‘Fargo’ season 2, episode 8 review: Kirsten Dunst brings out the crazy in Peggy Blumquist

After everything going sideways for Mike on “Fargo” season 2 he was pretty worried that his number was up, that is until Ed called him up and offered him Dodd Gerhardt. Will this be the trade that will save Ed and Peggy from a life of running? And how did Ed end up with Dodd anyway?

After Ed ran off from Hank and Lou he went back to his house to find Peggy in the basement talking to an imaginary person in her head with Dodd Gerhardt tied up. They put him in the car and drive off and as they have a conversation about what’s happening we see that these two are on completely different pages about what’s happening and neither are really listening to each other. They head up to an old cabin where Ed comes up with a plan to trade Dodd back to the Gerhardt’s for their freedom. While Ed is at the payphone trying to make the trade with the Gerhardt’s Peggy is left to her own devices and this includes stabbing Dodd every time he calls her a name and we see the extent of just how deep Peggy’s mental illness really is.

Ed comes home from the phone call and tells her that he left a message with some Gerhardt flunky, but didn’t seem to get anywhere with trading him back. Ed goes back to try the Gerhardt’s again and while he’s gone, Peggy calls Connie at the seminar, but Hanzee is with Connie forcing her to get Peggy’s whereabouts. Peggy gives some general information, but is it enough for him to find Peggy and Ed?

The next day Ed leaves the cabin to try and call the Gerhardt’s one more time and while Peggy is watching a movie, Dodd unties himself. Ed still can’t get anyone on the Gerhardt side to take him seriously so he calls Mike Milligan to trade Dodd to the other side. Mike is happy to take Dodd off his hands for protection from the Gerhardt family. He returns to the cabin to find Dodd and Peggy missing, but as he steps further into the room, Dodd puts a noose around his neck and hangs him and then he can see Peggy lying on the floor. She is able to knock Dodd out and save Ed from dying, but after getting a lead on their whereabouts, Hanzee is outside their door. He comes into the cabin and asks Peggy for a hair cut after shooting Dodd dead (clearly he’s taken enough from Dodd over the years), but before she has a chance to do anything, Hank and Lou show up. Hanzee takes off and Peggy and Ed are left to face the police.

We really haven’t said it enough, but Kirsten Dunst’s performance as Peggy this season is outstanding and we could easily see her sweeping the supporting actress category during the next awards season. She plays this crazy, clueless beauty to perfection and gives us a different insight into living inside yourself. Episode grade: A

What did you think of this week’s episode of “Fargo” season 2? Leave us a comment below and tell us your thoughts on the season so far. (Photo: FX)