Tension Mounts: Fargo ‘Rhinoceros’ (Recap)
“One of the most impressive aspects of Fargo this season has been the show’s ability to digress without ever losing focus.”
Max Bledstein
Max is a freelance writer, musician, and world-renowned curmudgeon. He writes on all things culture for a variety of fine North American publications. His highly anticipated debut novel will write itself one of these days, he assumes.
Murder and Reagan: Fargo ‘The Gift of the Magi’ (Recap)
“The voice of a fictional Ronald Reagan (played with a perfect mix of jocularity and sincerity by Bruce Campbell) looms over ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ setting a tone in the first act that never wanes throughout the episode.”
Out of Respect for the Dead: Fargo ‘Fear and Trembling’ (Recap)
“In Noah Hawley’s show inspired by the Coen brothers’ work, a high body count and a willingness to laugh at it have been no less a part of the universe, in some ways serving as the most direct connection between the series and the film.”
Pushing Boulders: Fargo ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ (Recap)
“Gallows humor is a trademark of just about all of the Coens’ work (and Fargo in particular), and Noah Hawley and his writers have done a brilliant job of coming up with gags worthy of their show’s namesake.”
It Really Tied the Plot Together: Fargo ‘Before the Law’ (Recap)
“Beyond being a neat stylistic trick and an effect that would make Abel Gance proud, the use of split-screens in the first two episodes of Fargo Season 2 has the helpful narrative role of directly uniting the show’s disparate narrative elements.”
Capturing the Coens: Fargo ‘Waiting for Dutch’ (Recap)
“The little side comments throughout “Waiting for Dutch” keep the episode light on its feet, but never in a way which overwhelms the story or characters, making for a fantastic start to the season.”
The Dueling Cavalier: Gravity of Violence in ‘Sicario’
A Column by Max Bledstein
Struggling to Portray Evil: ‘Narcos’ Episodes 1.6-1.10
“Narcos resorts to cheap tactics to depict just how ‘bad’ these characters are.”
Limited Omniscience: ‘Narcos’ Episodes 1.1-1.5
“Netflix’s new series Narcos begins with a quote regarding the birth of magical realism, and its point of emphasis reveals quite a bit about the series it precedes.”
The Dueling Cavalier: The Challenge of Representing Creative Genius in ‘The End of the Tour’ and ‘Whiplash’
A Column by Max Bledstein
An Abrupt Ending: Hannibal ‘The Wrath of the Lamb’ (Recap)
“If The Wrath of the Lamb doesn’t quite work as a series finale, it’s only because it wasn’t really supposed to be one.”
The Dueling Cavalier: Contrasting Effectiveness of the Long Take in ‘The Tribe’ and ‘Birdman’
A Column by Max Bledstein
Obscuring and Clarifying Evil: Hannibal ‘The Number of the Beast is 666’ (Recap)
“Another week of Hannibal, another gripping second act septic.”
Personalizing Murder: Hannibal ‘…And the Beast from the Sea’ (Recap)
“Instead of merely asking viewers to care about a victim with whom we have no ties, Fuller tugs on our heartstrings by having his antagonist target the family of the protagonist we’ve gotten to know for nearly three full seasons.”
The Dueling Cavalier: Proof of Premise in ‘Inside Out’
A Column by Max Bledstein
Looking Wider: Hannibal ‘And the Woman Clothed with the Sun…’ (Recap)
“If last week’s “The Great Red Dragon” was centered around the two killers who now share the villainous duties on Hannibal, “And the Woman Clothed with the Sun…” has a broader focus.”
The Dueling Cavalier: ‘Tangerine,’ ‘Toy Story’ and Technology in Storytelling
A Column by Max Bledstein
Inside the Minds of Murderers: Hannibal ‘The Great Red Dragon’ (Recap)
“The sound of Hannibal has always been one of its strongest elements, thanks in large part to Brian Reitzell’s terrifying score, and the auditory depiction of Dolarhyde’s plight is no exception.”
Transplanting Sympathies and Influence: Hannibal ‘Digestivo’ (Recap)
“Digestivo” feels almost like a bottle episode due to its concentration on Mason’s Muskrat Farm, and the close quarters are the perfect setting for seeing the characters play off one another.
Transformation, Resurrection and Close-Ups: Hannibal ‘Dolce’ (Recap)
“Perhaps the water from the beginning of the episode points more towards resurrection than forgiveness, and if the rest of the season is as strong as “Dolce,” one can only hope Hannibal’s fate will point in the same way.”