“This is a true story. The events depicted took place in Minnesota in 2006. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred.”

That looks familiar doesn’t it? The fictional disclaimer which opened the 1996 Coens Brothers classic film Fargo also appears in the TV series that bears the same name, not following the same characters from the quirky crime classic, but instead a similar tone in the recognisable, snow-covered landscape of the mid-American USA/Canada border.

Key and Peele! Inspired casting!

In theory, a TV spin-off of the seminal Fargo is a terrible idea with impossible standards to live up to. What kind of arrogance makes a person believe they can adapt the perfect blend of whimsical characters and chilling violence? A film that exposed the vile underbelly of seemingly normal people in small towns? But showrunner and writer Noah Hawley did the impossible; not only did he create a show that is loyal in spirit and tone, but he created a stand-out TV show in what is currently a golden era of magnificent TV drama.

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