Did they also plan early on that it would be a regular thing for the top-billed cast to have to stretch themselves, Orphan Black style, playing altered versions of themselves? I count five of the first seven episodes in which at least one of the main actors has to play either an imposter, or his character is…

Yes, and they messed that up when the neighbor is talking to Malvo outside Gus's apartment building. The Coens are from MN and would have gotten that right; Hawley is from Greenwich Village so all his Minnesota color is stuff he's copying from the movie or otherwise has learned from a distance.

No, drowning's faster.

But does the tape conclusively prove he killed his wife, as opposed to his brother? I thought it was ambiguous, or could be held to be so in a "beyond reasonable doubt" sense.

Was that tape really a slam dunk to imprison him? Couldn't it have been squared with the story he told about his brother?

Why do you say Lester's not a smart dude? I thought he had repeatedly shown just the opposite.

Deal or No Deal wasn't just random, though. There were situations in which the banker offered a better deal than others (generally earlier offers were worse than later ones; situations with a great deal of variance also brought worse offers), so being able to quickly compute a mean in your head and compare with the…

They are certainly not being overly convincing in "de-aging" Tambor or his ex-wife. (I actually think she looks younger with silver hair—is that weird?)

It was truly amazing. I was hoping others were similarly appreciative, so it was very gratifying to see the similar sentiments expressed here.

Even at infinity to one odds, no one likes to mess with pennies.

Approaching Malvo at the table was kind of crazy, but could be explained away in the way you say. Continuing to pursue him to the elevator after Malvo warned him "just walk away" is a stretch.

I do think this was a flaw in an otherwise mostly excellent show. Along with Linda being a clever alibi-provider for one scene, then going back to being an oblivious dolt.

But then she went back to seeming clueless for the rest of the episode (that is, the rest of her life). That didn't really add up. I liked that she lied for him, but then after that she should have been shown as more savvy than she had previously seemed.

I thought his best chance was after he clocked Malvo with the award. He should have kept raining blows on him, again and again, like he did his wife but quicker and more furiously.

I would sacrifice myself for my kids, no hesitation. For anyone else? Not sure, which means probably not.

I did the same. Would be curious about the background of this: was he intent on using this song, couldn't get the Townsend rights, so stubbornly found a cover instead? It was so awful.

I have liked this show a lot more than you or other critics, but yes: that was an atrocious cover. And to think they chose that to close out the episode with the big celebratory montage. Way to leave a bad taste in my mouth about a season I actually otherwise really liked a lot.

That's true. I guess what I should say is that Hank and Ruby are likely to be on the sidelines, Sandy is likely totally done, and Sarah's scenes will be interacting with her blood relatives, not with Hank or Ruby.

Well said. A lot of people seem to want their TV characters to be either angels or devils. Real life has a lot of grey area, and that is what I love about this series is that no one on this show is perfect (or completely evil and unredeemable).

I don't see how you watched the episode all the way through and think this is the message they are sending.