20 Best TV Shows Of 2017

19. Fargo

Fargo Season 3
FX

Noah Hawley's third outing in the town of Fargo, MN may have been the weakest, but that's simply a testament to how good this anthology series is rather than a disparaging remark on Season 3.

The latest run took things forward in the Fargo timeline to 2010, and brought together a brilliant cast led by Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Carrie Coon, David Thewlis, and Ewan McGregor again (playing brothers, but not twins).

Ewan vs Ewan (or rather, Emmit vs Ray Stussy) provided an immediate hook, but the meat of this 'true story' was courtesy of Winstead and Coon, both of whom came to the fore as the season went on and gave the show so much of its heart and humour.

Thewlis, meanwhile, was a manically odd and malevolent presence, his strange affectations blending perfectly with the quaint, quirky setting of the town, which features Hawley's now trademark evocative atmosphere and colour palettes, while the scenes of graphic violence are juxtaposed with the off-kilter humour to great effect.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.