Fargo is an American black comedy–crime drama anthology television series created and primarily written by Noah Hawley. The show is inspired by the eponymous 1996 film written and directed by the Coen brothers, who serve as executive producers on the series alongside Hawley. It premiered on April 15, 2014, on FX. The first season, set in 2006 and starring Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Colin Hanks, and Allison Tolman, was met with widespread critical acclaim. It won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries, along with Outstanding Directing, Writing, and Casting. Subsequent seasons have been set in 2010 (season 2) and 1970 (season 3). The fourth season, set in 1950, features Chris Rock as the lead and premiered on September 27, 2020. The show has received critical acclaim and has seen an increase in viewership in every season, drawing an average of two million viewers per episode in the fourth season.