Analysis The Narrow Escape Problem

billy bob thornton introduces peter , wolf, explaining character represented each instrument.

this episode draws on sergei prokofiev s musical tale peter , wolf. in episode, narrator, billy bob thornton, explains audience characters represented instruments, episode links each peter , wolf character equivalent fargo character: emmit stussy bird (flute), ray stussy duck (oboe), nikki swango cat (clarinet), sy feltz grandfather (bassoon), yuri gurka gunshots of hunters (kettledrums), v. m. varga wolf (french horns), , gloria burgle peter (strings); russo wove associated musical theme each character episode s original score.

vinnie mancuso of new york observer noted how, during last scene between emmit , varga, score features french horn, showing in situation, varga being wolf , predator. considered thornton s final line, “boys peter aren’t afraid of wolves , important of them. ben travers of indiewire stated in prokofiev’s fairy tale, peter (gloria) locked in backyard grandfather (sy), , wolf (varga) come. cat (nikki) escapes, duck (ray) eaten. peter uses bird (emmit) distract wolf , captures it. now, find doubtful how season 3 plays out . stated “ boys peter aren’t afraid of wolves, billy bob thornton says in final voiceover. missing subtext? maybe should be.

brian tallerico of vulture commented, wolves of fargo season? narrow escape problem comprised of scenes of predator , prey sitting across each other, 1 person in position of power , other trying wriggle way out: ray , gloria, ray , bosses, sy , winnie, gloria , new chief, ray , boss, , emmit , v.m. in each of scenes, there’s sense of hunt, character pressuring another, , thrill of narrow escape .

scott tobias of new york times criticized choices of nikki cat , sy grandfather, stating: grandfather, @ least in episode, more aptly represented chief moe dammick, warns peter/gloria dangers of overcomplicating case that’s more explained drug addict killing next fix. when billy bob thornton’s narrator nods prokofiev toward end — peter paid no attention grandfather’s words. boys peter aren’t afraid of wolves. — gloria acting in defiance of dammick, not sy. , cat, peter’s companion in story, stranger gloria , hostile interests . zack handlen of a.v. club noted fact emmit , identical, less successful brother ray respectively bird , duck joke.

other

in episode, ray, impersonates brother emmit , withdraws $10,000 brother s account, estimated value of dead father s rare stamp, ray believes emmit owes him. scott tobias of new york times noted ray taking $10,000 brother s account made him sympathetic, adding believes brother owes him stamp, he’s not interested in taking more it’s worth. noel murray of rolling stone stated in car, when nikki complains didn t take more money, ray shrugs off: see, s criminal mentality. though stole 10 grand, s no crook.

murray called v. m. varga perfect villain our times , calling him, agent of kleptocrats – ties vladimir putin , innate understanding of how fake news , shameless bullying works – year s adversary practically living embodiment of terrifying s happening in world circa 2017. speaks language of our more authoritarian leaders, arguing live in age of refugee, , best can lay low , take care of ourselves, before inevitable revolution comes.

in episode, yuri gurka explains 3 meanings of truth in russian language: “pravda,” (man’s truth), “istina,” (god’s truth), , ”nepravda”, (what leader decides true). mancuso of new york observer defined fargo purest combination of 3 of concepts @ same time .