FYI, Fargo season 5 episode 8, “Blanket,” has references to and depictions of domestic violence.
"Blanket" opens with Danish (David Foley) filing name change documents on behalf of three men, all of whom are changing their names to the same thing. The clerk (Shawna Burnett) finds it odd but approves all the changes.
Cut to the hospital in Stark County where Roy (Jon Hamm) found Dot (Juno Temple). He is checking her out of the hospital against her will. Dot tries to get the nurse at the desk (Shelley Kinaschuk) to help her, but Roy threatens to send the nurse's brother back to prison if she does.
Witt Farr (Lamorne Morris) comes in, bringing an injured man. He sees Dot and asks if she needs help. She tells him she's fine, but with her eyes she signals she needs help. Witt sizes up the situation quickly and tries his best to get Dot to leave with him. Gator (Joe Keery) and Roy's men come in, creating a tense standoff. Dot tells Roy if anyone hurts Witt she won't go with him, so Gator backs off. Roy takes Dot and leaves. Witt calls Indira (Richa Moorjani) and lets her know Roy has Dot.
The shed
Roy puts Dot in a shed on the ranch property, chaining her to the floor. Roy tells her she broke her vow to him and God. Dot retorts Roy broke her fingers, her collarbone and ribs, that she suffered at his hands and tells him to let her go.
When getting mad doesn't work, Dot talks about being Scotty's mother and tries to appeal to Roy's humanity to get him to let her go. But Roy doesn't care and her threats to kill him don't scare Roy either.
Karen (Rebecca Liddiard) brings in a bucket and a jug of water, while Bowman (Conrad Coates) brings in a folding cot. Karen reminds Roy they have to leave for the sheriff's debate.
After they leave Dot manages to unscrew part of the cot and use a piece of metal from the cot to saw through the leather cuffs around her ankles.
The debate
Roy swaggers into the debate hall but is surprised to see three strangers on the stage. The debate moderator, Andrea Cordell (Chelsey Reist), announces the three are additional candidates for sheriff.
Their names are Roy Andrew Tillman (Julian C. Wilkins), Roy Chester Tillman (Jeff Irving) and Roy Floyd Tillman (Guy Christie). They're the three men Danish represented in the opening, debtors of Lorraine's who changed their names legally to Roy Tillman.
Roy, confused and angry, refuses to answer any questions until someone explains what's going on. He doesn't like looking like a fool in front of the packed debate hall.
He gets even angrier when the three Tillmans start mimicking his gestures and repeating everything he says. The crowd laughs. Roy knocks over his podium and storms off the stage, so the three Tillmans knock their podiums over and storm off the stage too.
Danish, in the audience, smiles as chaos erupts. As Roy starts to walk to the door a photographer wants to get a photo of him with the three Tillmans. Roy pushes him. Someone comes up behind Roy, so he wheels around and punches the person. It's Andrea Cordell. Roy has just knocked a woman out in front of all the press at the debate.
Key choices
In the shed, Dot manages to get one leg free, but she hears someone coming so she sits on the cot and hides her unchained leg under the blanket. It's Gator. Dot appeals to him for help but he storms out and gets in his squad car. As he pulls out of the ranch Ole Munch (Sam Spruell) raises his head from the backseat of the squad car.
Danish is at a gas station telling Lorraine (Jennifer Jason Leigh) about the debate when Witt pulls up. He went to the Tillman Ranch to try and get Dot, but they wouldn't let him on the property. When Farr sees Danish, he tells Danish that Roy has Dot. Danish goes to the ranch to try and rescue Dot.
Arriving home after the debate, Karen tries to convince Roy Dot is a curse. Without a word Roy gets out of the car and walks to the shed. He brutally attacks Dot, knocking her out. When she comes to, she manages to wrap the chain around Roy's neck. They fight. Roy rips the chain out of the floor and tries to kill Dot. Bowman comes in to tell Roy Danish is at the gate. As Roy recuffs Dot to the cot, she tells him she'll get away like Linda did, but Roy says he'll bury her next to Linda.
Dot sees Danish going into the house through the window of the shed and tries to yell for him, but he can't hear her. Danish tells Roy he can fix the damage from the debate and give Roy the election if Roy gives Dot back. Roy responds by shooting and killing Danish. From her window Dot sees a truck backing up to the windmill and sees Roy's men throw Danish's body into the grave. For the first time, she breaks down and shakes in fear.
Meanwhile, back in Minnesota, Indira, catches Lars (Lukas Gage) cheating on her. She goes to Lorraine and takes the job offer. The first thing she does is tell Lorraine that Roy has Dot. Lorraine starts to plan.
Fargo season 5 airs new episodes on Tuesdays on FX. They are available to stream on-demand on Hulu in the US the next day. The season streams on Prime Video in the UK, with new episodes each Wednesday.
