TV Review: FARGO: Season 1, Episode 8: The Heap [FX]

FX’s Fargo The Heap TV Show Review. Fargo: Season 1, Episode 8: The Heap makes a rather interesting move, acting as a late-season transitional episode. After many main storylines were “wrapped up” last week, Fargo needed an unique way to keep the drama coming. They succeeded.

Returning to work after being shot by the graceless Officer Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks), Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman) is met with the same closed minds that surrounded her before. Sheriff Bill Oswalt (Bob Odenkirk) is convinced they’ve caught their man despite some loose ends not exactly fitting together. For the first time, we really see Molly express visible frustration with her superior-in-title-only. Though she still has her theories, the diligent Molly comes to a point of acceptance that she must move forward, because those around her have stopped caring. This allows her to finally start showing her hand when it comes to a potential relationship with Gus. One of the more intriguing aspects of Fargo week after week has been trying to decipher Molly’s true feelings for Gus. His intentions are obvious, but Tolman has done a superb job of masking Molly’s feelings to as not to cloud her judgment for the investigation. There have been many subtle hints as to how she leans, but nothing obvious and nothing that implies a pre-determined destiny.

Meanwhile, following the successful framing of his brother, Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) emerges from this whole ordeal a new man. Brimming with confidence after escaping a murder charge, Lester seeks new conquests. He finally gets the new washing machine that his wife always wanted; He gets a brand new wardrobe; And as we saw at the end of last week, he’s found a new way with the ladies. You have to admit, despite him murdering his wife and destroying his brothers family, you have to be just a little bit happy for Lester. His whole life he’s been an average goofball that everyone picked on. It’s nice to see he’s finally found some gumption. For now, it seems everything is coming up Lester. Emphasis on “for now”.

The Heap moves along ordinarily enough, when suddenly at a little before the 45 minute mark, something happens. Or rather, a lot happens all at once. The transition is so sudden it’ll likely take many of you aback. I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say it stretches the time frame quite a bit.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Fargo if there weren’t some irrelevant-to-the-plot-but-thematically-important event happening. We haven’t heard from Stavros Milos (Oliver Platt) in two episodes now, so one might start to think that his part of the show was over. However, his supermarket Phoenix Farms makes an appearance in this episode in someone’s story. It turns out that Phoenix Farms was the site of what some might consider a miracle. Pretty interesting that a miracle would take place at Stavros’ store, only after he “got good with God” a few episodes ago.

Yet again Fargo has kept us guessing around every corner, making it one of the most unpredictable and suspenseful series week in and week out.

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