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

March 10, 2026 · Fargo (1996) · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 2:02:11 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Hall of Fame Plaque

Chris Ryan▶ 35:11Roger Deakins' cinematography in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Great Shot Gordo Award

Chris Ryan▶ 37:05Has a couple nominees, mentions the shot introducing Carl and Garrett at the King of Clubs bar with the lighting and camera work
Kyle Brandt▶ 36:51The opening shot - a white out where Lunderguard drives right past your ear a minute later

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 44:04Multiple scenes including opening credits, Jerry meets kidnappers at King of Clubs, kidnapping scene with knitting and game show, Jerry flipping out with ice scraper sequence, criminals killing cop scene, Marge interviewing escorts, father-in-law getting killed, and Ecklin and Swedlands bar speech
Chris Ryan▶ 44:21Scenes with kidnappers and empty beer bottles, morning show riverboat cruise throwaway line, unexpected murder scene with headshots, and various character moments throughout
Kyle Brandt▶ 46:45Jerry's ice scraper meltdown scene, home break-in with trusting wife, shower curtains scene, and Jerry's clumsy attempt to call off the kidnapping after finding potential money

The five most Fargo people in Fargo

Ranked list · Kyle Brandt · ▶ 53:21

  1. 5Jerry's manager at Gustafson Motors▶ 53:21
  2. 4The female cashier at the diner▶ 53:30
  3. 3Driveway guy▶ 53:38
  4. 2The blonde escort from White Bear High School▶ 53:49
  5. 1Lou the officer▶ 53:56

Categories, continued

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:13The buffet with chicken and dumplings, chicken fricassee, fried tora and broiled tora, Swedish meatballs, potatoes, and jello

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:41Scotty's just not curious enough - where's mom? Why isn't he more perceptive about his wife disappearing?
Chris Ryan▶ 1:07:30Where do you think Carl's supposed to be from - Minnesota or out of town?
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:06:04What is it like if you hate your son-in-law? It must be really bad

What's Aged the Worst

Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:24Hot buffets - they don't get used much anymore
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:14:59Old landline phones next to the bed that ring loudly in the middle of the night without caller ID - Marge being woken up by the loud phone right next to her face

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:15If the 1997 Fargo TV pilot starring Edie Falco had been picked up, there would be no Sopranos because Falco wouldn't have been available to play Carmela
Chris Ryan▶ 1:20:04This movie is in direct conversation with No Country for Old Men - both feature a bag of money, character in over their head, sacrificial wife, and cop trying to make sense of extreme violence
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:22:04The craziest thing Grimsrud does isn't the murders or wood chipper - it's calling for a second pancake meal in the same day

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:18Bill Pullman — Bill Pullman was supposed to be Jerry Lundegaard but had to back out due to scheduling conflict, then they considered Richard Jenkins before giving it to William H. Macy
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:34Bill Pullman — Agreed that Bill Pullman would have been wrong for Jerry - too handsome and dashing for the role
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:27:51Larry Brandon — Larry Brandon Burke as Stan Grossman (That Guy category)

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:21Steve Park — Steve Park, with other options including Shep Proudfoot, the guy who wanted to pay 19.5 for his vehicle with no true code, Jose Feliciano, and the two escorts
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:08John Marley — Would add John Marley as Jack Woltz from The Godfather to the all-time list
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:29:50Steve Park — Mike Yanagita - puts him on his Dion Waiters Rushmore alongside Drexel from True Romance, Walken from Pulp Fiction, and Multiple Migs

Kyle's Dion Waiters Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore · Kyle Brandt · ▶ 1:29:50

  1. ·Drexl in True Romance▶ 1:29:50
  2. ·Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction▶ 1:29:51
  3. ·Mike Yanagita in Fargo▶ 1:29:50
  4. ·Multiple Miggs▶ 1:29:54
  5. ·Jack Woltz in The Godfather▶ 1:30:07

Categories, continued

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:46Coen Brothers - No Country for Old Men; Macy - not yet but getting close after Boogie Nights; Buscemi - Sopranos because he was directing and it was a big deal; McDormand - no apex, career intentionally designed without one; Stormare - Blue Velvet over Armageddon
Chris Ryan▶ 1:35:16Swedish meatballs via IKEA cafe, GMAC financing plans, Riley Giffenbach, true coat sealant
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:36:43Steve Buscemi — Buscemi - Con Air as his apex when he became a movie star; Stormare - Armageddon six months after Fargo when he was with Spielberg shooting Lost World

