Fargo - “The Six Ungraspables” Recap. Socks and a Gun.

Season 1, Episode 5

Air Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2014, 10PM E/P on FX Networks.

Rating: ★★★★★

“If anyone could shoot their face with an unloaded firearm it’s you.” – Kitty Nygaard

Mr. Numbers (Adam Goldberg), Lester (Martin Freeman) and Mr. Wrench (Russell Harvard)

With Lester (Martin Freeman) in jail and Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman) getting closer to finding the truth about the murders, it seems only a matter of time before Lester’s life unravels. But the question is — will it be at the hands of Molly, or Mr. Numbers (Adam Goldberg) and Mr. Wrench (Russell Harvard)?

“The Six Ungraspables” starts off a few months before Sam Hess’ (Kevin O’Grady) murder as we learn how Lester came into possession of the shotgun used to kill Chief Vern Thurman (Shawn Doyle). We see Thurman’s murder from Malvo’s (Billy Bob Thornton) perspective, watching as a shotgun blast goes through Thurman and a single pellet veers off hitting Lester in the hand.

While visually interesting, going back to the first episode and showing a scene from a different point of view does little to move the plot along. It would be one thing if we learned something important but the scene provides no new information since the audience already knows Lester’s hand is injured and severely infected. It also prolongs the resolution of the cliffhanger in “Eating the Blame,” which I have been eagerly awaiting.

The scene with Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench confronting Lester in the holding cell about the Hess murder is funny. Despite Mr. Numbers being a cold blooded killer, Goldberg brings a certain amount of charisma to him that is enjoyable to watch. I have been a fan of Goldberg’s since seeing him in Saving Private Ryan and more recently, The Unusuals, which like Fargo, was also created by Noah Hawley.

Chief Oswalt (Bob Odenkirk) finally starts listening to Molly when she fills him in on everything she’s learned about Lester. Oswalt begrudgingly comes to the realization that Molly is onto something.

Molly: “We gotta talk to him, don’t ya think?”

Oswalt: “I guess we better.”

Oswalt genuinely appears woeful about the news concerning Lester. Could there be a deeper connection between Oswalt and Lester that the audience isn’t aware of yet?

Gus (Colin Hanks) continues to struggle over everything that’s happening between him and Malvo. Unlike Molly, who has been on the right track from the beginning, Gus seems to always be one step away from putting it all together.

Thornton’s performance is so enjoyable to watch because of how he makes Malvo react to other people’s questions. It seems like each episode presents is a new person Malvo must deal with, someone he feels is beneath him. The writing is witty and Thornton delivers it perfectly.

Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman)

Lester finally succumbs to the pain from the infection in his hand and is rushed to the hospital. Maybe it’s just me, but I found myself disappointed in Molly. She has, until this point, done everything by the book, but in “The Six Ungraspables,” Molly starts crossing some lines when she begins asking Lester questions on the way to the hospital. She then goes into Lester’s house without a search warrant. With all the crazy things going on in Fargo, I consider Molly to be the moral compass.

I wonder how much the late Chief Thurman’s wife, Ida (Julie Ann Emery), plays into Molly stepping over the line. While subtle, their conversation at the hospital is powerful as the two discuss the investigation into Vern’s murder.

Ida: “So…”

Molly: “How much do you want a…”

Ida: “I don’t need details, just tell me you’re taking care of it.”

Molly: “I’m trying.”

I am not sure if it’s because they are both women or just have a close relationship, but Molly seems to be the only one Ida trusts to figure everything out. It’s a sincere moment that tells you a whole lot with very few words.

Milos (Oliver Platt)

Feeling like God is punishing him, Milos (Oliver Platt) caves in and agrees to pay his blackmailer the one million dollars. Unwittingly, Milos asks Malvo to help him get the money ready for the drop and then informs him his services are no longer required. If only Milos knew Malvo is the blackmailer. For some reason, I don’t see the drop going smoothly.

Free from jail, Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench meet up with a mysterious person who hands them a folder with the police info on Malvo. We can’t see who the person is, only a glimmer of a badge. Is someone on the police force not who they say they are, and will we ever learn who is feeding Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench information?

After visiting new mom Ida, Molly visits Lester who is recovering at the same hospital from his infection. Lester pretends to be sleeping while Molly stares at him with a menacing look. Clearly, Molly won’t be letting Lester off her radar any time soon.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “The Six Ungraspables.”

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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.