This article contains (slight) spoilers!
One line captures the essence of the television series Fargo’s new season: “The debt must be paid.” Spoken by the show’s perceived antagonist (later turned-hero), the phrase illustrates an overarching message of the season, which one woman questions until the very end.
Fargo Season 5 follows Dot, or Dorothy, a recently-Minnesotan woman with a dark past. When she finds herself arrested after accidentally tasing a police officer, Dot’s fingerprints drop a pin-point on a map for the ill-intentioned husband she once escaped from. Upset at Dot’s years-long disappearance, he insists that his debt—a missing wife—must be paid. The plot sheds light on domestic violence and sexual abuse, all while highlighting the remarkable perseverance of the female protagonist.
Apart from the real-life issues Fargo tackles, the series also depicts a more unique character: Ole Munch, a centuries-old sin-eater. He too, requests a debt be repaid, when unfortunate circumstances lead him to battle our powerful female lead.
Uncultured and gullible enough to believe the opening line of every episode (“The following events took place in Minnesota in 2019”) I spent all of Season 5 absolutely appalled by events that I believed to be true. Watching the original 1996 Fargo might have aided in my confusion, but alas, a high school senior only has time for so much. Do not worry; I eventually questioned the validity of the statement when Ole Munch, the supposed immortal, appeared on screen.
In addition to the claims of being a true story, the Fargo series contains many other allusions to its movie parent and other films. According to the revered English teacher and Fargo fan, Andy Evans, Season 5 references the knitting scene from the original film, dialogue No Country for Old Men, and much more. Season 5 of Fargo left me in agony awaiting each episode. Guaranteed to leave you at the edge of your seat, the performances of the talented actors and actresses deserve all the praise that they have received.