Emmys flashback: How did the first four seasons of ‘Fargo’ fare?
“Fargo” is set to make a big splash at the Emmys for season 5, with Jon Hamm, Juno Temple and Jennifer Jason Leigh all delivering career-high performances. This FX anthology series has shone bright at Emmys past. Let’s take a look back at the show’s history at these top TV kudos. We’re including the Creative Arts Emmy bids here, too, so get ready for a hell of a read. Here goes.
Season One (2014) — Three wins, 18 nominations
Wins:
- Best Limited Series
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Directing — Colin Bucksey (“Buridan’s Ass”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Casting
Nominations:
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor — BillyBobThornton
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor — Martin Freeman
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor — Colin Hanks
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress — Allison Tolman
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Directing — Adam Bernstein (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing — Noah Hawley (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography — (“Buridan’s Ass”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography — (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“Buridan’s Ass”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“The Rooster Prince”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Music Composition — (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Editing — (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Mixing — (“The Crocodile’s Dilemma”)
Season Two (2016) — Two wins, 18 nominations
Wins:
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography — (“Waiting for Dutch”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Editing — (“The Castle”)
Nominations:
- Best Limited Series
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress — Kirsten Dunst
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor — Jesse Plemons
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor — Bokeem Woodbine
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress — Jean Smart
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Directing — Noah Hawley (“Before the Law”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing — Bob DeLaurentis (“Loplop”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing — Noah Hawley (“Palindrome”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Casting
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“Waiting for Dutch”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“Did you do this? No, you did it!”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Music Composition — (“Loplop”)
- Best Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More) — (“Waiting for Dutch”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Hairstyling
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Mixing — (“The Gift of the Magi”)
Season Three (2017) — One win, 17 nominations
Wins:
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Music Composition — (“Aporia”)
Nominations:
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor — Ewan McGregor
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress — Carrie Coon
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor — David Thewlis
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Directing — Noah Hawley (“The Law of Vacant Places”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Writing — Noah Hawley (“The Law of Vacant Places”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Casting
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography — (“The Law of Vacant Places”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“Aporia”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“The Law of Vacant Places”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Single-Camera Picture Editing — (“The Narrow Escape Problem”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Music Composition — (“Aporia”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Hairstyling
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Editing — (“Who Rules the Land of Denial?”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Mixing — (“Who Rules the Land of Denial?”)
Season Four (2021) — Zero wins, three nominations
Nominations:
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography — (“East/West”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Music Composition — (“East/West”)
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series Sound Editing — (“East/West”)
So, there you have it. “Fargo” had three seasons of bountiful bids before season four dropped off and managed only three Creative Arts Emmy nominations.
The most nominated seasons were one and two, which each secured 18 bids while the series with the most wins was season one, which snagged three trophies.
The most nominated episode across the series’ entire run was the show’s first-ever, “The Crocodile’s Dilemma,” which racked up a lucky seven nominations. Season three’s premiere, “The Law of Vacant Places,” snagged four nominations while “Buridan’s Ass” (season one, episode six), “Waiting for Dutch” (season two, episode one), “Aporia” (season three, episode nine), and “East/West” (season four, episode nine) were each nominated three times.
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