Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

S03.E07: The Law of Inevitability


  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

30 minutes ago, SeanC said:

Shea Whigham's police chief character is absolutely ridiculous, and might as well be replaced by the stock police chief from the Simpsons' "McBain" parodies ("You're off your case, chief!").

 

That's why his name rings a bell -- the police chief on The Simpsons is Ralph Wiggum.  Different spelling, pronounced the same.

48 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

I thought ninja DJ Qualls was a bombshell, then they come with Mr. Fucking. Wrench.

It's been too long since I've seen S1 -- I didn't recognize him.  Cool.

Nikki's reaction to the photo -- I think she really cared about Ray.  Wiggum's right that she's out of Ray's league but all he's going on is physical appearance.  We don't know what kind of men she was involved with before Ray.  It's likely that Ray treated her better than anyone she'd been with.  She was smarter than Ray, for sure, but she never showed him that she knew it -- she was patient and considerate -- never once even rolled her eyes when he said or did something thoughtless.  And they had that passion for bridge in common -- who could ask for more?

  • Love 18
Link to comment
(edited)
1 hour ago, PreviouslyTV said:

And it's just the person to provide a much-needed twist.

View the full article

In your article you say "Ennis" when you mean "Emmitt."

20 minutes ago, AuntiePam said:

Nikki's reaction to the photo -- I think she really cared about Ray.  Wiggum's right that she's out of Ray's league but all he's going on is physical appearance.  We don't know what kind of men she was involved with before Ray.  It's likely that Ray treated her better than anyone she'd been with.  She was smarter than Ray, for sure, but she never showed him that she knew it -- she was patient and considerate -- never once even rolled her eyes when he said or did something thoughtless.  And they had that passion for bridge in common -- who could ask for more?

I agree that she genuinely liked, maybe even loved, Ray.

Edited by KaleyFirefly
  • Love 5
Link to comment

That was certainly an unexpected twist, but one which in hindsight we should've seen coming. This season is only set 4 years after season 1, some character from it was bound to show up. 

Since Nikki hasn't had the chance to tell anyone what she saw in the crime scene photo the Sheriff left her (and her face made it clear she noticed something) my guess is that Mr. Wrench is going to be the spanner in Yuri's plans to kill Nikki.

In other news, it's nice that we can finally put to rest the argument we had in the thread for last episode. Gloria continues to be Chief of the Eden Valley PD, with full authority to wear the uniform and to pursue her investigation into Ennis' death... for another 8 days as of this episode, meaning the takeover by the county takes effect on January 1st, 2011.

Sheriff Dammik's authority over her is only of the do-as-I-say-now-or-I-will-fire-your-ass-as-soon-as-I'm-legally-able-to variety.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
57 minutes ago, SeanC said:

They might as well have replaced him with a cardboard cutout reading "Obstacle".

No kidding. Yet another case where a woman puts together a very compelling argument connecting different crimes and the men stop her. That happened to Molly in the first season. Moe is just a dick for no good reason. 

2 minutes ago, AuntiePam said:

Nikki's reaction to the photo -- I think she really cared about Ray.  Wiggum's right that she's out of Ray's league but all he's going on is physical appearance.  We don't know what kind of men she was involved with before Ray.  It's likely that Ray treated her better than anyone she'd been with.  She was smarter than Ray, for sure, but she never showed him that she knew it -- she was patient and considerate -- never once even rolled her eyes when he said or did something thoughtless.  And they had that passion for bridge in common -- who could ask for more?

I think you're right. She was clearly not about to admit that Ray was her abuser just to save herself. 

With stamps, car lots, and Nikki attempting to escape through a hotel bathroom window along with other movie references, who is going to end up in the woodchipper? 

  • Love 3
Link to comment

Wonderful episode. I just hope they keep it up until the end of the season.

All the people who said that Ms. Goldfarb may be involved look like they may be right. It's the timing.

Her husband died at the same time Stussy Lots took the million dollars from Varga (or whoever they took it from).

Now when she is looking to buy Stussy Lots, they start to have problems that will drive the price way down.

Looks like there may well be a connection.

