Fargo - “A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage” Recap. Aces.

Season 1, Episode 9

Air Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2014, 10PM E/P on FX Network.

Rating: ★★★★★

“Walk away.” – Malvo

Keith Carradine as Lou Solverson

Welcome to season two of Fargo. Ok, maybe not, but it sure feels like that after “The Heap,” which, as I stated in my review, felt like a season finale. So much changed when the show jumped forward a year that in many ways, “A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage” feels like the beginning of a new season. Even the look of the show feels different as characters’ appearances have changed, and a few are living in new places.

I have to admit the opening scene in the dental office threw me for a loop. Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) is a dentist in Kansas City, Missouri? Initially, it appears Malvo has finally gone straight until he throws a party and his new best friend, Dr. Burt Canton (Stephen Root), confides to him that his brother is in witness protection after turning on the mob. Suddenly, it all makes sense.

The story jumps to Las Vegas, picking up where “The Heap” left off when Lester (Martin Freeman) sees Malvo sitting at a table in the hotel bar. Lester is slightly intoxicated when he confronts Malvo about their past. I felt shivers as Malvo turns to Lester, telling him, “Walk away.”

After getting away with murdering your wife, the last thing I would think you would want to do is provoke the person equally responsible. But Lester follows Malvo and his friends to the elevator to confront Malvo again. The intensity skyrockets as Malvo asks Lester, “Is this what you want? Yes or no?” It brings back memories of when the two were in the hospital with Lester talking about Sam Hess (Kevin O’Grady), and Malvo asks him the same question.

Despite six months undercover as a dentist, Malvo seems unfazed after killing his friends, including Dr. Canton, who is the only one who knew where Malvo’s next target is hiding. Lester, on the other hand, is less composed as he races back to his hotel room to gather his wife Linda (Susan Park) and their belongings to check out and fly back to Minnesota.

Molly (Alison Tolman) gets a call from the Las Vegas police asking if she would interview a person who may have witnessed the elevator shooting. The look on Molly’s face is priceless as she learns the witness is none other than Lester.

Back in Minnesota, Lester remains paranoid that Malvo is close behind, He decides he and Linda should head back to the airport and spend some time in Mexico. All he needs is to repack and grab their passports, which he keeps at his office. Before he can pack, Molly shows up wanting to ask Lester some questions. The dialogue is great as the rattled Lester tries to get rid of Molly, only to have Linda make matters worse by confirming they just returned from Las Vegas.

Jordan Peele as Agent Pepper, Keegan-Michael Key as Agent Budge, Bob Odenkirk as Bill Oswalt, Allison Tolman as Molly

Still stuck in the file room, Agents Budge (Keegan-Michael Key) and Pepper (Jordan Peele) learn Molly keeps calling for information, saying she might know who the killer is. Hoping Molly can provide a lead that will get them out of the file room, the two head to Bemidji.

Agents Budge and Pepper are fascinated by the timeline of events Molly has put together, connecting Malvo and Lester to everything. You see the relief in Molly’s face when someone other than Gus (Colin Hanks) takes an interest. The moment is unfortunately cut short when Chief Oswalt (Bob Odenkirk) shows up.

Agent Pepper: “Have you seen this?”

Oswalt: “Have I seen this? Son, this thing has been giving me nightmares.”

Oswalt seems flustered as the agents talk through Molly’s evidence, which suddenly doesn’t sound so farfetched to Oswalt.

Malvo goes to Lester’s house only to learn he has moved. I laughed as Malvo torments the new owner and his kids about the murder that took place in the house they now are living in. He certainly has a way of getting under people’s skin, don’t you agree?

Keith Carradine as Lou Solverson, Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo

Fargo has made a name for itself for its shocking deaths, and in doing so, the writers have realized that teasing death can be just as powerful as the actual deaths. I’m not sure I breathed during the scene where simultaneously, you see Malvo show up at the diner while Molly is driving towards the diner. While nothing happens, the intensity level is palpable, making it feel like someone was going to die at any moment. Did anyone else get the feeling Malvo is the animal in Lou’s (Keith Carradine) story?

Despite Molly telling Lester and Linda to stay in town until the Vegas mess is settled, they are all packed and ready to head to Mexico. The couple heads to Lester’s office to pick up their passports but instead of getting them himself, Lester asks Linda if she will get them. Telling her she might be cold, he hands her his jacket. Lester watches in horror as Linda enters the dark office and Malvo’s shadowy figure emerges just as a flash goes off. Maybe it’s just me, but Lester seems more relieved it wasn’t him than being upset over the loss of his second wife.

Speaking of loss, where the heck has Stavros Milos (Oliver Platt) been? Ever since his son Dmitri (Gordon Miller) died in “Buridan’s Ass,” Stavros has been absent. That’s three whole episodes ago, which, for a ten-episode series, is a long time. Was Stavros just a plot device used to connect the series to the movie? After all, if you remove Stavros from the series completely, would any outcome change other than Don (Glenn Howerton) still being alive? You can’t say that about the other characters.

The last nine episodes have been quite a ride and in many ways, things have come full circle. I can’t wait to see what happens next, and who will be left standing in the season finale.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.