smutnys, and Oraetta.
Stray Thoughts:
- I’m a little worried about Doctor Sentor’s safety. Loyal best friends never seem to live long in these stories.
- Oraetta seems to fashion herself as some sort of righteous angel of mercy so I’m curious why she gave the Smutnys the poison pie.
- Jason Schwartzman is an unusual casting choice for Josto. I’ll be interested to see how he does in the role.
- The visual style and soundtrack are both very cool and add a lot to the storytelling.
—
What did you think of this episode of Fargo? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
Fargo airs Sundays at 10/9c on FX.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.