tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post5169303050126533911..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Here's my really angry rant for the monthBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88867595449159097352017-07-03T00:30:28.182-07:002017-07-03T00:30:28.182-07:00I thought the ending was a bit baffling, but only ...I thought the ending was a bit baffling, but only because it was an opportunity for Varga to be ensnared by a long-game investigation instead of being somewhat ambiguous. After all the bad things that happened to so many people, we all wanted to see somebody decent get the win. <br /><br />Having said that, I didn't think it was as ambiguous as most seem to think. That smile from Gloria was it. No one walked in and told Varga he was free to go, like he said would happen. He wasn't free. He was done for. I would have preferred to see Gloria hold up show that she had "smoking gun"-level evidence, or for the guards to drag Varga out of the room while his face melted into the realization that he hadn't slithered out of trouble this time. But it's not a travesty or anything.Tom Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03633335890646323119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74783979777419155822017-07-01T09:12:04.259-07:002017-07-01T09:12:04.259-07:00Exactly, Ken. After a great first season and a ter...Exactly, Ken. After a great first season and a terrifyingly perfect second, this was a disappointment from start to, especially, finish. Prairie Perspectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02154574048042724149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39943095191876966792017-06-26T21:22:19.570-07:002017-06-26T21:22:19.570-07:00OK, I just watched this week's episode of Twin...OK, I just watched this week's episode of <i>Twin Peaks</i>. The ending of season three of <i>Fargo</i> is <i>Citizen Kane</i> by comparison. But I've figured out what it was about.<br /><br />It was about an hour.<br /><br />Now I shall watch something that is clear, straight-forward story-telling, like the last half-hour of <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1785736310952373392017-06-26T15:22:34.722-07:002017-06-26T15:22:34.722-07:00Gottacook: And the best they could come up with wa...Gottacook: And the best they could come up with was **SPOILER ALERT** "Its gods waiting room"? Sheesh.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41600370180400064692017-06-26T14:03:02.049-07:002017-06-26T14:03:02.049-07:00An example of a great ending was Six Feet Under. ...An example of a great ending was Six Feet Under. Showing the final fates of the major cast members over the next decades to come. I don't think a spoiler alert is needed because we all will die over the next 100 years.Rich Shealerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06349316644704593604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89277277275758048182017-06-26T11:23:56.875-07:002017-06-26T11:23:56.875-07:00Nailed it, Ken. The end of Fargo was extremely uns...Nailed it, Ken. The end of Fargo was extremely unsatisfactory. 10 hours this season, 30 in all, and THAT'S the ending we get? No, that is not acceptable. Have the guts to give us a real ending. Some ambiguous endings are fine, I suppose. That one wasn't. A letdown to an otherwise great show and great season. Thanks for saying it out loud. Jerry Smithhttp://jerryshumbleopinions.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39771364633292310922017-06-26T09:52:00.699-07:002017-06-26T09:52:00.699-07:00AMEN, KEN.
The next Fargo should open in a dental...AMEN, KEN.<br /><br />The next Fargo should open in a dental office.Jeff Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708037522976667642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44504730170382584112017-06-26T09:28:18.254-07:002017-06-26T09:28:18.254-07:00One of the many reasons I don't do serial dram...One of the many reasons I don't do serial dramas. Aside from the fact that I don't like feeling obligated to keep up, there is always the possibility that the whole thing gets cancelled before it ever gets to where it is going. I don't see the point in investing my time in a show that just meanders. And yes, if they end a series without bringing major plot lines to a logical conclusion, I feel ripped off. I think it's just poor planning and lazy writing. They were focusing on just the fun bits and not paying attention to where they were going. And no, ambiguity is not just like real life. In real life, you get the job or you lose the job. You get the girl, or you get a divorce. You survive the wreck or you don't. Your kid grows up to be someone you are proud of or a loser. Life only appears ambiguous because it has so very many plot lines going on at one time. But ultimately they do all finish up, one way or the other. <br /><br />In any case, if I want something that's just like real life, there's always, you know, REAL LIFE.McAlvienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88328582352856295382017-06-26T09:05:10.161-07:002017-06-26T09:05:10.161-07:00"Based on a true story"... just wanted t..."Based on a true story"... just wanted to point out that there was an oscar-winning film made about two decades ago that began by saying it was a true story. The filmmakers later admitted that it wasn't a true story, but they wanted the film to be in the genre of a true-story movie. <br /><br />That film was... uh... Fargo. <br /><br />http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/fargo.asp<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17787029128547009902017-06-26T07:16:51.034-07:002017-06-26T07:16:51.034-07:00Since you brought up The Sopranos, I'd love fo...Since you brought up The Sopranos, I'd love for you to write an entire blog post about what you appreciated about the series. In particular, there were so many moments of great humor. It was funnier than most comedies, despite the dark subject matter.