The Rewatchables: ‘Fargo’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Kyle Brandt

Published 2026-03-10; 2:02:11 by the feed.

Awards and segments (111)

Double feature

  1. pick No Country for Old Men: He pairs Fargo with the Coens' other story of a cop facing violence he can't make sense of.
    “Best double feature choice. No country.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:56:30
  2. pick 8MM: A host wants more Peter Stormare and calls it one of the most intense theater experiences he has had.
    “8 millimeter. Double. I want more storm air.”
    unknown · 1:56:33
  3. pick Raising Arizona: A host makes it a triple with Fargo and No Country, a Coen check-in every ten years.
    “Raising Arizona, Fargo, no country.”
    unknown · 1:57:17
  4. pick No Country for Old Men: The same triple-feature pick also includes No Country for Old Men.
    “Raising Arizona, Fargo, no country.”
    unknown · 1:57:17

Most rewatchable scene

  1. floated The opening credits, a truck towing a car out of a blizzard
    “Most rewatchable scene. We mention the opening credits.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:44:51
  2. pick Jerry meets the kidnappers at the King of Clubs bar
    “Jerry meets the kidnappers at king of clubs. The most North Dakota dive bar possible.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:44:55
  3. pick The home break-in and kidnapping of Jerry's wife
    “Like, the strangest part of the home break in is that Carl comes up like looking like you went to spirit Halloween and got home intruder costume, like with a crowbar and she just stands there watching him for a long time until he breaks the glass and then all shit breaks loose.”
    unknown · 0:47:04
  4. pick Jerry scraping the ice off his windshield, then rehearsing the phone call in the kitchen
    “I love that scene with Stan. I'm putting the 3 together of this scene, him flipping out in the ice scrapers, the next scene.”
    unknown · 0:48:17
  5. floated The murder of the couple in the car, 'Oh, daddy'
    “Just keep it still, lady, or else we're going to have to, you know, shoot yet.”
    unknown · 0:49:09
  6. pick Marge interviewing the two escorts
    “Marge, this is a quick one, but Marge interviewing the 2 escorts kills me.”
    unknown · 0:49:52
  7. pick Shep Proudfoot beating up Carl in the parking lot
    “I have Shep beating up Bushemi.”
    unknown · 0:52:21
  8. pick Wade, the father-in-law, getting killed
    “I have the father-in-law getting killed just because it's shocking.”
    unknown · 0:52:31
  9. pick Carl's phone call with Jerry and showing up when Wade gets out of the car
    “And then when he shows up and Wade gets out of that car, it is 100 out of 100 Bushemi, I'm not fucking around anymore.”
    unknown · 0:52:53
  10. pick The driveway guy's monologue at the lake
    “I think this might be my favorite scene.”
    unknown · 0:53:52
  11. pick Marge goes to see Jerry a second time
    “Marge goes to see Jerry a 2nd time.”
    unknown · 0:55:15
  12. pick The wood chipper scene
    “The wood chipper scene into the drive, which was an all time.”
    unknown · 0:55:20
  13. pick The 3-cent stamp ending
    “And then I have the ¢3 stamp, which I really like as an inning.”
    unknown · 0:56:09
  14. pick Marge's lunch with Mike Yanagita
    “Mike Yanagita scene is my favorite scene.”
    unknown · 0:56:44
  15. pick The triple homicide on the highway
    “It's the triple homicide in the highway.”
    unknown · 0:57:16

Best That Guy · The best 'that guy' actor in the movie.

  1. pick Harve Presnell as Wade Gustafson: Cites him as the choice before asking Chris; the hosts also mention he came back after years away from movies.
    “Best that guy. It has to be Harv Fresnel as Wayne Gustinson.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:28:39
  2. pick Larry Brandenburg as Stan Grossman: Chris points out he is also in the Shawshank crew betting on the fresh fish.
    “Larry Brandenburg, Stan Grossman.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:29:01

Dion Waiters Award · A small role with a big impact.

  1. winner Steve Park as Mike Yanagita: Chris runs through the small parts he could offer, then settles on Yanagita.
    “I love all that. It's Mike Ganagita.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:30:38
  2. winner Steve Park as Mike Yanagita: Bill puts Yanagita on his all-time Dion Waiters Rushmore.
    “I have Yanagita on my Waiters Rushmore.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:30:42
  3. nominee Shep Proudfoot
    “I could offer you Shep Proudfoot at Steve Park.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:30:17
  4. nominee Jose Feliciano concert (Carl takes the escort)
    “I could offer you Jose Feliciano.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:30:30
  5. nominee John Marley as Jack Woltz: Added to the all-time list as a Godfather example.
    “I would only add... John Marley is Jack Wolfson, Godfather.”
    unknown · 1:31:05

What's Aged the Best · What about the movie has aged the best.

