“Why can the human eye see more shades of green than any other color?” Lorne Malvo quizzes Officer Gus Grimly with this riddle on tonight’s episode of Fargo, promising that his answer will answer why and how Malvo is getting away with all of the chaos that he’s causing in Minnesota. The answer is that humans are predators; in the jungle, surrounded by tress and plants, the ability to detect different shades of green allows us to avoid threats and identify prey. There are no jungles in the frigid city of Duluth, but there’s plenty of prey for Malvo, and even when a lucky officer in the right place spots him through the trees at the right time, he always has the cunning to slip the trap. Tonight, Malvo is put in handcuffs for the three Bemidji murders, but all it takes to survive is adopting an accent and the “awe shucks” persona of a preacher to walk away a free man. The way Billy Bob Thornton curls his lips into an affable smile, becoming an innocent god-fearing citizen at the drop of a hat, at least visually, speaks to his range as a performer and Malvo’s ability to adapt to any situation, proving just how dangerous and difficult he’ll be for Gus and Molly. Molly and Gus know they have their man, especially after the motel owner and her son from two episodes back identify Malvo to Molly, also connecting him to the Lucky Penny, Sam Hess’ murder location. Unfortunately, Molly and Gus are stuck in a hierarchy where oblivious saps are running the show and keeping them out of the action. Their fight to bring Malvo to justice is enough for them to connect, but it’s this second struggle against authority that will likely bring them even closer. It’s a smart way to foster a romantic connection, giving them two common enemies to push them towards an “us against the world” relationship. The only things biting anyone in Bemidji are predators, and there are more than just Malvo running around. Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench, the two contract killers from Fargo hired by Max Gold, are hot on the heels of Lester. They believe Lester’s in cahoots with Gina Hess, and the two conspired to murder Sam Hess for the insurance check. The dysfunctional duo kidnap Lester, giving us yet another scene from the inside of a trunk, but Lester uses a taser and escapes their grasp, running to a nearby cop and punching him in order to get arrested. However, Lester can run but can’t hide in jail, when Numbers and Wrench stage a bar fight to end up sharing a cell with him. Besides the cold open that establishes a connection to Fargo the film, this hour of the series deviates the most from the source material, and it’s also the most interesting. The show still nails the dark comedy and creeping anxiety of the Coen brand without seeming too indebted to their work. Quirky sign language arguments, recognizable soundtrack cues, and elaborate scene staging continues to set Fargo apart from everything else currently on cable. Watch out, television audiences, this predator is aiming to kill the competition. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that’s your thing!