<br /><br />So consider this a Friday Question, which I've actually asked before. The problem is I don't really have a good "form of a question." I'm just interested in your perspective, now that so many years have passed.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80802053979938378082017-06-26T06:46:59.086-07:002017-06-26T06:46:59.086-07:00"The Leftovers" did it much, much better..."The Leftovers" did it much, much better.Cabernetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52680441070268225792017-06-26T06:01:43.361-07:002017-06-26T06:01:43.361-07:00I agree with Ken. I hated the ending. It's a s...I agree with Ken. I hated the ending. It's a story, end it, dammit! <br /><br />I read several articles about the "meaning" of the ambiguity of the ending and I disagree. It ruined what was otherwise an enjoyable season for me.Rebeccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74541264097891522542017-06-25T21:38:31.140-07:002017-06-25T21:38:31.140-07:00It's been demonstrated over and over again the...It's been demonstrated over and over again the the proper way to end a story like this, which begins with simple people with simple goals and then grows more and more complex, is to have complete resolution at the end. Questions get answered, and then even when it's over you still have someone tell the viewer it's over. The "He's dead, Jim" moment. That's when it's satisiying.<br />Clarence Odbodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77310122350453586132017-06-25T14:19:33.630-07:002017-06-25T14:19:33.630-07:00I've always questioned the ending of the movie...I've always questioned the ending of the movie version of "Pufnstuf" (wait... hold your scoff). This was a 17-episode series about a teenager stuck a groovy puppet island, trying to get home. The feature film didn't really resolve his plight, but rather the finale sequence to cut back and forth from the boy in his earlier "home" scenes to his later "Island" scenes. So did he get home or not? I even asked Marty Krofft once. He hemmed and hawed.<br /><br />Now, if "Pufnstuf" had been a high falutin' critics' darling and not the wonderfully wacky Saturday morning kids' show that it was, the pretentious set might have been tempted to stretch the "liquidity of its truth" to mean that perhaps the boy had never left his home at all, but that the whole adventure took place in his mind and that he "coexisted consciously in both worlds, not asleep but in thea daydream of his yearning, as a safe haven from his lack of acceptance by his schoolmates."<br /><br />Naaaah. The quickly-made movie cost less than a million to shoot, made back its money and then some, helped the Kroffts stay in business and provided Universal with some tidy matinee money. All the movie's ending did was allow room for a sequel or a subsequent series. Let's not strain our brains!<br /><br />Just offering some perspective. Time is very precious and it allows for only so many TV shows. Thanks for giving me one less reason to make less time for Fargo and more for Better Call Saul. And The Bugaloos.Greg Ehrbarhttp://www.gregehrbar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20976584066491658392017-06-25T12:42:23.956-07:002017-06-25T12:42:23.956-07:00Given that I didn't watch any of "Twin Pe...Given that I didn't watch any of "Twin Peaks" back in the day, the inclusion of Ray Wise in this season of "Fargo" didn't bother me at all. Ray brings so much to every role, and I was happy to see him back on screen. If the ending was a bit ambiguous, it was consistent with Varga's constant and eloquent re-interpretations of "reality" that ran through the entire show. And as for over-the-top mystical BS, it's hard to top the UFO in Season Two of "Fargo" -- but that didn't ruin it for me. I think you just have to accept a certain degree of off-the-wall wierdness when it comes to the FX interpretations of "Fargo." <br /><br />From a structural standpoint, Season One was built on the strongest foundation, but all three seasons have been interesting in their own ways. Each kept me tuning in from week to week, and if this last finale was more than a bit mysterious, it certainly wasn't a deal-breaker. If anything, it made me think a lot more than the finales of most good shows -- and that's not a bad thing.