--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well…" description: "\"When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a terrible idea. Four people will watch it, and they'll hate-watch.' But that allowed me to just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg" --- # When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a… ![“When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a terrible idea. Four people will watch it, and they'll hate-watch.' But that allowed me to just go for it and take the risks.” quote by Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg) > “When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a terrible idea. Four people will watch it, and they'll hate-watch.' But that allowed me to just go for it and take the risks.” [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embraces risky, seemingly bad ideas as opportunities for creative breakthroughs. **In simple terms:** Risky ideas can succeed. Key Takeaway Take bold risks. Themes creativity risk innovation Mood optimistic adventurous Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - pitch meetings - creative brainstorming - startup ventures - art projects Key Concepts entrepreneurship film production Questions to Reflect On - What risky idea have you pursued? - How did you handle doubt? A Different Perspective Risk may lead to failure or criticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fargo/) [Fargo Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fargo-thought-4911743/) [Go for it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go-for-it/) [Hate Watch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-watch-1432918/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) [Terrible Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-idea-291681/) [Took Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-fargo-4911744/) [Watch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [50 told me go head and switch the style up and if they hate, let 'em hate, watch the money pile up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/50-told-me-go-head-and-switch-the-style-up-and-if-they-hate-let-em/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [50 told me go head switch the style up, and if they hate then let em hate, and watch the money pile up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/50-told-me-go-head-switch-the-style-up-and-if-they-hate-then-let-em/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [I hate to watch people suffer. That's why I just shot the guy in the head after I ran him over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-hate-to-watch-people-suffer-that-s-why-i-just-shot-the-guy-in-the/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I don't get to like-watch anything, much less hate-watch. I don't have time for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harrison/i-don-t-get-to-like-watch-anything-much-less-hate-watch-i-don-t-have/) [Chris Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harrison/) > [Sometimes, I hate-watch television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-v-gordon/sometimes-i-hate-watch-television/) [Emily V. Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-v-gordon/) > ['Fargo' is a tragedy with a happy ending. So you need to have that tragic underpinning, that all of this could be avoidable, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/fargo-is-a-tragedy-with-a-happy-ending-so-you-need-to-have-that/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [The first conversations I had for 'Legion' were right as the first year of 'Fargo' was ending. 'Daredevil' hadn't even begun then, so when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-first-conversations-i-had-for-legion-were-right-as-the-first-year/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > ['Fargo' becomes a metaphor for a type of true crime case where truth is stranger than fiction. So, there's no reason that there isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/fargo-becomes-a-metaphor-for-a-type-of-true-crime-case-where-truth-is/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I always feel like you can take a genre that has a familiar structure to it and then reinvent it as a character piece.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-always-feel-like-you-can-take-a-genre-that-has-a-familiar-structure/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Making 'Fargo' for FX has been the highlight of my career. A writer can search his or her whole career for a network partner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/making-fargo-for-fx-has-been-the-highlight-of-my-career-a-writer-can/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [The great thing about 'Fargo' is that it's a more objective style of filmmaking: the camera moves in very classical ways, and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-great-thing-about-fargo-is-that-it-s-a-more-objective-style-of/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [“I'm not going to tell you to trust me, because that's a terrible idea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/i-m-not-going-to-tell-you-to-trust-me-because-that-s-a-terrible-idea/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [I have always believed that giving children choice is a terrible idea. The more choice you give, the more they will run rings around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-have-always-believed-that-giving-children-choice-is-a-terrible-idea/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [If justin.tv can succeed, then nobody has an excuse. It was a terrible idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/if-justin-tv-can-succeed-then-nobody-has-an-excuse-it-was-a-terrible/) [Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/) > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## More by Noah Hawley > [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. You can't jump ahead and see what's coming, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-always-very-important-to-me-to-try-to-create-a-story-that-feels/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [A two-hour movie tends to be a plot-delivery device; you tend to have to introduce all the characters, say what the goal is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/a-two-hour-movie-tends-to-be-a-plot-delivery-device-you-tend-to-have/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [For some reason, I tend to take on the stuff that people are really passionate about. If you make a list of people you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/for-some-reason-i-tend-to-take-on-the-stuff-that-people-are-really/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [One of the things that I've always appreciated about the 'X-Men' style of storytelling versus other Marvel stories is how fluid the line between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-always-appreciated-about-the-x-men-style/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [One of the things I've always loved about genre, comic books, science fiction and fantasy is that there's a certain level of playfulness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-i-ve-always-loved-about-genre-comic-books-science/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [What's great is that each medium has a unique set of things that it does and does well. Film is a visual medium, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-great-is-that-each-medium-has-a-unique-set-of-things-that-it/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think that we're pattern-seeking animals, and what we like best is a story where everything