Over the last decade or so, we’ve really seen television come into its own, thanks in large part to cable networks like HBO and Showtime. They’ve been cultivating dramas that can compete with feature films in terms of storytelling and production values, and now we’re starting to see various networks take advantage of that parity by turning popular movies into TV shows. The idea of bringing movie properties to TV is certainly nothing new, but suddenly we’re seeing these projects take on a lot more credibility, and movies that never would have been considered previously are suddenly being seen as fair game. Case in point: the Coen Brothers’ Fargo, nominated for Best Picture in 1996, is now potentially headed to FX. The question is, does anyone really want to see a Fargo TV show?

According to Variety, very early discussions are taking place between FX and MGM about the possibility of developing a Fargo series. After declaring bankruptcy in 2010, MGM has been looking to repackage their old library titles in any way they can, and with the success of Teen Wolf on MTV they are now pursuing more TV adaptations. From the sounds of it, the Coens would not be involved in the project.

My initial thought is that Fargo is a standalone movie that doesn’t need to be expanded into a continuing storyline, but after watching an episode of the Netflix original series Lilyhammer, I will admit that there is a certain appeal to crime stories in a snow-swept setting. The fact that it is being developed for FX as opposed to network TV is also somewhat promising, and I heard a lot of good things about their previous crime drama Terriers. What do you think, could Fargo work as a TV show or is this one movie you’d like to see left untouched?