Can Fargo seasons be watched out of order?

If you’re a fan of that sweet spot where dark comedy meets crime drama, Fargo is your golden ticket. Masterfully weaving the suspense of crime drama with gallows humor against the chilly backdrop of the Midwest, Fargo has emerged as a genre-defying masterpiece nobody should leave out of their watchlist.

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For the unversed, Fargo is basically like a Coen Brothers film exploded into a series (like, literally). The show is inspired by the Coen brothers 1996 film of the same name, though created and primarily written by Noah Hawley. Even though diving head first into the five-season series feels like a rollercoaster of “What the heck just happened?” moments, every episode of the series is a riveting exploration of morality and mayhem, but it also leaves you scratching your head (in the best way possible).

The series first premiered on April 15, 2014, on FX and follows a 10-episode schedule for each season, with the exception of the fourth, which included eleven. The fifth and latest season of Fargo premiered on Nov. 21, 2023, and is set to conclude on Jan 16, 2024. But if you’re new to this North Dakotan gem, you must be wondering whether the narrative unfolds chronologically each season or if you can enjoy this masterpiece in your own desired order. Let’s find out!

Can you watch Fargo in any order?

The simple answer to the question lies in the generic format that the show follows. Fargo adopts an anthology structure, with each of its seasons set in a different time period and location, though within the same fictional universe. Each season also unfolds a unique narrative featuring predominantly new characters and cast. Since there is no chronological continuity between the Fargo seasons, you are free to watch them in any order you choose.

However, there are occasional hints of a small storyline overlap throughout the seasons even if they are set in vastly different eras. Every season also features multiple allusions to the Coen brothers’ films, which have a significant effect on it. There are some minor links between the seasons and connections between some characters, though not necessary to understand the story. But if you wish to watch the show in the order of time, here is how you can draw a definitive timeline.

Fargo seasons in chronological order

Here’s the best order to watch Fargo, according to the time it takes place:

Season 4: Set in Kansas City, Missouri from 1950 to 1951, following the story of the conflict between the Cannon Limited and the Fadda Family to become the ruling crime organization. It stars Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, Jason Schwartzman, Ben Whishaw, and Jack Huston, and premiered on Sept. 27, 2020. It is essentially a prequel to the whole series thus far.

Season 2: Set in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in March 1979, following the story of a couple who come into the radar of the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, North Dakota after their hit-and-run and vehicular homicide of Rye Gerhardt, the son of Gerhardt family’s matriarch. It stars Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, and Ted Danson, and premiered on Oct. 12, 2015.

Season 1: Set primarily in Minnesota and North Dakota and taking place from Jan. 2006 to Feb. 2007, the first season follows the story of a quirky insurance salesman, Lester Nygaard, spiraling into a web of crime after a chance encounter with the enigmatic hitman Lorne Malvo. It stars Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, and Martin Freeman, and premiered on April 15, 2014.

Season 3: Set primarily in Minnesota and taking place from 2010 to 2011, it follows the theft of a priceless vintage stamp from Ray Stussy’s more prosperous older brother by a St. Cloud probation officer, and his parolee lover, Nikki Swango. But their schemes backfire, and they become embroiled in fatalities. It stars Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Goran Bogdan, and David Thewlis, and premiered on April 19, 2017.

Season 5: The latest season, set in North Dakota and Minnesota in 2019, season 5 tells the story of the kidnapping and escape of Dorothy “Dot” Lyon, a Scandia housewife who, upon coming home, denied being abducted. The outcome is a sensational scenario and a web of confusion between her, her husband, the kidnapper, and the man who hired him, who is also the Sheriff of Stark County and Dot’s first husband. It stars Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Joe Keery, Lamorne Morris, Richa Moorjani, and Dave Foley.

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