Forget 'Landman,' Billy Bob Thornton's Crime Thriller Masterpiece Has One of the Best Seasons in TV History

Billy Bob Thornton’s breakthrough as a TV force continues to be felt, and Fargo’s first season stands out as a career highlight. Created for FX by Noah Hawley with Joel and Ethan Coen as executive producers, the anthology crime series draws loosely from the Coens’ 1996 dark comedy thriller. In Season 1, Thornton plays Lorne Malvo, an erratic assassin who manipulates insurance salesman Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) in frigid Bemidji, Minnesota, sparking a violent murder spree and an investigation. The season earned a 97% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating and 18 Primetime Emmy nominations, winning three, including Outstanding Miniseries. Thornton also won a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Television Award for his role.