I Have One Simple Request for the 'Fargo' Finale That is Non-Negotiable

By Dustin Rowles | TV | June 11, 2014 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | June 11, 2014 |

The last few years of prestige television have largely been characterized by shocking twists, anti-heroes, and gut-punching deaths. The phenomenal Fargo hasn’t exactly bucked the trend in the twists and anti-heroes department (SPOILERS THROUGHOUT), but it’s mostly spared us from the emotionally devastating deaths. Sure, Lester’s wife died, the sheriff we just met in the premiere episode succumbed Malvo’s shotgun blast, Glen Howerton’s character was blown the f*ck to pieces, Mr. Numbers had his throat slashed, Stavros’ kid fell prey to raining fish, and even Lester’s new wife got a bullet to the head. But those characters were secondary characters. Many of them were bad people, and the ones that weren’t, we didn’t get too emotionally invested in, although did you really have to cast Stephen Root only to SHOOT HIM IN THE HEAD two scenes later? Was that really necessary.

But listen: I have one single request for the finale, and it is this:

DO NOT MURDER MOLLY, GUS, OR GRETA.

Just don’t. I’d also prefer that Lou Solverson survive the series, but that point is negotiable. If Key and Peele are killed, that’s OK, too. Mr. Wrench? Don’t care. Gina Hess? Bring it on! Send her kids to hell with her. Lester and Malvo: Oh, absolutely, kill those f*ckers dead. In fact, bring them back to life and kill them again. Hell, kill them as many times as you’d like. I will pump my fist in celebration every time you do it. I cannot wait to see their heads splattered all over some wall, or fed into a wood chipper, or crushed in a vice.

BUT DO NOT MURDER MOLLY, GUS, OR GRETA.

Look: I don’t care if it’s the trend. I don’t care if George R.R. Martin or The Walking Dead is willing to kill off anyone, no matter how much they are liked. I don’t care if Kurt Sutter kills every single character in Sons of Anarchy. I don’t care that Vince Gilligan took out a couple of his most likable characters. I don’t care what Alan Ball has done over on True Blood because I don’t watch that show and they all probably deserve to die, anyway.

But Gus, Molly, and Greta do not. Look, Noah Hawley: I like these characters. I like them a lot, and haven’t they suffered enough? Molly lost a mentor. Gus and Greta have already lost their wife and mother. They’re a happy family. They do not suffer from hubris. They are not selling meth. They are not engaged in otherwise unlawful activities. They’re good people. They deserve to live, and you better let them f**king live because I don’t know what I will do if Gus loses his daughter, or if Greta loses her new mom, or if Molly has to see her sweet husband die.

Just do us all a favor, just this once: Let the good guys win! I know that’s not what is fashionable these days in dark dramas, but that’s OK. You can buck that trend! Nic Pizzolatto did it (although, I wish he hadn’t), so you can do it, too! Spare us the moral victories. I don’t want any goddamn martyrs. I don’t need to see anyone sacrifice themselves. All I need is to see the Grimly family survive.

Got it? Thanks.