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Airdate: Fargo

SBS nabs the small screen adaptation of Fargo, to air in Australia two weeks after the US.

FARGO - Pictured: Bob Odenkirk as Bill Oswalt. CR: Chris Large/FXGood to see SBS has picked up the rights to the small screen adaptation of Fargo, based on the feature film of the same name.

The new 10-part series retains Joel and Ethan Coen as Executive Producers, and the cast features Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk plus Oliver Platt, Kate Walsh, Glenn Howerton, and Adam Goldberg.

Together with Vikings, Masters of Sex, The Returned, Orphan Black, Rectify, The Escape Artist and Scandi-dramas, SBS has certainly been upping its arthouse dramas of late.

The FX series will premiere in the US in mid-April and air in Australia two weeks later.

“I’m very excited that SBS will be the home of the Fargo series in Australia”, SBS Director of Television Tony Iffland says.

“We’ve already cemented our reputation for bringing Australian audiences the best in high quality, bold international drama series with programs like Borgen and The Killing. A thrilling 10-part series, Fargo is the next step in building our reputation for offering the world’s best scripted English language dramas, following on from success stories such as Vikings and Masters of Sex.

“The legendary Coen brothers are synonymous with cutting edge drama, and they’ve produced a series full of their trademark black humour and unexpected plot twists”, Iffland says. “Driven by quirky dialogue and star performances from heavyweights including Thornton, Freeman and Odenkirk, we are immensely proud to bring the next big thing in US drama series to Australian screens.”

Fargo, adapted by novelist/writer Noah Hawley, follows an all-new “true” crime case with new characters, all entrenched in the trademark humour, murder and “Minnesota nice” that made the Academy Award-winning film an enduring classic.

Oscar winner Thornton stars as Lorne Malvo, a rootless, manipulative man who meets and forever changes the life of small town insurance salesman Lester Nygaard, played by BAFTA Award winner Martin Freeman.

Colin Hanks plays Duluth Police Deputy Gus Grimly, a single dad who must choose between his own personal safety and his duty as a policeman when he comes face-to-face with a killer. Allison Tolman stars as Molly Solverson, an ambitious Bemidji deputy and Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk plays the bungling deputy Bill Oswalt.

8.30pm, Thursday 1 May on SBS ONE.

4 Responses

  1. Huge fan of the Coen Brothers, loved Fargo – the movie and looking forward to this TV series. Agree with ‘Mac’ – ‘where’s Marge Gunderson’ – for me Frances McD carried the movie. But then again, not including her will make the TV series a separate entity. I’m sure it will be successful.

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