This is season two of the television series Fargo, the first season of which has very loose ties to the Coen Brothers film by the same name. There are ten episodes in total, each of which have a running time of approximately 55 minutes. It boasts a stellar cast including Ted Danson, Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Brad Garrett, and many others, most of whom were nominated for their work.

Fargo is an anthology series, meaning each season is meant to stand on its own without necessarily having to watch previous seasons. This is related to the first season in that the lead character, Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson), was also in the first season (played by Keith Carradine). In the first season, Lou makes reference to something called the massacre at Sioux Falls, which sounds both mysterious and chilling. This is what the second season is largely about, as the show takes us back in time to the late seventies and introduces us to twocrime syndicates at war with one another.

I absolutely loved the first season of Fargo, and while I love this season as well, it's almost like watching a completely different show. Thematically, it doesn't feel at all similar, and the cast of characters is so different that the viewing experience makes for something altogether unfamiliar. I noticed that while critics adored it, many viewers seemed to be somewhat dissatisfied, some of them even confused, by season two. I think it's best to go into it with an open mind, knowing that it's not going to be a duplicate of season one, otherwise I think you may very well end up being disappointed.

All of the acting is great, but Kirsten Dunst was a standout for me in terms of character and performance. She has grown so much over the last several years as a performer. She's so much fun to watch here, as her portrayal of a ditzy housewife with illusions of grandeur has to be one of the best performances I've seen on TV in quite awhile. It's a true shame that she didn't win an award for her work.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short series to watch. It's definitely not necessary to have watched season one, but season one is so good that you should give it a look anyway.