The Myth of Sisyphus (Fargo)

Last updated

"The Myth of Sisyphus"
Fargo episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 3
Directed by Michael Uppendahl
Written by Bob DeLaurentis
Featured music Jeff Russo
Production codeXFO02003
Original air dateOctober 26, 2015 (2015-10-26)
Running time47 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Before the Law"		Next →
"Fear and Trembling"
Fargo (season 2)
List of episodes

"The Myth of Sisyphus" is the third episode of the second season of the FX anthology series Fargo , and the thirteenth episode of the series overall. It was written by Bob DeLaurentis and directed by Michael Uppendahl.

Contents

The episode first aired on October 26, 2015, and was seen by 1.21 million viewers. [1]

Plot

The manhunt for Rye begins after fingerprints are pulled from the gun found at the Waffle Hut. At the same time, Milligan, Dodd and his henchman Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) each conduct an independent search for him.

Hank encounters Betsy while hanging a wanted picture of Rye at the local beauty salon. She speculates that Rye is the victim of a potential hit and run. Peggy discounts Betsy's theory, but quickly convinces Ed to crash her car a second time to explain the damage caused by hitting Rye.

Meanwhile, Lou travels to Fargo to meet Detective Ben Schmidt (Keir O'Donnell). They visit the Gerhardt farm and have a tense encounter with the clan. Lou then visits Skip's typewriter store, where he encounters Milligan and the Kitchen brothers, also searching for clues, resulting in another standoff.

Dodd's daughter Simone (Rachel Keller) tips off Hanzee about a lead on Rye, and they ambush Skip at Rye's apartment. He is brought to Dodd for interrogation. Dodd learns that Skip has no information on his brother's whereabouts. He and Hanzee force Skip into an open grave and bury him alive in hot asphalt. Dodd then tells Hanzee to do what is necessary to find Rye, beginning in Luverne.

Production

The music for the episode was provided by series composer Jeff Russo. [2]

Reception

Ratings

The episode first aired in the United States on FX on October 19, 2015 and obtained 1.21 million viewers. [1]

Critical reception

"The Myth of Sisyphus" received critical acclaim, particularly for its pace and Patrick Wilson's performance. It currently holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes: the critical consensus is "’The Myth of Sisyphus’ is a tense episode of Fargo, highlighted by an especially impressive performance by Patrick Wilson." [3]

In a highly positive review, Terri Schwartz of IGN gave the episode a 9.3 rating out of 10, concluding that "With great direction and excellent acting, Fargo delivers a great third outing. The three tense showdowns underline the fact that stakes are being raised, as Lou Solverson fights the good fight to try to combat the evil deeds being committed around him. But he is in over his head, and is beginning to notice. Time is running out for him to discover what happened to Rye before more nefarious forces do and turn the Waffle Hut clue trail cold." [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fargo</i> (TV series) American crime drama television series

Fargo is an American black comedy crime drama television series created and primarily written by Noah Hawley. The show is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name, which was written and directed by the Coen brothers, and takes place within the same fictional universe. The Coens were impressed by Hawley's script and agreed to be named as executive producers. The series premiered on April 15, 2014, on FX, and follows an anthology format, with each season set in a different era and location, with a different story and mostly new characters and cast, although there is minor overlap. Each season is heavily influenced by various Coen brothers films, with each containing numerous references to them.

The Crocodiles Dilemma 1st episode of the first season of Fargo

"The Crocodile's Dilemma" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on April 15, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Adam Bernstein. The title refers to the paradox in logic known as the crocodile dilemma.

"The Rooster Prince" is the second episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on April 22, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Adam Bernstein. The title refers to the Jewish parable of the same name.

A Muddy Road 3rd episode of the first season of Fargo

"A Muddy Road" is the third episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on April 29, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Randall Einhorn. The title refers to the Zen Buddhist kōan known as The Muddy Road.

Eating the Blame 4th episode of the first season of Fargo

"Eating the Blame" is the fourth episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on May 6, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Randall Einhorn. The title refers to the Zen Buddhist kōan of the same name.

The Six Ungraspables 5th episode of the first season of Fargo

"The Six Ungraspables" is the fifth episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on May 13, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Colin Bucksey. The title refers to the Zen Buddhist kōan known as The Six Ungraspables.

