---
title: "Fargo: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/fargo-2014/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/tv/fargo-2014"
critics_score: 71
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Fargo (2014): what the critics said

Critics' score 71 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics are relieved. The consensus is that a series spun from the Coen brothers’ 1996 film, an idea more than one reviewer admits they distrusted, turns out to work: it borrows the tone and the Minnesota-nice manners and then builds its own story inside them. Praise clusters on the cast. Billy Bob Thornton’s Malvo is named again and again, Martin Freeman’s Lester Nygaard and Allison Tolman’s Molly Solverson nearly as often, and the reviews like the mix of dark comedy and sudden violence.

The reservations are smaller and scattered. Vulture finds parts of the setup schematic and notes a strain of misogyny in it; Den of Geek is uneasy about how hard the pilot leans on the film’s name. The one real dissent is The Times, which grants the series is clever but finds it dull, too fussy over detail to hold attention on television. Everyone else lands somewhere between good and enthusiastic.

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2014. 

The series quickly establishes its own property while capturing the tone of the Coen brothers' film, pursuing a new true-crime tale in similar environs. It boasts a stellar cast and hypnotic tone that makes the 10-episode commitment worthwhile.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-fargo-1201153656/)

## The Guardian

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 April 2014. 

The critic sees the series as a respectful homage to the Coen brothers' film that captures its atmosphere, humour and themes while growing into its own identity. They praise the performances, especially Billy Bob Thornton and Allison Tolman, and the blend of horror and joy.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/apr/20/fargo-tv-review-disaster-or-homage)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2014. 

A dubious idea turns into a shockingly great one as the limited series cleverly expands on the film with the Coen brothers' endorsement. Creator Noah Hawley has created his own vision while paying homage to the original and its strange world of 'Minnesota nice.'

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/fargo-tv-review-695445/)

## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 April 2014. 

The critic finds the series smart and ruthless, developing its own Coen-esque tone organically in the pilot's stronger sections. It singles out the misanthropic worldview and Billy Bob Thornton's devilish Malvo for praise while noting some schematic and misogynistic elements in the setup.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/04/tv-review-fx-fargo.html)

## The Times — Andrew Billen

Rating ★★☆☆☆. 28 April 2014. 

The critic finds the series clever but ultimately boring, with too much attention to detail that makes it dull for TV, praising some cinematic moments but noting it feels less engaging than cinema auteurs' work.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-generation-war-fargo-w9sjplgkmfk)

## Paste — Amy Amatangelo

Rating 9.0/10. 16 April 2014. 

The series premiere successfully captures the essence and spirit of the 1996 Coen brothers film while establishing its own story with new characters. The critic praises the strong casting, particularly Martin Freeman as the downtrodden Lester Nygaard and Allison Tolman as the determined Deputy Molly Solverson, noting the show's effective blend of dark humor, violence, and Minnesota dialect.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/fargo/fargo-review-the-crocodiles-dilemma)

## Den of Geek — Nick Harley

Rating 3.5/5. 16 April 2014. 

The critic calls the pilot fun with laughs and gasps but remains uncomfortable with its heavy reliance on the film's association. It singles out Billy Bob Thornton's mischievous Malvo and Martin Freeman's Lester for effective performances amid the violence and dark comedy.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/fargo-the-crocodiles-dilemma-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/fargo-2014.md