CHAT WITH ROBERT
USA TODAY’s Robert Bianco chats with readers Mondays at 2 p.m. ET at facebook.com/ USATODAY. Read edited excerpts below, email questions to askbianco@usatoday.com or tweet them to @biancorobert and visit him live online.
Q I’m not happy with Fargo this season. They have Ewan McGregor playing two roles, which, to me, is an unwanted gimmick and is a distraction that was not needed. What purpose does that serve? It only gives the producers something they can promote as a “clever” idea. AI
understand the disappointment, which is not yours alone. Fargo’s plot probably hasn’t kicked in as well or as quickly as the stories had in previous seasons, but the sharpness of the dialogue and the performances are still enough to keep me satisfied. As for McGregor — yes, it’s a gimmick that serves no apparent storytelling purpose, or at least not a purpose that has become clear as of yet. But it doesn’t distract from the story. Q Where’s the love for
HBO’s The Leftovers? I think it’s been absolutely amazing TV. A Despite some great reviews,
The Leftovers never really caught on with a mass audience, which is why it’s leaving after three seasons. And critical love is fickle.When critics and viewers alike are inundated with new series, our attention tends to wander to either what is newest or biggest. Leftovers was left out on both counts. Q If American Crime was half as engrossing, gritty and realistic as, say, The Night Of, maybe more people would have “looked.” Not watching mediocre TV doesn’t make one a heartless or uncaring person. AI don’t agree that ABC’s now-canceled American
Crime was mediocre, or that HBO’s The Night Of was more realistic, but I do agree with your central assertion: Skipping a TV show does not make you a bad person. I think it is ironic that a third season that focused on people we overlook was overlooked, but that doesn’t mean I think anyone had a duty to watch.