How to Watch Fargo in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

Based on the Coen Brothers’ 1996 film of the same name, Fargo, the comedy-drama series proves that the original formula still works season after season. After Noah Hawley wrote the script for the spinoff series, the Coen Brothers were impressed and signed on to executive produce the show. The series and the film involved a star-studded cast and a crazy narrative that intertwines multiple storylines in a chaotic series of events.

Continuing the use of the “true story” disclaimer from the beginning of the original film, Hawley decided to overlay “This is a true story. The events depicted took place in [location] in [year]. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred” over the opening scene for each season. Throughout the series, there are also multiple “Easter Eggs” that make subtle references to the original film, as well as other Coen films.

Out of 226 award nominations, Fargo has taken home 51 awards (so far) in categories such as “Outstanding Miniseries,” “Best Casting,” and “Best Actor/Actress.” Even though the fourth season received the lowest Rotten Tomato score of 84%, the series was renewed for a fifth season in February 2022.

With each season taking place in different locations and during different time periods, the seasons of this anthology show can technically be watched in any order. However, there is some overlap between the plots of certain seasons and a handful of recurrent characters in more than one season. If you want to watch the current seasons chronologically before the new season (which will take place in 2019), this article will tell you how to do just that!

Fargo

Various chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.

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Fargo Seasons in Release Order

Here are the Fargo seasons in release order. It's the easiest way to start the series; however, you might miss some critical details as it jumps across different points in time.

Fargo Season 1 (2014)

Fargo Season 2 (2015)

Fargo Season 3 (2017)

Fargo Season 4 (2019)

Fargo Season 5 (TBA)

Season 4

This season takes place in Kansas City, Missouri, 1950, making it the first season to watch chronologically. Starring in this season is Chris Rock (Amsterdam), Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Jessie Buckley (Men), Ben Whishaw (Women Talking), Jack Huston (Mayfair Witches), Emyri Crutchfield (Tell Me Your Secrets) and Salvatore Esposito (Gomorrah).

In this season, a criminal organization led by Roy Cannon (Chris Rock) attempts to overthrow their rivals, the Fadda family, in an ongoing turf war in Kansas City. The Faddas are led by Josto (Jason Schwartzman), who agrees to a truce with Roy by trading the youngest sons of each family as a sign of goodwill to prevent further collateral damage. Things start smoothly, until the hot-headed Gaetano Fadda (Salvatore Esposito), Josto’s brother, returns and starts to instigate violence.

Things go awry even further when a slightly unhinged nurse, Oreatta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley), becomes involved with the Italian crime syndicate. This season also introduces three characters who make recurring appearances in Season 2. The first and most prominent is Mike Milligan, whose adult character is played by Bokeem Woodbine and by Rodney L. Jones III as a child. The other two characters are Joe Bulo, played by Brad Garett (and Evan Mulrooney as a child), and Gale Kitchen, played by Brad Mann (Legion).

Season 2

The second season of Fargo is set in 1979 and takes place in Fargo, North Dakota. The main cast for this season includes Patrick Wilson (Insidious), Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia), Jesse Plemons (Game Night), Jean Smart (Babylon), Ted Danson (The Good Place), and Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice).

When the Gerhardt crime family patriarch has a stroke, he places his two eldest sons, Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan) and Bear (Angus Sampson), in a power struggle to take his place as the organization's leader. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Outfit sends Mike Milligan (Bokeem Woodbine) to encroach on the Gerhardt family’s territory. The youngest Gerhardt brother, Rye (Kieran Culkin), shoots and kills three people in a diner before walking into the street and getting struck by Peggy Blumquist’s (Dunst) car. She panics and brings his body home, where she and her husband Ed (Plemons) stash it in their meat freezer.

Minnesota State Trooper Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) investigates the diner shooting with the help of his father-in-law, Hank Larsson (Ted Danson). Their findings lead them to suspect Rye Gerhardt but believe the Gerhardt family is harboring him. Floyd Gerhardt (Jean Smart) is left running the organization as her sons create chaos and the Kansas City Outfit moves in. This season has three characters who appear in another season, Molly Solverson (Raven Stewart), Lou’s daughter, and an older Lou Solverson (played by Keith Carradine). The third character is “Mr. Wrench” (Corwin Gruter-Andrew), a deaf hit-man who is shown in a flashback of his childhood.

