FX's Fargo - Episode 1.09 "A Fox, A Rabbit and A Cabbage"
Lester has an unexpected encounter, Malvo changes course and a new investigation leads Molly down a familiar path.
When Fargo first premiered, Lester Nygaard was of the belief: "If something's not right in the world, eh, that's just the way it is." He then made a choice that would alter absolutely everything - not only in his own life but in the lives of the entire Bemidji community. His life took a turn for the better. Now, he's of the mindset: "If something's not right, you do something about it." And again, he makes a choice. He decides to approach Malvo in the Las Vegas bar and he choices to be persistent and make Malvo acknowledge him. It's a devastating opening sequence but also one of the most thrilling first acts Fargo has done yet. It spends all of this time setting up just what Malvo is up to now that a full year has passed. He's working as a dentist in order to find a colleague's brother who's in witness protection for turning in evidence against a Chicago gang. And all of that hard work goes away in a second because Lester says 'Yes.'It's combustive having Lester and Malvo together for the first time since the first episode. Their stories have been connected this entire time and yet they've spent so little of it actually interacting with one another. When they do, lives are uprooted. Lester was glad to put the first mess behind him and just live his own life. He's to blame for a lot of devastation that has happened in his life and to his family. But in his mind, he still views himself as a good person. He's manipulative but he thinks he deserves a good life. He's finally able to move past everything. He gets a new wife and opens up his own insurance company plus gets the award in Las Vegas. He's a confident player now - with the big fancy house to come home to. He's no longer afraid of Malvo up until he makes that choice. Once Malvo shoots his three companions, Lester is once again back in flight mode trying to outrun Malvo before he too is killed.
And strangely enough, it is this choice that puts him back into the same orbits he was in during the investigation a year ago. Just as he and Linda are getting ready to leave town, Molly is on his front step with more questions for him. He's confident enough to give her suitable lies - and to cover Linda's story when holes start to pop up. But his old life is slowly returning - and this time it's not gonna let him live for another year as a new man. Malvo is coming for him and he's not planning on letting Lester live. But Lester is a much more competent player in this game. He's learned a few tricks of the trade - he did frame his own brother for murder after all! But he's still always looking over his shoulder unsure of when Malvo will pop up. He's extra cautious but that means putting Linda into harm's way just for self-preservation. When he notices the light on in his store, he has to send his wife there to take the bullet meant for him. He even gave her his iconic orange jacket! That's just sick. I have no clue how this will all play out in next week's finale but I'm excited to see what will come of these characters.
The hour also featured many wonderful interactions amongst its characters. Besides being a blast from the past for Lester, Molly gets a much needed morale boost when FBI Agents Key & Peele come to town. They have a personal stake in this story and need some answers just as much as she does - making the three of them the perfect team. Gus is important as well because he may have noticed Malvo driving into town while on his mail route.
Lastly, there was the great moment between Lou and Malvo at Lou's diner. That place has been a wonderful meeting place for a ton of the town's important players. Here, it's pivotal yet again as two wise and mature characters are slowly feeling each other out and trying to take in the oddities of the other without revealing that much. It has a very careful cat-and-mouse feel to it. All the while, we're worried that Molly is going to come into the place and recognize Malvo. Thus, putting her father in danger. It's a tense sequence highlighted by the two just sharing stories with one another without either pulling any kind of meaningful information out. Malvo doesn't figure out where Lester is at and Lou doesn't realize that Malvo is the guy Molly is chasing. It's all very tense and that feeling only gets stronger as the episode heads into its final act as well as next week's finale.
Some more thoughts:
- "A Fox, A Rabbit and A Cabbage" was written by Noah Hawley and directed by Matt Shakman.
- The best part of Malvo's new identity as a dentist is his overuse of the word 'aces.'
- Linda's favorite part of Las Vegas? The fountains! Oh, and there's gambling at the airport!
- Bill comes back to town to try and steamroll Molly's theory yet again only for the FBI agents to shut him down.
- I also really enjoyed Malvo frightening the little boys at Lester's old house once he learns that Lester no longer lives there.
