Fargo - “Fear and Trembling” Review. Peace or War.

Season 2, Episode 4

Air Date: Monday, November 2, 2015, 10PM E/P on FX Network.

Rating: ★★★★★

“Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.” – Ed

Will things lead to war?

The deadline approaches for Floyd (Jean Smart) and the rest of the Gerhardt family to decide whether to accept the offer by the Kansas City Mafia or face all-out war. Can the two sides come to an agreement, or will Dodd’s (Jeffrey Donovan) temper wreak havoc on the negotiations? Meanwhile, Ohanzee (Zahn McClarnon) inches closer to figuring out what happened to Rye (Kieran Culkin).

“Fear and Trembling” opens with a flashback to a movie theater in Fargo sometime in 1950. The theater was a used as a meeting place for Otto (Michael Hogan) and another Mafia boss (Kai Lennox). When the unnamed boss tried to have Otto whacked, 12-year- old Dodd (Victor Hawryluk) saved his father by stabbing the boss in the back. As shocking as the scene is, it doesn’t add anything to the current story line other than to confirm what we already suspect — Dodd, regardless of age, is a ruthless killer. The writers do little to provide any context surrounding the events other than to suggest both adults have higher aspirations. The scene leaves me with too many questions such as, was there any fallout from the murder; was this all part of Otto’s plan to move up the ranks; and more importantly, was this Dodd’s first kill?

Now grown, Dodd visits the local donut shop where the Mafia cronies, in town for the mediations, are having coffee. Unleashing a brutal, unprovoked attack, it’s clear how desensitized Dodd has become to violence. I laughed as Dodd takes time to order a pastry as the men lay sprawled out on the floor. Donovan seems to enjoy the no holds barred mentality of his character and brings some subtle humor to the role.

The negotiations between Joe (Brad Garrett) and Floyd are fascinating. With one side family oriented and the other more corporate, the contrast between both as they sit across from each other is interesting to watch. I especially enjoyed how the intimidating dialogue is wrapped in pleasantries.

Joe: “You’re a good woman. I wish I had known your husband.”

Floyd: “No, my husband would have killed you where you stood the first time you met. So be glad you’re talking to his wife.”

Will the truth come out?

Known for his comedic performances, Garrett embraces his dramatic role as the front man for the Kansas City Mafia. Recently, during a conference call, Garrett talked with me about why he took such a provocative role. “I was a real fan of season one as most people were. I’ve done a little bit of drama in the past. I wanted, obviously, to branch out. It’s our job as actors to reinvent ourselves when we get the opportunity. My reps vigorously went after the chance to audition for the role. Noah Hawley and Warren Littlefield were nice enough to bring me in to read and here we are.”

Garrett also teased that with Gerhardt rejecting the offer, his role is about to get a lot more physical than fans are accustomed to seeing. Looks like Joe is about to get his hands dirty.

Dodd’s actions are met with serious repercussions, including an attack on Otto who is at the hospital seeking treatment. Despite the sudden escalation in violence, “Fear and Trembling” allows for a tender moment as Dodd, realizing he put the lives of his family in jeopardy, seeks the comfort of his mother’s hand. After batting it away a few times, Floyd finally accepts it. It’s a touching moment that offers a glimpse into Dodd’s vulnerable side.

Ohanzee continues his search for Rye, which leads him to Luverne, Minnesota.

Besides being the stereotypical Indian tracker, not much is known about McClarnon’s character. I wouldn’t mind learning more about Ohanzee and how he came to work for the Gerhardt family. With no dialogue for several minutes, I was fixated on the screen as Ohanzee finds clues into Rye’s disappearance, finally putting together what happened that fateful night. The only question is, what will he do with the information?

I’ve yet to figure out the reasoning behind the mysterious U.F.O. that doesn’t appear to fit with anything else in the story. “Fear and Trembling” director Michael Uppendahl goes out of his way to show Ohanzee looking at the clock before heading outside. Seconds later, he becomes mesmerized by the strange lights. He pulls out his pocket watch, revealing two hours have passed. Did something happen to cause Ohanzee to lose track of time or did one of the clocks just happen to malfunction? Either way, it will be interesting to look back at “Fear and Trembling” if the perplexing illuminations are ever explained.

Will we learn more about Ohanzee?

Ohanzee isn’t the only one who figures things out. Lou (Patrick Wilson) also connects the dots and meets with Peggy (Kirsten Dunst) and Ed (Jesse Plemons) for a heart-to-heart. Despite nailing what happened on the head, the couple denies Lou’s theory and asks him to leave. This scene creates an interesting dilemma for Lou, who believes he knows what happened but has nothing tangible to act on. I can’t wait for Peggy and Ed to come crawling back to Lou for protection.

While not important to the story line, the fate of Rye’s body continues to vex me. Ed taking Rye’s body to work, chopping it up, and turning it into hamburger is a lot for the writers to take the audience through just to have it end there. What does one do with all that ground chuck, or in this case ground Rye, and will we ever find out?

“Fear and Trembling” is a well-written episode but without characters for the viewers to care about, it’s hard to get emotionally invested. Sure, an epic shootout between the Mafia and the Gerhardts would make for some entertaining television but once the dust settles, does anyone truly care if anyone survives? As good as the writing is, I don’t find myself concerned about anyone’s fate. Not to mention Peggy, who I have zero sympathy for, especially considering how she takes advantage of Ed. As tension escalates, hopefully someone will rise up and become a character the audience can cheer for.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Fear and Trembling.”

Tune in to Fargo Mondays at 10PM E/P, only on FX.

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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.