  1. pick Steve Buscemi as Carl Showalter: His run of 90s scumbags, with Carl the scummiest of them.
    “Steve Boshemi 90s scumbag.”
    unknown · 1:01:55
  2. pick Carl takes an escort to a Jose Feliciano concert: The crowning achievement of Buscemi's scumbag run.
    “And then the crowning achievement is definitely Carl taking a hooker to a Jose Feliciano concert.”
    unknown · 1:03:03

What's Aged the Worst · What about the movie has aged the worst.

  1. pick The 'this is a true story' claim: It seems dopey now because anyone could Google it.
    “That was really all I had for what stage the worst, because it just seems dopey now, because you would just Google and be like, this didn't happen.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:14:42
  2. pick Scotty Lundegaard: Orphaned, but probably a multimillionaire from the family estate.
    “I think as a character who is aged the worst if you went into the future in the fictional world of Fargo, it would be Scotty, totally fucking orphaned, but probably a multimillionaire because he, but, why isn't, inheriting Wade's estate?”
    unknown · 1:14:48
  3. pick The hot lunch buffet
    “I guess the only thing other thing that's aged the worst is I personally don't really see a lot of hot buffets getting used up recent anymore.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:15:18
  4. pick The bedside landline phone with a bell
    “Margie being woken up by that phone next to her fucking face with an actual functional bell inside it, like in the middle of the night.”
    unknown · 1:16:12
  5. pick Pan-and-scan cable broadcasts of a widescreen movie
    “And when it was on cable for years and years with the square TVs.”
    unknown · 0:44:51

Most 1987 or 1996 Thing · The most 1987 (the film's setting) or 1996 (its release) thing about the movie.

  1. pick Scotty's Whitesnake poster (1987)
    “Scotty Lundegard's got a white snake poster over his bed and 87 is the year that that album came out and here I go again was all.”
    unknown · 0:58:24
  2. pick Passing the film off as a true story, which couldn't be researched (1996)
    “The 96 for me is just what we've already talked about that you could just say this was a true story and everyone would just believe it because they can't research it.”
    unknown · 0:58:56
  3. pick Regions of America felt far away and different (1996)
    “I actually had this for what was the most 1996 part of this movie is that it's not necessarily the last time, but it is a time in America where different regions felt far away and culturally very different.”
    unknown · 0:51:05
  4. pick The Playboy in the bathroom magazine rack (1987)
    “The most 1987 thing about this movie. We did not mention yet. It's a playboy in the bathroom reading rack.”
    unknown · 1:01:22

Great Shot, Gordo · The best shot in the movie (Roger Deakins' cinematography).

  1. pick The opening shot, a white-out then Lundegaard's car drives past
    “I mean, I have that for Great shot Gordo, the 1st shot whole fucking movie.”
    unknown · 0:16:02
  2. nominee Carl and Gaear introduced at the King of Clubs bar
    “I have a couple of nominees for Gordo, but the thing is, is that like the shot as they like kind of push in or when they even 1st just like, they didn't move the camera that much.”
    unknown · 0:37:48
  3. nominee Paul Bunyan towering over the night sky
    “Paul Bunyan towering over the night sky.”
    unknown · 1:11:28
  4. nominee The innocent couple driving past the trooper murder scene; Jerry driving past the parking attendant
    “The innocent couple driving by the state troopers murder scene, Jerry going past the parking attendant, that sort of like them sort of going into danger that way is really great.”
    unknown · 1:11:33

Best Character Name · The best character name in the movie.

  1. winner Shep Proudfoot: Loved that the movie acknowledges how cool the name is.
    “I would go Shep Proudfoot.”
    unknown · 1:11:51

Big Kahuna Burger Award · The best food or drink in the movie.

  1. winner The Minnesota lunch buffet: Chicken and dumplings, chicken fricassee, Swedish meatballs and more.
    “Because obviously this is the big Kahuna Burger Award winner for Bessie's food to drink. The buffet.”
    unknown · 1:04:59

Butch's Girlfriend Award · The weak link of the film.

  1. pick Scotty Lundegaard: Not curious enough about where his mom is; the host admits it is really a pick-a-nit.
    “Scotty's just not curious enough or where's mom?”
    unknown · 1:13:39

Hans Gruber Scale · Rank the villain on the Hans Gruber scale.