fits together, where there's no puzzle pieces left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-that-we-re-pattern-seeking-animals-and-what-we-like-best-is-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Obviously, when you do something with drama and comedy in it - and by that, I mean a scene that has drama and comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/obviously-when-you-do-something-with-drama-and-comedy-in-it-and-by/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [The last thing you want is to be desperate in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-last-thing-you-want-is-to-be-desperate-in-hollywood/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I'm not that guy who thinks I have all the answers. Writing is a means of communicating, and if enough people say, 'I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-m-not-that-guy-who-thinks-i-have-all-the-answers-writing-is-a-means/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think a writer's first job is to entertain, even in novels: to tell a compelling story that pulls the reader along toward an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-a-writer-s-first-job-is-to-entertain-even-in-novels-to-tell-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think for really good-hearted people, that idea of putting yourself in the shoes of a monster to figure out why they acted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-for-really-good-hearted-people-that-idea-of-putting-yourself/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Making a new season for 'Legion' is not something you just switch into. It's not something you do between dropping the kids off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/making-a-new-season-for-legion-is-not-something-you-just-switch-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) [Explore all 124 Noah Hawley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## More Fargo quotes > [My senior year at NDSU I had started a business sweeping chimneys. The newspaper wrote a story about me as a chimney sweep and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/my-senior-year-at-ndsu-i-had-started-a-business-sweeping-chimneys-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [I learn from all our major competitors, whether they're in or out of the U.S. Wells Fargo is very actively, very aggressively, and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-learn-from-all-our-major-competitors-whether-they-re-in-or-out-of/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [If, when I leave this earth, I'm remembered for 'Fargo,' so be it. But I think old Marge Gunderson is gonna get a run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/if-when-i-leave-this-earth-i-m-remembered-for-fargo-so-be-it-but-i/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [My dad was good friends with the Bad Medicine Blues Band - one of the only blues bands in Fargo, as you can imagine!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lang/my-dad-was-good-friends-with-the-bad-medicine-blues-band-one-of-the/) [Jonny Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lang/) > [At least three times a week, I'm approached by someone who says something about 'Fargo.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/at-least-three-times-a-week-i-m-approached-by-someone-who-says/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [When Fargo came out, I hired a publicist for the first time in my life. I thought, if ever I was going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/when-fargo-came-out-i-hired-a-publicist-for-the-first-time-in-my-life/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Films like Fargo are why I love the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/films-like-fargo-are-why-i-love-the-movies/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ It's an individual morality in values that matters in these companies \[like Wells Fargo\]. I mean, they ought to clean house. And they ought… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/it-s-an-individual-morality-in-values-that-matters-in-these-companies/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [ There is no way they should walk out of that place \[Wells Fargo\] with millions, tens of millions, tens and tens of millions of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/there-is-no-way-they-should-walk-out-of-that-place-wells-fargo-with/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [My personal style icons are Diane Von Furstenberg and Linda Fargo. For strength and their own style, Christine Lagarde and Angela Merkel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maye-musk/my-personal-style-icons-are-diane-von-furstenberg-and-linda-fargo-for/) [Maye Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maye-musk/) > [There are no characters in the limited series Fargo that are derived from the characters in the film Fargo. It's hard to describe how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landgraf/there-are-no-characters-in-the-limited-series-fargo-that-are-derived/) [John Landgraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landgraf/) > [It was really fascinating for everyone involved in 'Fargo' that Marge Gunderson became the iconic character she did. I think it was something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/it-was-really-fascinating-for-everyone-involved-in-fargo-that-marge/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [The great thing about 'Fargo' is that it's a more objective style of filmmaking: the camera moves in very classical ways, and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-great-thing-about-fargo-is-that-it-s-a-more-objective-style-of/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I was involved with Wells Fargo Bank as a consultant in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when I suggested to them that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-scholes/i-was-involved-with-wells-fargo-bank-as-a-consultant-in-the-late/) [Myron Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-scholes/) > [I'm not a huge fan of romantic comedies - my taste goes much more to the offbeat and dark. I'd love to sink my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courteney-cox/i-m-not-a-huge-fan-of-romantic-comedies-my-taste-goes-much-more-to/) [Courteney Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courteney-cox/) [Browse all 56 Fargo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fargo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a terrible idea. Four people will watch it, and they'll hate-watch.' But that allowed me to just go for it and take the risks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Hawley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this-is-just-a-terrible-idea-four/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fargo" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this-is-just-a-terrible-idea-four/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/noah-hawley-3673_fargo_when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this_3024595.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I took on 'Fargo,' I thought, 'Well, this is just a terrible idea. Four people will watch it, and…” — Noah Hawley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noah Hawley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I took on 'Fargo,' I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this-is-just-a-terrible-idea-four/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/when-i-took-on-fargo-i-thought-well-this-is-just-a-terrible-idea-four/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```