It will be interesting to see if the second season is as well-received. To a certain extent, it faces a dynamic similar to True Detective's sophomore outing: the expectations will be skyscraper-high, and it ultimately will not have Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, and Allison Tolman. But it is set in the same town and milieu, which could result in a comforting thematic and atmospheric consistency.

I am very excited for it to start.

Finished. Fantastic, satisfying finale.

Probably moreso than True Detective, this will be very susceptible to a sophomore slump. I really hope not. I loved Season 1 way too much to see the show disintegrate into mediocrity.

It's interesting the parallels between Fargo and TD: both are largely written by one man with a fair-sized ego (to say the least); both will feature new casts (for now) each season; both were misrepresented at the Emmys (Fargo should quality for Drama, while TD's anthology-style is Miniseries); and both are/were hugely anticipated for their second seasons.

I think this is in a better position reception-wise than True Detective. Between the end of the first season and beginning of the second season you could feel the prestige of True Detective leaking. The casting process and director wrangling made it seem like they were going to get a much more interesting batch of people than they ended up getting, and there also seemed to be a sense that the first season didn't actually live up to the promise of its early episodes. Fargo OTOH maintained its quality, and avoided the overhyping of their season two casting process. And honestly, their cast is a lot more interesting-looking than True Detective's season two cast.

Oh, and apparently the first episode screened at TCA and it was pretty fantastic. So, I'm not too worried.

Yeah to me Mr. Robot is the more likely target of True Detective-ing. The internet activity snowball for Mr. Robot reminds me of TD

Except Mr. Robot will be a continuation of the same story, not an entirely new plot with entirely new actors and an almost entirely new atmosphere.

This will probably be next for me after Season Two of The Knick and the next season of Homeland.

I absolutely loved the season premiere. This show is easily the most cinematic thing on TV right now and also causes me the most anxiety. The entire scene in the waffle shop was brilliantly staged and chilling. Super intrigued by all the characters.

Bookeem Woodbine was chilling last night.

I watched the premiere and I was more impressed by it than S1's (I didn't see the rest of S1), though like True Detective I find the writing to be the weak point while it is carried by directing and acting. The Culkin sequence was pretty fabulous and I am intrigued by the Dunst and Plemons storyline

Season 1 is worth finishing. The last few episodes are absolutely amazing and super intense.

This season is entertaining and very well-made, but I do not find it as instantly involving and fascinating as season one.

I absolutely love everything with Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Bookem Woodbine, Ted Danson, Patrick Wilson and Cristin Miloti. The family plot with Jean Smart is boring so far.

It has not let up once. Every single episode has been freaking amazing.

Last night's was my favorite one so far.

"Peggy... You gotta stop stabbing the hostage..."

I could've watched an entire series of the wacky hijinks of Peggy getting all stabby with Dodd.

Definitely agreed. I am just so sad it's over.

Really fantastic characters this season - Hanzee, Peggy, Dodd, even the most minor of characters were interesting.

Plus we got to see grown-up Molly and Colin Hanks again? Yesss.

I found the finale rather slow and heavy-handed. I know I should say, "Oh, action and momentum are for rubes. Let us bow our heads and reflect," but still. It indulged this season's least charming tendency: long, tangential dialogue hammering (and hammering, and hammering) home the theme at hand. And a face transplant turning Hanzee into a minor season-one character seems a bit cheesy to me.

I absolutely love the conclusion of the Milligan subplot, however.

Just watched the last 8 episodes of the season. This is one of the great binge watches I've had, it's just perfect for the format as one uninterrupted story driving forward and needing to see what happens in the next episode. I think who watch this on Netflix will go crazy and stay up until 4 AM watching the next episode

The season is art and TV canon material. The execution level in its sound, cinematography, use of setting, etc. is precise and point, as if the whole season is planned ahead of time. Despite not telling us very much at all about what happened in these characters backstories, you feel like you understand them emotionally. The Indian and Mike Milligan and even Dodd of all people are so likable for some reason. The casting is overall one of the best I've seen, which actors weren't perfect for their role?

While the biggest strength is being an entertaining thriller, this is also a season people could get literary analysis about. Aside from the unanswered question of the UFOs, there's the theme of the future vs the past throughout the season shown in many ways (corporate vs old school family, female and minorities rising vs American Dreamers like Ed, etc.), the communication idea Ted Danson brought up at the end, the whole Camus angle, all the war stories, etc.

Just watched the finale. Kirsten Dunst deserves an Emmy for this season.

I just finished the first Season yesterday and I fucking loved the hell out of it. I just couldn't stop watching. Just minutes after the finale I was on Amazon ordering the second season. I'm glad it's supposed to be really good too.

I love this season so far. I am completely into it. The Carrie Coon/L.A. episode, with its animated interludes and sense of closed-loop absurdity and tragedy, is a sensational hour of television.

Sadly, the combination of American Gods, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Leftovers seems to be slightly overshadowing the new season in regard to critical plaudits and media coverage.

I just caught up. I think this season is great. The death at the end of episode 6 was shocking. And David Thewlis is terrifying and a great villain.

A few of his scenes have created a serious sense of revulsion in me, which is no small feat in era where television is full of beheading, mutilation, torture, etc. It seems grimly inspired to me to have an antagonist whose sadism is dealt chiefly in the form of gross-out moments.

I love the season. I find it more purely entertaining than the second, to be honest. The only element I find slightly stale is Carrie Coon's character's contentious relationship with the new chief. I dig Shea Whigham, but these scenes almost feel shoehorned in because of course a hyper-competent Fargo female lead has to be doubted by her shortsighted male superior.

The most recent episode (7 July) is insane: one of the goriest deaths ever on the show, the enigmatic return of the Ray Wise character (who now appears to be supernatural in a Leftovers or Twin Peaks type of way), and an unexpected jump forward in time.