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:43Fargo TV series - mentions they had prestige TV and references the first season picking up with what happened to the money
Chris Ryan▶ 1:45:01Fargo TV series - agrees and provides details about the buried case and Ted Danson playing Marge's father/grandfather
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:45:12Acknowledges Fargo TV series discussion but admits lack of familiarity, mentions Martin Freeman being in it

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:13Zane Lowe — Suggests Zane Lowe initially but doesn't commit to a definitive pick
Chris Ryan▶ 1:47:16Zane Lowe — Zane Lowe interviewing Marge about her journey in law enforcement and motherhood
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:46:17Gus Johnson — Gus Johnson calling Mike Yanagita at the Radisson scene ('Young fella, suit it up at the Radisson, Linda Cooksy, suck it, same side of the booth')

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:48:36Steve Park — Stephen Park as Mike Yanagita
Chris Ryan▶ 1:48:29William H. Macy — McDormand won the Oscar, but would give it to Macy, Buscemi, Francis McDormand, the Coens, or Deakins

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:54:26There's more to life than a little money, you know
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:54:44Don't shoot your shot - sometimes you don't shoot your shot, take the social cues (referring to Mike's behavior)

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:16No Country for Old Men — Triple feature: Raising Arizona, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men (Coen Brothers every 10 years)
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:55:31No Country for Old Men — No Country for Old Men and 8 Millimeter

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:29Joel Coen — The Coen Brothers - for creating a completely original depiction of the world
Chris Ryan▶ 1:56:55Joel Coen — Discussed concerns about whether the movie mocks Minnesotans and criticism that the Coens make fun of people they depict, but defended that they just see humor in it
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:56:33Minnesota - specifically pre-Randy Moss, pre-Joe Mauer, pre-Jesse Ventura Minnesota, with Marge Gunderson as the face of Minnesota

Movies Referenced (45)

Boogie Nights (1997)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 20:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nomadland (2020)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 27:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Shot Caller (2017)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 28:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Independence Day (1996)

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan▶ 22:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 35:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blood Simple (1984)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt▶ 16:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Primal Fear (1996)

3 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons▶ 28:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pulp Fiction (1994)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 48:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raising Arizona (1987)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt▶ 16:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Air Force One (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 20:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Almost Famous (2000)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 26:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Joel Coen

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Fargo▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Raimi

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Spider-Man, The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness▶ 25:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 29:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 1:38:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (33)

Steve Buscemi

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan · Known for Fargo, Ghost World, Reservoir Dogs▶ 13:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Macy

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan · Known for The Jerk, Surviving Christmas▶ 18:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frances McDormand

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Fargo, Almost Famous▶ 23:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Stormare

7 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Fargo, The Brothers Grimm, Dancer in the Dark▶ 26:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 2:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joel Kinnaman

3 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Suicide Squad▶ 33:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Meryl Streep

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Mamma Mia!, Out of Africa▶ 27:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Holly Hunter

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Broadcast News▶ 25:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Carroll Lynch

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Founder, Fargo, Paul▶ 1:34:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Junichi Yanagita

2 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Pearl Harbor, The Last Samurai, Charlie's Angels▶ 6:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Douglas

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Wall Street, Behind the Candelabra, Romancing the Stone▶ 29:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Angelo Dundee

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Cinderella Man, Ali▶ 18:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (6)

Joel Cohen

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Toy Story, Money Talks▶ 18:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 33:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ethan Coen

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Inside Llewyn Davis, A Serious Man▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scott Spiegel

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Evil Dead II, The Evil Dead▶ 25:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Noah Hawley

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raymond Chandler

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep▶ 10:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (4)

Roger Deakins

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, No Country for Old Men▶ 33:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather Part II, Manhattan▶ 35:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Haskell Wexler

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Medium Cool, In the Heat of the Night, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?▶ 35:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William A. Fraker

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for WarGames▶ 35:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