Ewan McGregor is beside himself in new season of ‘Fargo’
“Fargo” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA) returns for a third season. Once again, it’s better television than any of us deserve. But don’t go looking for the story to link back to the previous seasons or to the original feature film. The first episode, written and directed by series creator Noah Hawley, borrows setting, tone and themes from the “Fargo” franchise, but the story stands alone.
The fun thing about this “Fargo” is watching Ewan McGregor (“Trainspotting”) take on both ends of a demented sibling rivalry. On one hand, he’s Emmit Stussy, the “parking lot king of Minnesota.” A handsome man blessed with a full head of curly hair, he projects the confidence of the biggest fish in a provincial pond.
McGregor also plays his younger brother, Ray, a paunchy, balding, resentful parole officer who blames Emmit for his lot in life and particularly resents his older brother for bamboozling him out of a rare postage stamp when they were young. In the cracked logic of this series, Ray believes that if he could just get that stamp back, he’d alter his standing in the universe.
Naturally, this impulse leads to petty theft, mistaken identity, murder and chaos. And that’s just Ray’s side of the story.
For all his outward bravado, Emmit knows that he’s in hock to some shady investors for $1 million. The year is 2010 and businesses like his have scrambled to survive the Great Recession. Unfortunately, Emmit’s “angel” turns out to be an Eastern European thug named Vargas (David Thewlis), who sees the parking lot business as the perfect place to set up shop.
Carrie Coon stars as Gloria Burgle, the no-nonsense chief of the local police department. As such, she’s similar to the level-headed women officers (played by Frances McDormand and Allison Tolman) from past installments. She’s just getting over losing her husband to divorce (and to another man) when some of the madness that Ray sets in motion rolls too close to her personal orbit.
And I’d be remiss to overlook Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Ray’s girlfriend (and parolee), a brilliant spitfire of a woman with a taste for very competitive bridge.
Spring may well have sprung outside of our windows, but in “Fargo” the deep freeze never ends, and a snowballing avalanche of human greed, envy, resentment and wayward fate is always just over the horizon. This time it all starts with a simple postage stamp.
VICE PREVIEWS 4/20
The Vice Network anticipates 4/20, an unofficial marijuana holiday for some years, with four episodes of “Weediquette” (8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., TV-14) and a chaser of “Bong Appetit” (10 p.m., TV-14).
TONIGHT’S HIGHLIGHTS
› The list of suspects expands on “Shots Fired” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› “Nova” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14) documents the recent discovery of a tunnel used by Jews to escape Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
› Kevin and Charity make their break official on “Greenleaf” (10 p.m., OWN, TV-14).
› Betrayed by blood on “Underground” (10 p.m., WGN, TV-MA).
› The guys have scores to settle on the season finale of “Hap and Leonard: Mucho Mojo” (10 p.m., Sundance, TV-MA).
› A contestant lords over others on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
› On two helpings of “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC, repeat, TV-14), hazing and hockey (8 p.m.), Fin reaches out to a fellow vet (9 p.m.).
› Barry gets a job on “The Goldbergs” (8 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-14).
› Prometheus-bound on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-14).
› Cupid’s wayward arrow on “Speechless” (8:30 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Rumer Willis guest-stars on “Empire” (9 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› Valentine’s Day on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› On two episodes of “Whose
Line Is It Anyway?” (CW, repeat, TV-14), Chris Jericho (9 p.m.), Rachel Bloom (9:30 p.m.).
› Mixed feelings on “blackish” (9:30 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Roughed up in Athens on “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
› A new Supreme Court on “Designated Survivor” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
› Murder suspects take sanctuary in a church on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, repeat, TV-14).
Contact Kevin McDonough at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.