Who Shaves the Barber? 7th episode of the first season of Fargo

"Who Shaves the Barber?" is the seventh episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on May 27, 2014, in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Scott Winant. The title refers to the paradox in logic known as the barber paradox.

The Heap (<i>Fargo</i>) 8th episode of the first season of Fargo

"The Heap" is the eighth episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on June 3, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Scott Winant. The title refers to the paradox in logic known as the paradox of the heap.

<i>Fargo</i> (season 2) Second season of the American television series

The second season of Fargo, an American anthology black comedy–crime drama television series created by Noah Hawley, premiered on October 12, 2015, on the basic cable network FX. Its principal cast is Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, and Ted Danson. The ten-episode season's finale aired on December 14, 2015. As an anthology, each Fargo season possesses its own self-contained narrative, following a disparate set of characters in various settings.

A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage 9th episode of the first season of Fargo

"A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on June 10, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Matt Shakman. The episode title refers to a variation of the fox, goose and bag of beans puzzle.

Mortons Fork (<i>Fargo</i>) 10th episode of the first season of Fargo

"Morton's Fork" is the tenth and final episode of the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo. The episode aired on June 17, 2014 in the United States on FX. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Matt Shakman. The title refers to a dilemma of the same name, posed in the episode by FBI agents Pepper and Budge.

Waiting for Dutch 1st episode of the second season of Fargo

"Waiting for Dutch" is the premiere episode of the second season of the FX anthology series Fargo, and the eleventh episode of the series overall. It was written by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley and directed by Michael Uppendahl and Randall Einhorn, making it the only episode in the series with two directors. The title refers to the Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot, and to Ronald Reagan, occasionally nicknamed "Dutch", who appears via archival footage.

"Before the Law" is the second episode of the second season of the FX anthology series Fargo, and the twelfth episode of the series overall. It was written and directed by series creator and showrunner Noah Hawley.

"Fear and Trembling" is the fourth episode of the second season of the FX anthology series Fargo, and the fourteenth episode of the series overall. It was written by Steve Blackman and directed by Michael Uppendahl.

"The Castle" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the second season of the FX anthology series Fargo, and the nineteenth episode of the series overall. It was written by series showrunner Noah Hawley alongside Steve Blackman and directed by Adam Arkin.

Peggy Blumquist American tv character, created 2015

Peggy Blumquist is a fictional character in the second season of the FX television series Fargo and is portrayed by Kirsten Dunst. Dunst received widespread critical acclaim for her performance, which was widely lauded as one of the best performances of 2015. She won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries, and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Lou Solverson American tv character, created 2014

Lou Solverson is a fictional character in the FX television series Fargo. He first appeared as a supporting character in the first season, played by Keith Carradine, and then as a main character in season two, played by Patrick Wilson.

Floyd Gerhardt American tv character, created 2015

Floyd Gerhardt is a fictional character in the second season of the FX television series Fargo and is portrayed by Jean Smart. Smart received widespread critical acclaim for her performance, winning the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Ed Blumquist American tv character, created 2015

Ed Blumquist is a fictional character and one of the lead protagonists from second season of the FX produced television series, Fargo. He is created by Noah Hawley and portrayed by Jesse Plemons, who was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for this role.

Hanzee Dent American tv character, created 2014

Ohanzee "Hanzee" Dent is a fictional character in the FX television series Fargo, appearing in the second season, played by Zahn McClarnon. Initially a tracker and enforcer for the Gerhardt crime family, Hanzee serves as eldest son Dodd’s right hand man for much of the season. However, he eventually turns on the Gerhardts, personally killing Dodd and setting up the rest of the family to be killed in a shootout with the police. In the season finale, it’s revealed that Hanzee gets extensive plastic surgery and a new identity, becoming Moses Tripoli, who appeared as a minor character in the first season, played by Mark Acheson.

References

  1. 1 2 Porter, Rick (November 3, 2015). "Monday cable ratings: 'Monday Night Football' leads the way, plus 'Real Housewives of OC,' 'Love & Hip Hop,' 'WWE Raw'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Season premiere review: 'Fargo' – 'Waiting for Dutch': Sounds of the Seventies". Uproxx. October 12, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ ""The Myth of Sisyphus" critical consensus". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ "FARGO: "THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS" REVIEW". IGN . October 26, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.