6 life lessons Fargo has taught us so far

“THIS is a knife.”

A good show will show you how to lead a decent life — and Fargo is no exception…

In Season 2 of Fargo, Peggy receives some serious self-help advice Lifespring style. There’s talk of “actualising fully” and “the difference between thinking and being”. It had us thinking, what life lessons can be learnt from the Fargo universe?

Never hole up in an isolated cabin

“This place looks completely safe, hon.”

It’s generally never a sage survival tactic whatever your genre and with Fargo the proof is in the deep vermillion snow. In the movie, Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) was fed into a wood chipper after coming to blows with Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare). At an isolated cabin.

In season one, a badly hobbled Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) is made as holey as Swiss cheese courtesy of Gus Grimly’s (Colin Hanks) gun. In an isolated cabin.

This episode, Peggy and Ed hide out with their captive Dodd and all we’ll say is, there will be blood. In an isolated cabin.

See what we’re sayin?

Always be polite

Notice the symmetry of the stabbing — coincidence? Or aliens.

This should be a given as being courteous is a cornerstone of Fargo and life in this neck of the Great Plains. But for the miscreants that dwell in it, politeness doesn’t always get the job done. This episode, Dodd makes the mistake of insulting Peggy, which results in some cool, calm, collected and stabby retribution.

Look up from the movie you’re watching once in a while, especially if it’s a Ronald Reagan vehicle

“I wish they’d hurry up and invent the remote control.”

We all love to get lost in a good (or bad) TV show or movie but getting too engrossed can be a very dangerous thing. In Fargo the movie, Jean Lundegaard (Kristin Rudrüd) was enjoying a morning talk show right before she was kidnapped. In Fargo season 2, we’ve already learnt that watching a Ronald Reagan movie can get you stabbed in the back and in this episode, Peggy being glued to a WW2 matinee while a shifty captive looks on is inadvisable at best.

Keep your racism to yourself

“I’m going to finish this drink and then everyone up in here is going to be badly injured or worse.”

Casual bigotry is all over the place for Native American Hanzee Dent (Zahn McClarnon) in season 2. Throw in the complete disregard for his three tours of duty and Hanzee has finally had enough. At a bar where he’s served water with spit in it, his itchy trigger finger calls for revenge — several times. And bullet wounds aren’t the only injurious notion — you could be labeled “S**t Kicker №3” in the closing credits.

It’s time maybe to rethink all that misogyny

“My hateful philosophies have always served me well in the past. I don’t see how that could ever change.”

Fargo has always been populated by strong, narrative-driving women; Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman), Floyd Gerhardt (Jean Smart), Betsy Solverson (Cristin Milioti), Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst). But this season Dodd Gerhardt, caveman that he is, has proved quite the woman hater. “I think Satan is a woman,” he says unflinchingly this week. Little does he know, his egregious behavior is about to be punished.

Never underestimate anyone. Ever.

“I can’t hear you through the splitscreen, hon.”

Not everyone appears as formidable as Marge Gunderson or Molly Solverson or Lorne Malvo. But it’s always wise to never underestimate what a cornered rat can do. In season one, Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) went from bumbling fool to shrewd survivalist and this season, though Peggy and Ed initially seemed like dimwits, they’ve proved time and again they have the gumption to do what it takes to survive. And the Gerhardt’s may be dwindling faster than a shooting star but they’re a tough breed and not out for the count yet.