With a wryness that sometimes tops its film predecessor, FX’s Fargo blends extreme violence with small town absurdities, which gives the casting directors the widest net imaginable in finding the perfect actors. Considering how well they did in Season 1, it’s no surprise that they’re trying to secure one of the funniest dudes in the business for a role in Season 2. Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman has reportedly been given the offer for a role, while Burn Notice’s Jeffrey Donovan and Hollidaysburg actress Rachel Keller are each in negotiations for roles. I’m just too gee golly enthused for my own good.
Offerman isn’t going down the road to negotiations yet, sadly, according to TheWrap, but there’s a role for him in “Carl.” That’s actually the entirety of what was reported on the character, so at this point there’s no reason to assume he wouldn’t be great playing a Carl. We’ve seen him as the relative straight man opposite a plethora of oddballs in Pawnee for the past six seasons, so it’ll be nice to hopefully have him joining the beat of a different drum.
Jeffrey Donovan, who spent seven seasons busting up bad guys with supercool spy maneuvers on Burn Notice, has an equal amount of information applied to his character, who is simply named Dodd. He’s an enjoyable actor who will probably work in a role somewhat similar to Colin Hanks’ in Season 1. (I’m possibly one of the only people out there who loved him in Blair Witch 2.) He’ll soon be going crazyballs with Matthew Fox in the horror Welcome to Harmony.
Newcomer Rachel Keller will be joining the series as Simone, which is all we know. Her only role to date was in Anna Martemucci’s dramedy Hollidaysburg earlier this year. But her lack of experience is hardly an issue, seeing as how Alison Tolman became an instant star with her winning portrayal of Molly in Season 1.
Season 2 will involve a big deadly incident in 1979, when Molly is just a baby and her father Lou is still coping with his post-war stress. There aren’t a lot of details out there about it, but creator Noah Hawley has earned my confidence that he’ll tell an interesting story, and one that isn’t afraid to add some comedians to the madness. Expect to find it on your TV in 2015.