  • Love 8
Link to comment
(edited)
5 minutes ago, DrScottie said:

No kidding. Yet another case where a woman puts together a very compelling argument connecting different crimes and the men stop her. That happened to Molly in the first season. Moe is just a dick for no good reason. 

I think he cares more about her perceived insubordination than he does about the case. At this point he is probably just trying find any excuse rather than admit she was right.

Edited by AzureOwl
  • Love 5
Link to comment

I thought that was Mr. Wrench but I wasn't sure!

What we saw tonight takes place in 2010.  Season 1 (where we last saw Mr. Wrench) was in 2006.  I wonder what he's been up to for the 4 years in between?

Any idea on who sent Deputy DJ Qualls after Nikki?  Varga?  Someone else? We haven't seen him prior to tonight have we?

  • Love 1
Link to comment

DJ Qualls! And Mr. Fucking Wrench!

Yes, I think Mr. Wrench will throw a (you'll pardon the expression) monkey wrench into Yuri's plan!

And of course Nikki genuinely loved Ray. The actress did an interview where she spoke of it being a nice twist, that the bombshell is NOT conning the schlubby guy.

  • Love 8
Link to comment
59 minutes ago, AzureOwl said:

I think he cares more about her perceived insubordination than he does about the case. At this point he is probably just trying find any excuse rather than admit she was right.

Typical macho dude boss / female employee relationship. Yes, we women are sick of it.

  • Love 9
Link to comment

The yet-another-season with cops who won't listen annoys me. I don't care if they find out Gloria was right. I don't even care who lives or dies. The only mystery I'd like solved is the identity of the man being interrogated in the first episode.

Follow the money = more Hamish Linklater, please! We've spent all season looking at bad teeth, vomiting, used feminine hygiene products, pornstache, hillbilly hair and bad perm. We've earned a treat.

  • Love 9
Link to comment

Nikki may not be a saint, but I still feel sorry for her.
I hope she gets coconut cream pie with chocolate sprinkles.
Any chance that Gloria doubled back and followed the prison transport?

And even sobbing Sy made me feel like I'd misjudged him.

So if the widow Goldfarb told Winnie that Emmit was there since 6pm, Mrs. Goldfarb would definitely be in cahoots with Varga, right? Or not necessarily? Interesting that we didn't get to hear her get asked and answer that question. I guess she could just say that she hadn't noticed what time he arrived, which would be more in keeping with her character.
Anyway, Gloria sent Winnie to get Emmit's reaction to the news of Ray's death, and she sure got a telling response! "I've been here since 6pm!"

  • Love 9
Link to comment

As bad as the fool Moe's willful ignorance is, it does not compare to Gloria's failure to recite the Nikki connection to LeFay's death to the other Chief as she was making her desperate "paper grid" speech.  Also, with absolutely nothing to lose now, she would be raising the stink of stinks with the State Police, and likely a trusted reporter.  The hijacking of the prison bus would utterly cement the involvement of the highest level of LE.

I hated the repeat of the famous Malvo scene when he got the good guy cop to look away when he had him dead to rights in the car.  The missing files would now be of enormous interest to the higher levels if LE.

This is definitely the "phone it in" season.  The writers have gone way too far now to make any of it sensical.  Remember...Varga showed himself to our intrepid heroes in Ray's office - not to mention all the employees who would have more than had their fill of the mysterious troika who have largely taken over the offices and would be itching to talk about it.

Nikki has it right about the pie, though.  

  • Love 6
Link to comment
(edited)

So many call backs to season 1: the policeman who is let go and runs away, Lester look alike, and the deaf hitman.

Best quotes : " The preciousness of time." "Syphilitic Floozy."

I said last week the widow Goldfarb is in on it. Yep. Up to her eyeballs

I love Sy a little more each week.

Edited by WaltersHair
  • Love 2
Link to comment
3 hours ago, AzureOwl said:

I think he cares more about her perceived insubordination than he does about the case. At this point he is probably just trying find any excuse rather than admit she was right.

It is just a set up for taking him out in the massacre that is to come (still think it will be Goldfarb and her mob against Varga and his mob), paving the way for Gloria to be the new permanent chief ;).

