The fifth season of the acclaimed anthology series Fargo premiered on Sunday, November 21, 2023, with a two-hour episode that introduced a new cast of characters and a new setting. The season is set in 1988 in North Dakota and Minnesota and follows the exploits of Dorothy “Dot” Lyon (Juno Temple), a rebellious teenager who gets involved in a criminal plot after a series of unexpected events.
Dot’s Arrest and Kidnapping
The episode begins with a flashback to 1979 when Dot was a young girl living with her parents, Lorraine (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Wayne (David Rysdahl), who were part of a crime syndicate led by Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm). Dot witnessed her father killing a man in their basement and later saw her mother disposing of the body. Dot was traumatized by the experience and grew up to be a troublemaker who hated her parents and their lifestyle.
In the present day, Dot is a high school senior who is bored with her life and dreams of escaping to New York. She is dating a boy named Scotty (Joe Keery), who is the son of Sheriff Roy Tillman, the former leader of the crime syndicate who retired and became a lawman. Dot is unaware of Scotty’s father’s past, and Scotty is unaware of Dot’s parents’ involvement in his father’s crimes.
One day, Dot gets into a fight with her math teacher, Mr. Abernathy (Dusty Bews), who accuses her of cheating on a test. Dot tases him and runs away, but is caught by a police officer, who also gets tased by Dot. Dot is arrested and taken to the police station, where she is interrogated by Deputy Witt Farr (Lamorne Morris), who suspects that she is hiding something.
Meanwhile, Lorraine and Wayne are planning to rob a bank with their associates, Gator (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Lou (Shea Whigham). They are also being watched by a mysterious hitman named Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton), who has been hired by someone to kill them. Lorne follows Lorraine and Wayne to the bank and waits for them to come out.
At the police station, Dot is visited by Scotty, who tries to comfort her and promises to help her. However, Dot is not interested in his help and tells him to leave her alone. She also reveals that she is pregnant with his child and that she plans to have an abortion. Scotty is shocked and hurt by her words, and leaves.
Dot is then taken to a holding cell, where she meets a woman named Pearl (Kelly Holden Bashar), who claims to be a journalist. Pearl tells Dot that she knows about her parent’s involvement in the crime syndicate and that she has evidence to expose them. Pearl offers to help Dot escape from the police station and take her to New York, where she can start a new life. Dot agrees to go with Pearl, and they manage to sneak out of the cell and the station.
However, Pearl is not who she says she is. She is a mole working for Lorne, who has kidnapped Dot as part of his plan to lure out Lorraine and Wayne. Lorne contacts Lorraine and Wayne and tells them that he has their daughter and that he will kill her unless they meet him at a remote location. Lorraine and Wayne agree to meet him and leave the bank with the money.
The Shootout and the Twist
Lorraine and Wayne arrive at the location, where they see Lorne holding Dot at gunpoint. Lorne tells them to drop the money and surrender, or he will shoot Dot. Lorraine and Wayne refuse to comply, and a shootout ensues. Lorne kills Gator and Lou, and wounds Lorraine and Wayne. He then shoots Dot in the chest and leaves with the money.
However, Dot is not dead. She is wearing a bulletproof vest that Lorne gave her, and she is his accomplice. Dot and Lorne have been working together for a long time, and they planned the whole scheme to get rid of Lorraine and Wayne, and to steal the money. Dot reveals that she hates her parents and that she blames them for ruining her life. She also reveals that she is not pregnant and that she lied to Scotty to get rid of him.
Dot and Lorne drive away, leaving Lorraine and Wayne bleeding on the ground. They are soon found by Sheriff Roy Tillman, who arrives at the scene with Deputy Witt Farr. Roy recognizes Lorraine and Wayne as his former partners in crime and realizes that they are Dot’s parents. He also realizes that Dot is Scotty’s girlfriend and that she is involved in the robbery and the murders. He is devastated by the betrayal and wonders how he failed as a father and a sheriff.
The New Season and the Old Connections
The first episode of Fargo season 5 sets up a new story that is loosely connected to the previous seasons. The season is inspired by the Coen brothers’ film Fargo, as well as their other films, such as Raising Arizona, Miller’s Crossing, and The Big Lebowski. The season features references and homages to these films, as well as to the real-life events that inspired them.
For example, the character of Lorne Malvo is a nod to Anton Chigurh, the ruthless hitman from No Country for Old Men, who also uses a captive bolt pistol as a weapon. The character of Roy Tillman is a nod to Tom Reagan, the conflicted protagonist from Miller’s Crossing, who also betrays his crime boss and becomes a lawman. The character of Dot Lyon is a nod to Hi McDunnough, the ex-convict from Raising Arizona, who also kidnaps a baby and tries to start a new life.
The season also features connections to the previous seasons of Fargo, which are set in different periods and locations, but share a common theme of crime and morality. The season is set in 1988, which is the same year that the events of season 2 took place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The season also features a character named Lorne Malvo, who shares the same name and profession as the main antagonist of season 1, who was played by Billy Bob Thornton. The season also features a character named Pearl, who shares the same name and fate as the wife of Lester Nygaard, the main protagonist of season 1, who was played by Martin Freeman.
The season promises to explore the complex relationships between the characters, and the consequences of their actions. The season will also explore the themes of family, identity, and justice, as well as the dark humor and violence that are characteristic of the Fargo universe.
