It's understandable why casual fans would so closely compare FX's "Fargo" with HBO's "True Detective." They are both crime anthologies that reinvent themselves with a new story and cast every year and they both debuted in 2014 just a few short months apart. The stories and characters may not be the same, but they each revolve around some type of bloody and heinous act. Those broad similarities are enough to draw a link between them.
But the two shows are radically different on a very basic level and their second seasons are enough to exemplify that. Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), who plays Joe Bulo on "Fargo," said as much in a conference call with media members recently.
"When there are top shows involved, they are always comparing one to the other," Garrett told HNGN. "These are two dramas that really raise the bar, even more so than network shows. I think that's why there's a lot of comparison. But they are very different shows. I think it's kind of typical for viewers to compare one or the other. When you're in it, making it, I don't think that that happens on the creative end."
One of the defining characteristics that separates "Fargo" from "True Detective" is tone. The latter embraces the seedier and more pessimistic aspects one may expect within the crime genre. Showrunner Nic Pizzolatto established an almost seductive gothic vibe in the series' wholly original first year. There were view audience members who weren't transfixed with Rush Cohle's nihilistic philosophies.
Though "Fargo's" catalyst this season may be a grisly triple (quadruple?) homicide, there are countless moments of levity surrounding it. A dark and undeniably fresh sense of humor is interwoven with the more tense moments. Whether it's a carefully worded quip said at gunpoint or a casual conversation about men's hair products, there are a surprising amount of laughs in this show. According to Garrett, that comes directly from showrunner Noah Hawley who he says is able to make each season feel similar tonally yet completely new at the same time.
"Noah just has an incredibly gift for that...When people heard 'Fargo' was going to be a series, they wondered how it was going to be done. But Noah has an amazing eye when it comes to characters and especially dialogue. It's gold when you get these scripts, it's the way people actually talk and it's a humor that comes from character instead of jokes. He's been able to pull it off two seasons in a row. He's a gifted guy."
"Fargo" is three episodes into what is amounting to a stellar sophomore campaign. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for "True Detective." The show's second season suffered from a lack of clear focus, questionable casting decisions and an overly convoluted story line that distracted from the main motifs Pizzolatto was trying to get across. His characters were drawn to the extremes and never fully fleshed out, whereas Garrett was immediately drawn to the smaller yet fully realized role of Joe Bulo.
"That's what was so attractive in the beginning. This character is someone who is humorous in spite of himself. It's great to play someone who doesn't need to be funny and who is just odd and ironic. The humor comes from the character, not from jokes. It's real nuance. I find it great. There's a fine line between comedy and drama. In drama, you can let each moment breathe and you can have that silence without waiting for a laugh."
But fans are waiting, to see if Hawley can keep this high wire act up throughout the rest of the season. If last year's entry and Garrett's comments are anything to go on, they won't be disappointed. That dark sense of humor and get to the bottom of it mystery are enough to keep fans watching for a long time.
"Fargo" airs Mondays at 9:00 PM ET on FX.
