A quick review of tonight's “Fargo” coming up just as soon as I make my best offer for irregular socks…
The scene in “The Six Ungraspables” where Molly convinces Bill that Lester should be treated as a suspect in the murders was among the more satisfying “Fargo” moments so far, yet in a way where I felt relief at the show for not screwing things up rather than pride in it for being so wonderful. Bill's incompetence has already been too much of a lazy plot device (see Lorne's quick release from prison last week), but also a blatant shortcut to make Molly seem smarter in comparison. And Molly comes across as plenty smart on her own. So if he had listened to that whole presentation and still refused to consider Lester as a person of interest, it would have been a stupidity bridge too far for the show, and I'm at least glad that we've moved past that phase of the story as the season hits the midway point.
At the same time, Molly having to spend so much time rehashing the investigation – and, later, breaking into Lester's house to study his basement (and look inside the washing machine where he previously hid the murder weapon) – means that a lot of the episode (including Wrench and Numbers interrogating Lester in the jail cell) is devoted to other characters seeing and hearing things that we already know. This is a challenge in mystery stories where the audience learns everything that's happening before all the characters do, but that can still be done very entertainingly, as “Fargo” the movie demonstrated. (See also “Columbo,” or Hank's search for Heisenberg on “Breaking Bad.”) We'll see how “Fargo” handles things over the remaining five episodes.
Beyond that, “The Six Ungraspables” was another good showcase for the deadpan genius of Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne. He remains a wonder in dealing with idiots (both Don getting locked in the closet and the fence trying to sell him a pink walkie-talkie), and yet that same affect (or lack thereof) can be so menacing when he calmly talks to Gus's Jewish neighbor. And the fact that he now knows where Gus lives, and is listening in to Greta's radio communication, suggests big trouble ahead for the Grimly family – and/or a chance for heroics by Molly, who is on her way to spend more time with her unofficial new partner in crime-solving.
What did everybody else think? Did Molly's chat with Vern's widow touch you, or had you forgotten she was a part of the show? Were you hoping Bill would keep shooting Molly down? And how will Don survive a night in that closet?