"The Nadir" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American anthology black comedy–crime drama television series Fargo. It is the 38th overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Noah Hawley, co-executive producer Enzo Mileti, and co-executive producer Scott Wilson, and directed by Sylvain White. It originally aired on FX on November 8, 2020.
The season is set in Kansas City, Missouri from November 1950 to early 1951, and follows two crime syndicates as they vie for control of the underground. One of these is Loy Cannon, the head of a crime syndicate made up of black migrants fleeing the Jim Crow South who have a contentious relationship with the Italian Kansas City mafia. In the episode, Deafy gets closer to finding Zelmare and Swanee, forcing Loy to reveal their location. Loy, meanwhile, works on his new plan as Gaetano returns with Josto.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.70 million household viewers and gained a 0.2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the directing and the train station shootout, although the pacing and incoherent narrative received criticism.
Plot
After having sex, Josto (Jason Schwartzman) tells Oraetta (Jessie Buckley) that despite his incoming marriage, he loves her, which unnerves her. She is also shocked when she is informed that Dr. Harvard (Stephen Spencer) survived the poisoned macaron. Realizing he will reveal she poisoned him, she returns to her apartment to pack her stuff. She discovers a journal in her closet, belonging to Ethelrida (E'myri Crutchfield), making her realize she sent the letter.
When Josto returns to his club, he is shocked to find an alive Gaetano (Salvatore Esposito), who knocks him unconscious. After he wakes up, he is surprised when Gaetano states he now respects him for having ordered Satchel's murder. Discovering that his plan backfired, Loy (Chris Rock) calls Mort Kellerman from Fargo for help. Loy is also visited by Deafy (Timothy Olyphant), who is aware that Loy sent Zelmare (Karen Aldridge) and Swanee (Kelsey Asbille) away from the city and demands to know their location. Loy initially resists out of obligation to his sense of honor, but Deafy mocks his code and ultimately intimidates Loy into revealing that the duo will be taking the 10pm train to Philadelphia. Deafy leaves, being told by Loy to never come back to the state, threatening violence otherwise.
As Deafy assembles a team to catch Zelmare and Swanee, Odis (Jack Huston) convinces him to let him accompany the team, claiming he wants to change his corrupt nature. However, Odis's OCD causes him to lock himself in the car before entering. At the train station, Zelmare and Swanee notice they are followed and start a gunfight with the police. Odis finally overcomes his OCD and enters the station, finding many dead cops and civilians. He finds Deafy, who has caught Zelmare and Swanee, who asks him to handcuff them. Odis instead kills Deafy, but then also kills Swanee. A devastated Zelmare then escapes the station.
Josto and Gaetano are spending time at their mother's house, when Mort Kellerman's men arrive and kill many of their henchmen. Gaetano hits back at the hitmen, managing to kill some of them and forcing them to retreat. However, they go back inside the house and discover that their mother Chianna (Janet Ulrich Brooks) died after being hit by the bullets.
Production
Development
In October 2020, it was reported that the eighth episode of the season would be titled "The Nadir", and was to be written by series creator Noah Hawley, co-executive producer Enzo Mileti and co-executive producer Scott Wilson, and directed by Sylvain White. This was Hawley's 31st writing credit, Mileti's third writing credit, Wilson's third writing credit, and White's first directing credit.
Reception
Viewers
In its original American broadcast, "The Nadir" was seen by an estimated 0.70 million household viewers and gained a 0.2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. This means that 0.2 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode. This was a slight increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 0.65 million viewers with a 0.1 in the 18-49 demographics.