Fargo is the Best Christmas Show

Fargo is a deeply violent show. I know that doesn’t necessarily fulfill the criteria of Christmas, and if the wintry setting doesn’t convince you then dig this.

Fargo is a great show that is loosely tied to a great movie. If you haven’t seen the movie, you should feel a deep sense of shame and guilt, but you can still view the show without it.

In two seasons we have found that the show is more than just dark stories of murder and mayhem, it is in fact illustrating a struggle between good and evil. It becomes stories of temptation and what that does to a person’s soul.

The story unfolds in interesting ways. The first season takes place in 2006 and the second season happens in 1979 and watching both in that order is necessary in order to understand the weight of decisions and impact of actions. Both seasons echo each other constructing a multigenerational story of downfall  and temptation to walk away or do evil is present at all times.

Just a warning though, it does have a fairly high body count. So gathering the children around to watch darkly humorous stories of murder and mayhem, may not be the best idea. However, it is hilarious and points to more than just an entertaining story of violence.

That’s all well and good you might say, but how does this indicate that it is something to view around Christmas? Well Christmas, is a time where we do three things simultaneously. We celebrate the Birth of Christ, remember Adam’s Fall, and look forward to Easter when death is conquered. It exists, as an echo of our past mistakes and a prelude to the victory that is to come.

Fargo, may not feature christmas trees, carols, or even egg-nog, but what it does is illustrate temptation and evil, and good’s ultimate triumph over those forces, even though at times, such things seem rather unlikely.

For this reason, and the reason that it’s really freaking good, I recommend watching both seasons this Christmas.