  1. pick Gaear Grimsrud: Rated about an eight.
    “Yeah, like an eight.”
    unknown · 1:18:28
  2. pick Jerry Lundegaard: Argued he is the most despicable character in the film; ranked a bit below Simon Gruber.
    “Stormair is just like a sociopath. He doesn't feel anything, but I think London Gard is the most despicable character by far.”
    unknown · 1:18:15

Vincent Hanna Award · The best overacting in the movie.

  1. nominee Shep Proudfoot: No one really overacts; he goes for it but is supposed to.
    “Proudfoot goes for it, like, but he's supposed to.”
    unknown · 1:19:09

Billy Batts Award · The most biting and quotable insult.

  1. winner Carl's tirade at the parking lot attendant: Kyle's flex category.
    “No, I have Billy Bat's Award for the most biting and scalable insult.”
    Kyle Brandt · 1:19:48

Rick (garbled) Award for the Inconsequential Death · The most memorable death of a bystander the movie treats as inconsequential.

  1. winner The state trooper's death: Alternates named in the discussion: the parking garage attendant and the two kids who flip their car.
    “I had the rick to chatty garden meat award for the most memorable death by a security guard or other bystander whom the movie treats is inconsequential, but who probably had a spouse and kids who love it for the state trooper who gets top of the headshot.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:12:13

Sean Penn, I Brought My Own Pack Award · The best onscreen smoking.

  1. winner Peter Stormare as Gaear Grimsrud
    “Otherwise, it's Sean Penn, I brought my own pack award for Stormer.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:12:40

Hottest Take · The hottest take about the movie.

  1. pick Fargo is in direct conversation with No Country for Old Men: Both feature a bag of money, a sacrificial wife and a cop who can't make sense of the violence.
    “We alluded to this a little bit in our opening conversation, but this movie is in direct conversation with no country for old men.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:20:56
  2. pick Gaear Grimsrud calling for a second pancake meal in one day: Kyle says it is the craziest thing Gaear does, answering Bill's 'what did you have for this'.
    “Of all the insane shit he does in this movie, the wood chipper, the executions, by far the craziest thing he does is calling for a 2nd pancake meal in the day.”
    Kyle Brandt · 1:22:55

Casting What-Ifs · Almost-castings, recasts and what-if scenarios.

  1. pick The 1997 TV pilot with Edie Falco as Marge; if picked up she might not play Carmela
    “In 1997, a year after this movie, a pilot was filmed for a TV series set in Brainerd shortly after the events of the film, starring Edie Falco as Marge Gunderson.”
    unknown · 1:25:06
  2. pick Bill Pullman as Jerry Lundegaard: Pullman was supposed to be Jerry before a scheduling conflict; Richard Jenkins was also considered.
    “Bill Pullman was supposed to be Jerry.”
    unknown · 1:27:16
  3. pick Robert Duvall as Wade Gustafson
    “Robert Duvall as the father-in-law?”
    unknown · 1:33:49
  4. pick Tom Hanks as Jerry Lundegaard: From the Cruise or Hanks game; Hanks could have played Jerry, and would have been an interesting Gaear.
    “It's Hanks because he thinks this is a perfect movie.”
    unknown · 1:40:10
  5. pick Tom Cruise as Gaear Grimsrud: Cruise as Gaear, with the smoking, like Vincent in Collateral.
    “I have I have crews written down as Stormer just because... Oh, I want to see that.”
    unknown · 1:40:47

Apex Mountain · Where something or someone peaked, on the mountain.

  1. pick Swedish meatballs (IKEA cafes)
    “Well, for Apex Mountain, certainly Swedish meatballs, because when you think about what IKEA was doing.”
    unknown · 1:36:13
  2. pick GMAC financing plans
    “I would also say GMAC financing plans.”
    unknown · 1:36:31
  3. pick The Coen Brothers: Apex is No Country for Old Men.
    “I'd say no country is going, brother.”
    unknown · 1:36:42
  4. pick William H. Macy: Not at Fargo yet, maybe after Boogie Nights.
    “Macy, it's not yet, but maybe after boogie nights were getting there.”
    unknown · 1:36:45
  5. pick Minnesota sports (the late-80s and early-90s World Series teams, the 98 Vikings)
    “Minnesota, probably the World Series in 88 or 87?”
    unknown · 1:37:04
  6. pick Steve Buscemi: Con Air, as his apex as a movie star.
    “I think Con Air is probably like his apex.”
    unknown · 1:37:37
  7. pick Steve Buscemi: An alternate: The Sopranos, because he was also directing.
    “I'd probably say, I'm not right, but I would probably say sopranos because he was also directing.”
    unknown · 1:37:43
  8. pick Frances McDormand: No apex; her career was designed not to have one.
    “I think her career was pretty intentionally designed not to have an apex.”
    unknown · 1:38:05
  9. pick Peter Stormare
    “Storm air, I'm still going, Dino velvet.”
    unknown · 1:39:00

Mount Rushmore of Disfiguring Facial Wounds · A Mount Rushmore of movie disfiguring facial wounds.

