Far-go. Even the name of the Coen brothers 1996 classic evokes its themes of loneliness, isolation, and the meaning of the savage wilderness in the modern world. However, I am not going to tell you about Fargo (1996), I'm going to talk about Fargo (2014-present), the critically acclaimed anthology style television masterpiece and the novelist-turned-showrunner behind it: Noah Hawley.
When the idea for a Fargo TV-show first came together, Noah Hawley was faced with an enormous challenge: how do you not only live in the shadow of one of the greatest films of all time but rise above and create something that feels both new and old at once. The answer was to embark into one of the newest trends in television: the anthology show. In Fargo, every season has a new cast, a new crime, and even a new look. Rather than a simple re-hash of the movie, Noah Hawley creates a totally new story that nevertheless feels like Fargo in its tone and presentation. In an interview with wpr.org, Hawley said that his shows on feels the need to "fit into the mindset of what Fargo represents" (wpr.org).
So what does Fargo represent? By Hawley's reckoning, it represents "civilization versus wilderness" and how in the modern world there exists a "criminal wilderness" that exists in stark contrast with the civilized world (wpr.org). Using only the themes and tone from the original film, Hawley had made a show that explores complex themes of good and evil, morality, and the confusion of modern life. In its 3 seasons on FX, Fargo has been nominated for 167 awards and won 44 of them, including several Emmy awards (IMDB).
Fargo as a show is not afraid to challenge itself. Each season brings new, creative twists on the standard television format. Every episode begins with the blatant lie that "This is a True Story". Season 2 notably used spit-screen editing to brilliant effect to draw literal parallels between characters and events. These examples of outside-the-box thinking and creativity are all credited to Noah Hawley, whose background as a novelist makes him an outsider to the industry. Hawley brings a fresh perspective to one of film's most famous explorations of humanity.
Sources
https://www.wpr.org/noah-hawley-discusses-creative-process-behind-fargo
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802850/awards
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I've only watched the Fargo 1996 movie before, and have been hesitant about watching the tv show. This post definitely convinced me to check it out though! Maybe I will watch over thanksgiving break...
ReplyDeleteIn your research, did you find anything interesting about Hawley's writing process?
I find the concept of civilization versus wilderness very interesting. These shows can revolve around the very basic, raw aspects of a human being. As in, what does a person make of a blank slate? The interpretation of such situations are quite creative. When I first came across this concept, it was wen I had read Lord of the Flies. Even that book personified the emphasis of different personalities that can come out of a group of people in isolations. I assume that Fargo contains a similar idea; this idea that makes the basis of these creative pieces of art so intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI love how many TV shows nowadays are using the Anthology format to provide more diverse storytelling and to be free from the limitations of multi-season contracts, allowing high profile to explore the world of television.
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