This episode seemed a bunch of moving things into position so they are ready to happen next episode.  

I was kind surprised by Emmit's reaction the most.  When Varga asked him what he felt, and he said he felt free, and kind of got kind of a funny smile before crying.  

I can't believe Varga would re-wrap all the presents so maybe it was an editing mistake?

I HOPE that Yuri et al. are going to be in for a big surprise when they storm the convict bus.   Because I would for sure like to find out what Nikki saw in Ray's death photo.  Maybe the stamp picture frame???  Which I think she might recognize from being in Emmit's house before.  Because wouldn't she otherwise assume the guys who beat her up had got to Ray versus thinking it was Emmit.  Because she found the open open bathroom window last episode, right, and knows someone had been in the room?  Now how did the cops know where to find Nikki?  They were using cash so they couldn't be traced.  Ray had taken the car so there wasn't that evidence either.  And they were trying to hide away in an out of the way motel.

  • Love 2
Link to comment

I've been skeptical that Varga and his two henchmen would so easily dominate Emmet and Sy, essentially taking over their company and home.

And then they were brazen with how they dispatched the FBI and Gloria from the Stussy offices.

It's at odds with Varga previously expressing disdain for ostentation, being noticed.

But now Yuri is able to intimidate that deputy, just walk into Eden Valley police headquarters and take Gloria's case file.

And somehow, knew that Nikki would be sent to state prison that night, knew where to ambush that bus, knew he would need a power saw, knew that bus would swerve and everyone, especially the guard and driver would be knocked out.

Maybe the guy who tried to kill Nikki in jail works for Varga.  But he comes out of nowhere, gets past all those cops and then after Gloria's gun goes off, runs out of there -- only one door? -- without a building full of cops seeing him?

Maybe Varga's crew are all super villains, kind of like Malvo.  Not just criminal masterminds but having almost a supernatural power over local law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Nikki seems to know enough about the Russians to tell Gloria to follow the money.  Ok, she may be a savvy petty criminal but what would she know about international criminals?

  • Love 7
Link to comment

I figured whoever was beside Nikki at the end was going to be familiar due to the way they framed the shot, but seeing Mr. Wrench was still a nice moment.  I have to think there will be more to this.  I also have to imagine Nikki will escape potential death... for now.

Ninja D.J. Qualls was certainly something I never predicted I would see here.  Or, really, on any show.

Man, Emmit really is not good at this, is he?  He was so obvious that he was hiding something.  Almost felt bad for Sy at the end with his wife.  Michael Stuhlbarg continues to be the MVP of this season for me.

Moe/Shea Whigham is just a dick, who can't accept that Gloria is on to something, and is just trying to find reasons to go against her now. I know Bob Odenkirk's character in the first season was similar to Molly, but even then, I felt like a lot of that was because he really just couldn't believe that Lester was capable of what he was being accused of.  Moe just seems bullheaded to the point that he is ignoring obvious evidence.  Idiot.

The scene with Yuri in the library felt too similar to Loren's scene with Gus in the pilot, and it wasn't as effective.  A lot of is because I just don't really care about this Yuri character.

  • Love 4
Link to comment
2 hours ago, Magic said:

 . . . I can't believe Varga would re-wrap all the presents so maybe it was an editing mistake? . . .

For now, I'm assuming the unwrapping was a flashforward.
 

2 hours ago, Magic said:

. . . Now how did the cops know where to find Nikki?  They were using cash so they couldn't be traced.  Ray had taken the car so there wasn't that evidence either.  And they were trying to hide away in an out of the way motel.

As soon as Varga hatched his plot to frame Nikki (and thereby coopt/blackmail Emmit's support), Varga's first order of business would have been to feed info about Nikki to the cops, either by an anonymous tip, a fake maid at the hotel, DJQualls character at the police station, or any other way that worked.

  • Love 3
Link to comment

Count me in as another sick of of a smart lady cop being dismissed and undermined by her idiot boss. Moe is even more insufferable than Bob Odenkirk in season 1.

Mr. Wrench!!!

God, men on this show are so stupid. Emmit blabs "I was here the whole time" RIGHT BEFORE they even tell him Ray is dead?! Yeah, that's not suspicious at all...