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56260171166047828892017-06-25T11:07:06.657-07:002017-06-25T11:07:06.657-07:00I loved every second of this season. It was terrif...I loved every second of this season. It was terrific watching the protagonist and antagonist sitting at opposite ends of the table "knowing" that they won. Keeping with the theme of the characters throughout the show, I believe Varga was correct. Since Numbers made a cameo, you can't rule out having this enigma solved in a later season.John Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65230509935540588232017-06-25T09:47:49.644-07:002017-06-25T09:47:49.644-07:00Critics have a bad habit in a number of genres (mo...Critics have a bad habit in a number of genres (movies, TV, books, music) of bending over backwards to support something they love when it goes off the rails, even though they know it's gone off the rails, in hopes by not trashing the person or their work, they'll get back onto the rails. <br /><br />The problem comes when the artist or show keeps producing substandard work, but keeps getting praised by the critics -- who retroactively now tell you their latest work is a big improvement from that steaming pile of poo they put out last year/season. That's the point where you give up paying attention to what the critic thinks, because if they lied to you last year, how do you know they're not lying to you this year?J Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15175515543694122729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26164448229473949372017-06-25T09:19:25.883-07:002017-06-25T09:19:25.883-07:00There is nothing wrong with having to use your ima...There is nothing wrong with having to use your imagination every so often. The ending was fine.Fred Vogelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13467598561979844042017-06-25T08:14:30.642-07:002017-06-25T08:14:30.642-07:00We don't know. That's why the movie is cal...We don't know. That's why the movie is called LIMBO.cadavranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89058926960563375822017-06-25T03:56:12.572-07:002017-06-25T03:56:12.572-07:00You look at the finales of "Dexter" and ...You look at the finales of "Dexter" and "How I Met Your Mother" -- then do the exact opposite of what they did. Worst finales ever.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46862924957339401722017-06-25T03:50:04.343-07:002017-06-25T03:50:04.343-07:00Because I loved both season 1 and 2 I was looking ...Because I loved both season 1 and 2 I was looking forward so much to season 3. Boy Howdy was I ever disappointed. If there is a 4th season they can have it without me. I am done.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-92043092679338665182017-06-25T01:24:03.269-07:002017-06-25T01:24:03.269-07:00Loosehead: Sorry, but the opposite is true. At the...Loosehead: Sorry, but the opposite is true. At the end of the third season, the producers and ABC made a deal for three more seasons, with a definite number of episodes to wrap things up, 16 per season (although the numbers ended up varying a bit). See the story at this link, for example: http://ew.com/article/2007/05/11/lost-end-2010/.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56799075890530303922017-06-25T01:05:25.368-07:002017-06-25T01:05:25.368-07:00To be fair to Lost, and it's really hard for m...To be fair to Lost, and it's really hard for me to say that, their last few seasons were ended without knowing if they would be renewed, so each finale had to conclude the story threads, in case they didn't come back, but leave some threads going, and bad guys un-dealt with, in case they did. Some of the outrageous story elements were also there to try and prevent cancellation. It's not really an excuse though.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32172159898947825622017-06-24T22:54:29.079-07:002017-06-24T22:54:29.079-07:00First, up front, if you don't like it, you don...First, up front, if you don't like it, you don't like it, I'm not going to tell you you should like it. That's silly.<br /><br />I think some viewers, i.e. any viewers who aren't as obsessed with the Coen brothers as I am,<br /> underestimate how much Fargo seems to be structured around tributes to specific Coen brothers movies. While there was a whole lotta Lebowski this season, there was also a lot of A Serious Man: the Job-like trials of Emmit Stussey, his wastrel brother, the parable-like prologue in an Eastern European setting, and several other parallels I'm forgetting at the moment. I didn't find it at all surprising that we finished, as A Serious Man does, with an ending hanging in mid air.Fictahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00454264303050808127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40349506483964570862017-06-24T21:01:43.546-07:002017-06-24T21:01:43.546-07:00I thought it was the weakest finale of the three s...I thought it was the weakest finale of the three seasons, but I didn't feel cheated by the final scene. (I would have ENJOYED Varga getting his comeuppance, though!) The ambiguity matched not only the isolationist tone of the third season, but also the modern time period it was set in. <br />(Notice too how if you watch the seasons in chronological order how the colors seem to leave the world? The world gets bleaker, eat Popsicle with your kids while you can!)<br /><br />Maybe Gloria's story was the robot. She traveled and traveled as was useful, but as soon as she did her last useful thing... that's all there was to her story and it was abruptly over.Charles Jurrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00222749064232908583noreply@blogger.com