What’s On: Sibling Rivalry Comes to a Head in ‘Fargo,’ and a Two-Hour ‘SVU’ Finale

Matt Roush
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David Thewlis as V.M. Varga in Fargo
Chris Large/FX
David Thewlis as V.M. Varga.

Fargo (10/9c, FX): “Things of consequence rarely happen by accident,” observes the snaggle-toothed agent of mayhem known as Varga (the repellently entertaining David Thewlis), as the third season of Fargo reaches an apex of operatic proportions in the ongoing saga of unbrotherly spite between Emmmit and Ray Stussy (Ewan McGregor in a tour de force). No goodwill gesture goes unpunished in this franchise of heartland heartlessness, and as Nikki (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) goes into hiding after her brutal beatdown and Chief/Not Chief Gloria (Carrie Coon) begins to make connections regarding the sorry fate of the other Stussy in her life, the suspenseful screws just keep tightening.

The Handmaid’s Tale (streaming on Hulu): In a change of pace episode, though still intensely grim, we learn what happened to Offred/June’s (Elisabeth Moss) husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) in the wake of their violent separation. At the end of the previous episode, she learned Luke was still alive, and the details of his grueling journey from Gilead are harrowing indeed. What will happen should he learn his baby mommy is still out there, waiting for rescue?

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9/8, NBC): The last night of the traditional broadcast season gives us a variety of season finales to choose from, but none may be as topical as the two-part SVU that wraps the series’ 18th season. (At #410, this still has a way to go to tie the mothership’s 456 episodes.) The case involves a fatal hate crime against a Muslim family, and the uproar that ensues when Barba (Raul Esparza) is forced to release a suspect when a witness is deported. When public protests turn violent, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) takes matters into her own hands.

Inside Wednesday TV: Among the night’s other finales: CBS’s Survivor (8/7c) promises yet another shocking tribal council before a $1 million winner is crowned. … A battle royal brings the fifth season of The CW’s Arrow (8/7c) to a close, as Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) each assemble armies of unlikely allies for a final, fateful clash. … Demi Moore appears in the third-season finale of Fox’s Empire (9/8c) as Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) plots to disrupt Lucious’s (Terrence Howard) launch of Empire Las Vegas. … A public-service warning: If you think ABC’s three-hour remake of Dirty Dancing (8/7c) couldn’t possibly top the original, you’d be right. Baby, don’t go there.




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  1. C

    CyanCoathanger

    I was wondering if this was ever going to show up today. Fargo is the only show on my schedule tonight. I don't watch any of the others mentioned. He just had to get one last dig in about Dirty Dancing. It must be really, really bad.

    1. G

      GoldSubmarine

      I will probably catch L&O SUV- the topic seems intriguing. I don't watch it regularly but when I do, I find it informative. Usually based on true events.

      I was thinking about that Dirty Dancing mention, Matt really hates it. Curiosity might get the best of me . If I watch I'll let you know how terrible it was.

      1. C

        CyanCoathanger

        Haha...you make the same mistake I always do. It's SVU not SUV. I'll watch the show if it comes on in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, but I don't like it well enough to watch during prime time.

        I'm surprised you don't watch Arrow. I watched the first 2 seasons then missed the 3rd one and didn't want to try to jump back in during the 4th or 5th. Someday (maybe), I'll catch up with all of them.