Still don't like Nikki, but the fact that that she wouldn't lie about Ray just to save her ass almost made me feel for her. Almost.

  • Love 7
Link to comment

I was either really tired or it was the episode, but I was having trouble staying fully immersed. But I do think it was a necessary episode, in regards to putting things in place for what is to come. 

I do think Nikki genuinely loved Ray. I think she wanted to break down so bad when she heard he died. But she is a strong woman, a survivor. So she keeps her mouth shut. 

Gloria's boss cock-blocking her at every turn doesn't bother me. I don't find it unrealistic or annoying. I think at first he just assumed she was going too far with the case because she was related to Ennis. At this point, he is too blinded by what he feels is insubordination to actually listen to what she says. I buy it. Plus, it doesn't really make for interesting storytelling if the cop can just run out and nab the crook in 5 minutes. There needs to be some roadblocks. 

And I just really enjoy Gloria and Winnie going rogue. Buck the system, Gloria! And Winnie. She's just a traffic cop, but she's a lot sharper than that. I loved when she went to talk to Emmit and before she even had 2 words out of her mouth, he's all -  "I've been here all night!" Way to show your hand there, Emmit. 

I feel really sorry for Sy. He's been nothing but loyal to Emmit and ever since Varga came along, their friendship has been fraying. Emmit is questioning him and treating him fairly crappy, and Sy just wants things back the way they used to be. 

I KNEW that prisoner looked familiar, but it took me a hot minute to realize it was Mr. Wrench. Nice touch. I'm assuming Nikki is okay, but we'll see. 

  • Love 6
Link to comment
21 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

Gloria's boss cock-blocking her at every turn doesn't bother me. I don't find it unrealistic or annoying. I think at first he just assumed she was going too far with the case because she was related to Ennis. At this point, he is too blinded by what he feels is insubordination to actually listen to what she says. I buy it.

I do too. And part of the reason is that Shea Whigham is selling it.

  • Love 3
Link to comment

I feel bad cuz I KNEW the guy sitting next to Nikki was somebody, but didn't realize it was Mr. Wrench. Or even really remember Mr. Wrench til I read the recap and was reminded. Whoops.

But DJ Qualls! He'll surely be back, yes?

I thought Mary Elizabeth Winstead did a stellar job in her jail scene, when Shea Whigham showed her Ray's death pic. A million emotions crossed her face in an instant. I think she genuinely did care about him, even if there was a long con involved in there somewhere. Just before the episode, we came across Death Proof, which i'd actually forgotten she was in til recently. That was 10 years ago, but she hasn't aged, like, a second.

I love Gloria's dogged determination.

Emmit is the worst criminal ever.

Sy's wife's apparent nightly routine of taking off his jacket and putting on his Mr. Rogers sweater was kind of creepy. I am still unsure that Sy and Nikki weren't/aren't in cahoots somehow. And his willingness to throw Ms. Goldfarb to the, um, wolves to save himself is chilling, tho I have no idea what Ms. Goldfarb knows or is into herself.

Mary McDonald's hair defies gravity.

I do hope we get a final scene of Nikki and Gloria sharing some chocolate-shaving-topped coconut cream pie.

  • Love 9
Link to comment
10 hours ago, SeanC said:

Shea Whigham's police chief character is absolutely ridiculous, and might as well be replaced by the stock police chief from the Simpsons' "McBain" parodies ("You're off your case, chief!").

He's progressed from being merely obstinate and incurious to flat-out idiotic, as his newest theory of the case involves Nikki somehow smuggling a syringe and a pair of handcuffs into jail, handcuffing herself backwards to the bars and dropping the syringe on the ground at the same time, and Gloria blatantly lying about what happened, all while the camera stopped working at precisely the times when it would have seen what happened.

They might as well have replaced him with a cardboard cutout reading "Obstacle".

Somebody suggested he's on Vargas' payroll.

  • Love 4
Link to comment

Okay, c'mon Women!  I LOVED this episode. and am mega-worried about Winnie surviving, because I love her so. 

See, Nikki and Ray really WERE in love. Yay.  Oh, but he's dead now.  Boo.

