Martin Freeman Looks Beat Up In Fargo First Look Photo

We learned last fall that Sherlock star Martin Freeman was set to star in FX’s planned Fargo series. The 10-episode limited series isn’t a remake or a sequel, or even a spinoff really. From everything we’ve heard about it, it sounds more inspired-by the 1996 crime film, centering on new characters and a new story, but set in snowy Minnesota and including a similar tone of dark humor. The above photo gives us our first look at Freeman’s character, and it looks like he’s been socked in the face. Or maybe he was in a car accident? Fell down the stairs? Ran into a door? Got hit in the face by a speeding rogue snowball? We can only speculate how he hurt his nose (and stained his work shirt). But it looks like he’s at the hospital, so perhaps he’ll get that taken care of soon enough.

The photo, as you may have surmised, comes to us from Yahoo and shows us Freeman’s character, Lester, chatting someone up at what appears to be a hospital waiting room. The description of the series mentions that Lester’s life is changed when he meets a mysterious stranger who comes to town. Perhaps the injured nose has something to do with that, if the guy he’s talking to isn’t said stranger.

Yahoo also shared this photo, which shows Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman), the local crime investigator in the town of Bemidji, Minnesota:

Looks like she's buckled down and working hard!

In the 1996 film, Frances McDormand played the local law, spending the bulk of the movie investigating a series of murders connected to the shenanigans of William H. Macy’s Jerry Lundegaard and the guys he hired. She also found time to meet up with an awkward old friend, eat for two (I'm thinkin' Arby's), and get some night crawlers to her husband. She was kind of a super-woman. A truly awesome female character, as she was strong but also really nice and no one saw her coming. I’m hoping the same will be the case for Molly Solverson.

FX is expected to debut Fargo this Spring. In addition to Freeman and Tolman, the cast includes Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Glenn Howerton, Kate Walsh Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt. The cast alone sounds reason enough to tune in. Factor in the Coen Brothers’ involvement as executive producers, with Noah Hawley (The Unusuals, Bones) set to write, and this limited series shows has real promise.

And now that we’ve seen the pictures, I really want to see a trailer.

No trailer yet? What the heck do ya mean?!