Fargo: the Miniseries

Aw Jeez.

Anybody watch this last night?  If you liked the movie, you'll probably like the ten-part miniseries on FX (Wednesday, 10 p.m.).

As usual, Billy Bob Thornton's appearance, voice and mannerisms are completely different from every other role he's played.  He plays a hit man and overall shit disturber who's taking a “temporary” detour through Fargo on his way to Duluth to carry out his boss's orders.  The Billy Bob Thornton character reminds me of the mysterious shop owner in Stephen King's Needful Things (Max von Sydow played the role in the movie version).

Other than Billy Bob Thornton and Keith Carradine, I didn't recognize any of the actors in the Fargo miniseries.  I thought maybe the directors were purposely using unknown actors for the series.  “Give us your best Scandihoovian accent...OK, good, you're hired.”  But it turns out most of the actors are already well-known from movies and TV shows I never saw.

I have just one tiny nitpicking complaint about the accents on last night's show.  I'm pretty familiar with that Minnesota/Scandihoovian accent, and one particular vowel sound was missing.  When people from the upper Midwest say the word “clown,” it sounds like “clone.”  “Drown” sounds like “drone.”  And so on.  And that one vowel sound wasn't captured in most of last night's dialogue.

Anyway, just one tiny nitpick.  Other than that, they totally nailed the accent and sing-songy speech inflection of that region.

I thought the program was a riot.  I hope it'll be a hit.  But either way, it won't be back for another season (presumably) since it's just a one-time miniseries.

Check it out.