The scene with Sy and his wife almost made me feel for him.  Almost.  Can't forgive him for leaving Nikki for dead in the snow. Coward. And he helped to escalate the tension between Ray and Emmet in the beginning, so ... won't miss him if something should happen to him.

Love how Fargo makes use of the word "What" all the time.

Hang on Nikki, please hang on.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
(edited)

It's so disturbing to watch this show, knowing the potential it has, but seeing it being wasted.  There are just so many implausible, flat out ridiculous contrivances that I have trouble enjoying the story.  The entire portrayal of Nikki in the jail, police or sheriff's station or whatever it was, was completely BS.  A place like this would have full out  security cameras.  And you would have to show ID to get buzzed in.  And, the red tape they showed for an officer to speak with an inmate.....ridiculous.  People who are accused of Probation/parole Violations are charged  and have the right to a hearing. They are held in jail, pending that hearing. You aren't sent to a prison until after a court appearance and ruling by the court.   No law enforcement agency is going to transport inmates, especially a group, to a prison at night.  And they wouldn't transport a female next to a male.  It's just so annoying.  With a thinking brain and checking with a technical consultant on actual procedure, they could have made it work.  I don't understand what is wrong with this project.  I think this guy takes credit for the writing.  Noah Hawley.  He's overpaid, imo.  

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1279638/?ref_=ttfc_fc_dr1

Even though, I have issues with Nikki and her former antics, I do kind of like her.  I mean, her, Gloria and Winnie.  Most of the other characters are more like cartoon characters.  It's difficult to care, invest or take them seriously. 

Was Emmit drinking alcohol when Ray was killed?  He left Ray's and went straight to the restaurant, per Varga's instruction, right?  He ordered one drink there, but, did he have time to get toasted before Winnie arrived?  He seemed drunk when answering her questions.  He's not normally that stupid. 

Edited by SunnyBeBe
  • Love 4
Link to comment
25 minutes ago, Evagirl said:

Somebody suggested he's on Vargas' payroll.

If he was, Varga wouldn't have to do things like send his goons to steal case files.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Count me in as another sick of of a smart lady cop being dismissed and undermined by her idiot boss. Moe is even more insufferable than Bob Odenkirk in season 1.

At least Bill had the justification of being an idiot. Dammik an the other hand really should know better and is being deliberately obtuse out of personal pride. 

39 minutes ago, Evagirl said:

Somebody suggested he's on Vargas' payroll.

Unlikely. The whole Eden Valley situation clearly blindsided him. Besides, Dammik is sheriff in an entirely different county than the one Varga is operating at. The only reason why anyone from Eden Valley got involved with the plot was because of Maurice's stupidity. 

  • Love 2
Link to comment
(edited)

More than one poster has referred to "DJ Qualls".

I searched for that name on the IMDB page. Very interesting:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802850/fullcredits/

See for yourself. That name is the only one that does not list both the actor's name and the character's name.

Was he the man who came in with they hypodermic needle?

I got the impression that he appeared in some previous season. Can anyone pls help me? Who is he and what did he do (if anything) in a previous seaon? If he was indeed the man with the needle, can anyone pls tell me just what his part is in all of this?

Edited by MissBluxom
  • Love 1
Link to comment

I think a lot of us just love DJ Qualls, who has been in a million things. He has not appeared in previous seasons of Fargo. Yes, he's the faux-cop with the hypodermic needle. We don't know his name--on Wikipedia, he is listed as 'Unnamed Man'--- or who he's working for, yet.

  • Love 4
Link to comment
14 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

I think a lot of us just love DJ Qualls, who has been in a million things. He has not appeared in previous seasons of Fargo. Yes, he's the faux-cop with the hypodermic needle. We don't know his name--on Wikipedia, he is listed as 'Unnamed Man'--- or who he's working for, yet.

Didn't someone post that he played the deaf (bad) guy in season 1?  

Link to comment

So many callbacks! Movie and show! Im glad it wasnt a quick shot of mr.wrench because i knew he was from fargo it just took me a bit to remember exactly who he was. Im assuming hes gonna go up against vargas crew that would be awesome especially since yuri was the most malvo like this episode.