Season 1

Set in Bemidji, Minnesota, this season's events occur between 2006 and 2007. The main cast members include Billy Bob Thornton (Goliath), Martin Freeman (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Colin Hanks (The Offer), and Allison Tolman (Why Women Kill). Still, this season boasts a lot of famous names and faces as recurring characters and guest appearances. The season kicks off when sociopathic hitman Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) crashes his car as he’s passing through the small town of Bemidji. A mostly-naked man pops out of his trunk and flees through the deep snow into nearby trees, where he freezes to death and is discovered by the (adult) Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman) and her Chief, Bill Oswalt (Bob Odenkirk). As the two try to track Malvo down, Molly consults with her father (Keith Carradine), who is now retired and runs a small diner.

Meanwhile, Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) goes through the motions of his miserable life. His wife belittles him, his boss is rude and dismissive and he gets bullied on the street by former high school classmate Sam Hess (Kevin O’Grady). Malvo observes this and confronts Lester about standing up for himself, and soon Lester is swept up into Malvo’s violent and homicidal world. As the body count rises, Lester begins to panic as Molly Solverson begins to eye him as a suspect. Duluth police officer Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks) interacts with Malvo during a traffic stop where Malvo heavily implies that he will kill him if he doesn’t walk away. Not sure how to react to the event, Gus eventually teams up with Molly to try to end Malvo’s path of destruction. Mr. Wrench is introduced in this season as an adult, played by Russell Harvard (Causeway).

RELATED: Every Season of 'Fargo,' Ranked From Worst to Best

Season 3

The third season of Fargo takes place in three different Minnesota towns, St. Cloud, Eden Valley, and Eden Prairie, between 2010 and 2011. It’s the show's first season not to feature the titular Fargo. The main cast in Season 3 is Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Carrie Coon (Gone Girl), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane), Goran Bogdan (Father), and David Thewlis (Human Resources).

Season 3 of Fargo revolves around twin brothers Emmit and Raymon “Ray” Stussy, played by Ewan McGregor. Emmit is wealthy and happily married, while Ray struggles financially as a parole officer. Feeling like their father’s inheritance was not split equally, Ray devises a plan to steal a priceless collectible stamp collection. Their hired burglar goes to the wrong address (Eden Valley vs. Eden Prairie), resulting in the death of an elderly man with the same last name. His step-daughter, Gloria Burgle (Carrie Coon), is police chief of Eden Valley and begins to investigate his murder.

While this is happening, we learn that Ennis Stussy is not quite as financially secure as he appears after being contacted by V. M. Varga (David Thewlis), whom he borrowed a large amount of money from. Varga pressures Ennis into an uncomfortable partnership, with sinister plans of his own. Making his final appearance in the series, Mr. Wrench does have a brief encounter with Thornton's Malvo one last time.

Season 5

If you haven’t already guessed, the newest upcoming season of Fargo will be the last to watch in chronological order, as it is supposed to take place in 2019. Jon Hamm (Mad Men) will lead the season as Sheriff Roy Tillman and will be joined by Joe Keery (Stranger Things) playing his son Gator Tillman. Also in the main cast is Jennifer Jason Leigh (Hunters) as a character named Lorraine Lyon, as well as a character that appears will be either her daughter or younger sister, Dorothy “Dot” Lyon, played by Juno Temple (Ted Lasso).

Additionally joining the cast will be Lamorne Morris (New Girl), playing a character named Witt Farr, and David Foley (Young Sheldon) as a character named Danish Graves. Richa Moorjani (Never Have I Ever) and Lukas Graves (The White Lotus) will play characters, Indira and Lars Olmstead, respectively. The official plot has not yet been revealed but has been teased with the questions, “When is a kidnapping not a kidnapping, and what if your wife isn’t yours?”

The release date for Season 5 has yet to be released, but in the announcement tweet released by FX revealing the first looks at Jon Hamm in a cowboy hat, it was heavily implied that we could be looking at a release later this year. Stay tuned here for updates regarding trailers and official release dates!

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