  1. pick Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland), Freeway
    “Freeway with Kiefer Sutherland.”
    unknown · 1:39:42
  2. pick Carl Showalter, Fargo
    “Fargo, what's the 4th one?”
    unknown · 1:39:49
  3. pick Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart), The Dark Knight
    “It's definitely Aaron Eckhart in Dark Knight.”
    unknown · 1:39:50
  4. nominee Gus Fring, Breaking Bad
    “Gus Spring has the same thing at the end of Breaking Bad, like half of the space is melting off just like that.”
    unknown · 1:40:02

Sarah Connor Award · Whether modern technology would ruin the movie.

  1. pick Ring cameras, cell phone pings and texting would catch the criminals
    “Ring cameras, cell phone pings, and texting. I think we catch these guys in 5 minutes.”
    unknown · 1:41:17

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a film they love.

  1. pick Empty beer bottles as shorthand for drunk
    “I think it's a little bit of a hacky way that directors show someone's drunk that there's like 6 empty.”
    unknown · 0:45:30
  2. pick Close-range headshot would not look like that
    “I don't know enough about shooting somebody from 2 feet away.”
    unknown · 0:49:30
  3. pick The Lundegaards would have a dog
    “First of all, the London Guards would definitely have a dog, which I think would be a fun part of the home invasion.”
    unknown · 1:41:55
  4. pick Scotty has no Kirby Puckett or North Stars poster
    “Um, the fact that Scotty does not have a Kirby Pucket poster in his room is ridiculous, 1987.”
    unknown · 1:42:00
  5. pick Carl would not be uncircumcised
    “no fucking way he's uncircumcised.”
    unknown · 1:42:33
  6. pick Why Carl doesn't take off and goes back for Gaear
    “Why does Carl not take off?”
    unknown · 1:42:37
  7. pick The father-in-law never connects the dots
    “I have the father-in-law never connecting dots.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:43:10
  8. pick The criminals stay overnight for a drive of only a few hours
    “Second thing. Why are the criminals in the car for this long?”
    Bill Simmons · 1:44:41

Unanswered Questions · Questions the movie leaves open.

  1. pick Is Carl from Minnesota or out of town?
    “Where do you guys think, this is an unanswerable questions, but just because of an accent thing, do you think Carl's supposed to be from Minnesota or is he from out of town?”
    unknown · 1:08:18
  2. pick What is it like if you hate your son-in-law
    “I had this on unanswerable questions, like, what is it like if you hate your son-in-law?”
    unknown · 1:06:54
  3. pick Is Jerry the worst person in the movie
    “I had this in unanswerable questions. Is he the worst person in the movie?”
    unknown · 1:18:02
  4. pick What kind of money trouble was Jerry in: A host adds that the Coens said they did not want people to think about it.
    “I just sort of been like, unanswerable question is what's what's Jerry gotten himself into?”
    unknown · 1:43:25
  5. pick Why was Marge pregnant: A host says his son asked it; the answer offered is a sign of new life in a world of death.
    “Probably unanswerable questions. Why was Marge pregnant is a question my son asked, but I think, oh, that was one of his questions.”
    unknown · 1:50:01
  6. pick Could you really dispose of bodies in a wood chipper
    “Could you really dispose of bodies for the wood chipper?”
    unknown · 1:50:24
  7. pick If Carl had put the tags on the plate, would he have gotten away with it
    “If they put the tags on the license plate, did they get away with it?”
    unknown · 1:50:59
  8. pick What was Gaear doing two weeks before the movie
    “What was his, what was he doing 2 weeks before this?”
    unknown · 1:52:22
  9. pick What is the relationship between Shep and Carl
    “I don't understand what their relationship is, Carl and Sheff.”
    unknown · 1:52:58

Sequel, Prequel, Prestige TV · The sequel, prequel or prestige TV show they would make.

  1. pick The Fargo TV series (Noah Hawley): The hosts say they already have prestige TV; one host admits he never watched the series.
    “Okay, sequel, prequel, prestige, TV, all podcast, untouchable. Obviously, prestige TV because we had it.”
    unknown · 1:45:39

Memorabilia · A prop or piece of memorabilia they would want.