Ok now i feel for sy even though his wifes routine of taking off and putting on his clothes for him was super messed up how he just stood there and she didnt even blink.

I liked that nikki was watching a show about the female insect being deadly with cyanide but not a preditor unless threatened or something (really quiet tv) and also the climing out of the window bit! She is a good actress so many emotions while being questioned by the guy (and also barely letting them show). I also liked that looking the picture was about finding clues not wallowing even though she was really sad about ray. Surprised she softened up a bit to gloria but that was nice.

I like how cocky emmit was until the cops came and then he was just stupid. That whole bit was hilarious "he was my brother" was all he could say to seem sad. I hope she is as smart as gloria and recalls correctly how it went (she is inexperienced being a traffic cop and all but still smart).

10 hours ago, MissBluxom said:

Best line of the night?

Dammick: I'm still going with my "mashed potato" theory.

Ha! Yes despite everything that happened he didnt want gloria to be right. Also "glitch" and "alleged" just to not admit it.  Did he say nikki had a history of being a victim of domestic violence from her file? Or was that just referring to her current bruises? Because if her past was that bad i could see how ray would seem amazing. Either way though she did love him! What a random request not to cut open "her ray" but i guess all that time just sitting there gave her time to think about what was happening to his body.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
1 hour ago, luna1122 said:

I think a lot of us just love DJ Qualls, who has been in a million things. He has not appeared in previous seasons of Fargo. Yes, he's the faux-cop with the hypodermic needle. We don't know his name--on Wikipedia, he is listed as 'Unnamed Man'--- or who he's working for, yet.

We shouldn't assume he was a fake cop. He could just as likely be a dirty cop.

Unlike the theory that Dammick is in Varga's employ, this one makes a lot of sense. I would find more reasonable that Varga would preemptively get a dirty cop on his pocket in the city he is going to operating out off.  

11 hours ago, MissBluxom said:

Best line of the night?

Dammick: I'm still going with my "mashed potato" theory.

That made a lot of sense to everyone listening.

Whatdda Goof!

The best part is that his analogy falls apart if you think about it too much. To make mashed potatoes you have to boil them first and then smash them. 

  • Love 3
Link to comment
8 hours ago, Magic said:

Now how did the cops know where to find Nikki?  They were using cash so they couldn't be traced.  Ray had taken the car so there wasn't that evidence either.  And they were trying to hide away in an out of the way motel.

I would guess Ray had his motel key on him.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
Quote

That's why his name rings a bell -- the police chief on The Simpsons is Ralph Wiggum. 

The chief's name is Clancy. His SON'S name is Ralph.

I recognized Mr. Wrench as someone, but couldn't remember what episode or season he was from until I saw the actor's name (Russell Harvard) in the credits.

Link to comment

I guess since they were going to pin the murder on Nikki, and they knew their location, they could have just called the police with a tip on where to find her.  I don't know why you would do that, only to try to kill her in police custody (much harder), then hope stepping in front of a bus would do the trick.  I think a prison bus driver would have simply hit the dude...  I'm sure they are trained on how to handle a person trying to stop the bus?

  • Love 2
Link to comment
2 minutes ago, J-Man said:

The chief's name is Clancy. His SON'S name is Ralph.

I recognized Mr. Wrench as someone, but couldn't remember what episode or season he was from until I saw the actor's name (Russell Harvard) in the credits.

I'm confused.  Is the man with the hypo needle the same man as the one on the bus next to Nikki?

Link to comment
2 minutes ago, Evagirl said:

I'm confused.  Is the man with the hypo needle the same man as the one on the bus next to Nikki?

No. DJ Qualls was the guy with the hypodermic needle.  Mr. Wrench is the guy on the bus.

 

28 minutes ago, AzureOwl said:

We shouldn't assume he was a fake cop. He could just as likely be a dirty cop.

 

good point.

Link to comment
1 minute ago, luna1122 said:

No. DJ Qualls was the guy with the hypodermic needle.  Mr. Wrench is the guy on the bus.

Thanks.  One more question.  Which one was the deaf bad guy in season 1.  The needle guy or the bus guy?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...