1) Colin Hanks gets BIG
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. He looks remarkably like his remarkably adorable father. Every time I see him on screen, I think about the entire Hanks family. Did Tom teach his son any secret acting tips? Is Rita Wilson good in bed? Why won’t they answer my letters? JK. But it’s a delight to watch Colin not only for the nostalgia effect of seeing a young Tom Hanks but also because he is turning into a great little actor himself.
2) Billy Bob is Back
Creepy McCreeperstein. Billy Bob is phenomenal in this role. As a minimalist villain, his slow and methodical movements make me think of Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men (also a Coen brothers film). His scenes are the most riveting by far and his one liners are not only hilarious but deliciously dark all at the same time.
3) My Oliver Platt Vow
I have only a few vows that I keep sacred. My marriage vows, my vow to only rescue shelter animals and my vow to always watch anything that Oliver Platt is in. He makes anything better. Seriously. If I were in a Siberian Prison and was tortured everyday and Oliver Platt walked in–I’d be like: “Oh awesome. It’s my lucky day.” He’s in this quirky little show and he is, as always, wondrous.
4) Allison Tolman’s IMDB bio
A relative unknown, Tolman plays Molly Solverson, a female deputy who most closely resembles the character Marge Gunderson famously played by Frances McDormand. She is quick witted cop with fantastic instincts and yet she is squashed repeatedly by an oafish Bob Odenkirk who plays her superior. I love Tolman’s acting style, easy and effortless and yet completely believable. I also love the hope that it gives me seeing someone book a major TV show without a ton of credits. But more importantly, I love her IMDB bio. Here is a little taste:
“Tolman lives in Chicago with a portly cat named Annie who enjoys staring at her blankly whenever there is a house centipede in the kitchen.”
5) Production Value
I know there have only been three episodes but so far the direction has been fantastic, the cinematography top notch and the acting phenomenal. I can’t find a glitch in the system which is rare for a TV show. Even the over-the-top Minnesota accents are completely believable. (Do people really speak like that? Minnesotans–speak up and let me know if the accents are accurate). It helps that the Coen brothers are listed as Executive Producers but I’m incredibly impressed thus far with all who worked on this show both in front and behind the camera.
So there you have it folks: finally, something to do on Tuesday nights instead of heating a Lean Cuisine and finishing that bottle of Pinot in a plastic cup. Or, is that just me?
Fargo!