  1. pick The special Fargo VHS with a snow globe containing a dead body: Mentioned earlier in the episode and flagged for this segment; the speaker worked at Suncoast Motion Picture Company.
    “That be good for the memorabilia thing later.”
    unknown · 0:44:24
  2. pick The cop jackets with the fur hoods
    “I just want to say I really like the cop jackets?”
    unknown · 1:54:08
  3. pick A Gustafson Motors sign
    “Uh, I would also offer a Gustafson Motors sign.”
    unknown · 1:54:28
  4. pick Carl's driving gloves
    “Carl has driving gloves for the entire movie.”
    unknown · 1:54:48

Best / Worst Life Lesson · The best (or worst) life lesson in the movie.

  1. winner Marge: there's more to life than a little money
    “There's more to life than a little money, you know? Don't you know that? Yeah. Uh, that's got to be the life lesson.”
    unknown · 1:55:25
  2. pick Mike Yanagita shooting his shot (worst lesson): Offered as the worst advice: sometimes you shouldn't shoot your shot.
    “Like, Mike Yanagi, don't shoot that shot.”
    unknown · 1:55:41

Who Won the Movie · Who came out the winner of the movie.

  1. winner The Coen Brothers: For a completely original depiction of the world.
    “I think they won the movie too. I have them for who won the movie. It's completely original depiction of the world.”
    unknown · 1:57:24
  2. winner Minnesota: Marge Gunderson as the face of Minnesota before Randy Moss, Joe Mauer and Jesse Ventura.
    “Pre-Randy Moss, pre-Jo Mower, pre-Jesse Ventura. Marge Gunderson was like the face of Minnesota.”
    unknown · 1:57:34

Ebert Review · The reading of Roger Ebert's review.

  1. pick Fargo: Four stars.
    “Ebert, 4 stars. It rotates its story through satire, comedy, suspense, and violence until it emerges as one of the best films I've ever seen.”
    unknown · 0:43:37

Best Hang / Worst Hang · Which character you'd most (or least) want to hang with.

  1. pick Norm Gunderson: Best hang by default, though a host finds him boring.
    “I think it might be Norm.”
    unknown · 1:05:33
  2. pick Carl Showalter: Would take a road trip with Carl.
    “I would love to take a road trip with Carl.”
    unknown · 1:05:46
  3. pick Carl Showalter and Gaear Grimsrud: Worst hang: the two criminals together.
    “We did best Hang, worst Hang, the 2 criminals.”
    unknown · 1:41:08

Best Line (accents) · Favorite lines and phrases from the Minnesota-accent dialogue.

  1. pick 'You're darn tootin'
    “I also had the accent stuff, which we talked about, but, um, I think my favorite one is, you're darn tooting.”
    unknown · 1:08:09
  2. pick Ending a phone call with 'real good then'
    “Of all the language things, I like ending a phone call with real good then and hanging up.”
    unknown · 1:09:02

Most Fargo People in Fargo · The five characters with the most Fargo accent and manner, ranked.

  1. pick Jerry's manager at the dealership, watching the Gophers game: Number five.
    “All right, at five. I have Jerry's manager at Gustav Sonato, who's watching the Gophers game.”
    unknown · 0:54:10
  2. pick The female cashier at the diner: Number four.
    “And number four, I have the female cashier at the diner.”
    unknown · 0:54:18
  3. pick The driveway guy at the lake: Number three.
    “And number three, I got driveway guy going crazy out there at the lake guy who's just kind of just sweeping his wet driveway with the hood up and everything, going crazy out there at the lake.”
    unknown · 0:54:24
  4. pick The blonde escort: Number two.
    “And number two, I have our girl, the blonde escort.”
    unknown · 0:54:36
  5. winner Lou, the officer with Marge: Number one.
    “I mean, Lou. Lou, the officer with Margie.”
    unknown · 0:54:43

Recast the Couch · Fargo characters recast onto a sports-debate show or other media set, played as impressions.

  1. pick Mike Yanagita as Gus Johnson: Kyle performs an impression as part of the segment.
    “Mike Danikita.”
    Kyle Brandt · 1:47:20
  2. pick Marge Gunderson as a Zane Lowe-style interview guest
    “You're on an incredible journey in law enforcement, but you're also on an incredible journey of motherhood.”
    unknown · 1:48:18
  3. pick Carl Showalter as a First Take guest
    “I do think Carl Showalter would also make an incredible 1st take guess just because he's like, I'm not going to debate you.”
    unknown · 1:48:51

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