Mr. Wrench and Mr. Numbers are two hitmen sent from Fargo to Bemidji looking for Sam Hess's killer. An associate named Max Gold points them to the strip club where he was killed and a dancer gives a description, and they abduct a man matching it. When they are later told he is not the one, they kill him by dropping him into an ice fishing hole.
Meanwhile, Bill Oswalt becomes the new police chief, and he and deputy Molly Solverson differ on suspects in Thurman's death. She believes Lester Nygaard is connected to the frozen man in the car accident and the killings of Sam Hess, Pearl Nygaard, and Thurman due to the fact that he was seen talking with Malvo about Hess. Bill believes that it was a drifter who killed Hess, Pearl, and Thurman during a home invasion. They interrogate Nygaard, who claims that he does not remember, and Bill, a childhood friend of his, refuses to believe that Lester is capable of something so despicable. Nevertheless, Solverson continues to investigate Nygaard in his personal life over the matter and is removed from the case as a result.
In Duluth, Malvo is hired to find out who is blackmailing Stavros Milos, the "Supermarket King" of Minnesota. Milos believes his soon-to-be ex-wife might be the culprit. Malvo notices traces of tanning spray on the blackmail note, leading him to believe that the ex-wife's current boyfriend Don Chumph is the culprit. News of the events in Bemidji reaches the Duluth Police Department, where Grimly realizes the car he stopped matches the one stolen there. Unsure of what to do, he converses with his daughter over a school assembly, where she says she would do anything to help, and Gus smiles and says he is proud of her.
Tropes:
- Asshole Victim: Lenny, the man that Wrench and Numbers dump into the lake. While getting killed just for being a perverted drunk who isn't afraid to threaten people with knives seems uncalled for, you bad behavior doesn't really make you miss him.
- Awful Wedded Life: Milos and his soon-to-be-ex are very bitter about each other.
- Badass Bookworm: Wrench firmly believes that every town should have a public library.
- Continuity Nod: Lester finds a mason jar of pee in Gordo's closet.
- Cut-and-Paste Note: Milos received a blackmail with a cut-out letter.
- The Ditz: Bill Oswalt, who sees no inconsistency in Lester avoiding questions due to his fuzzy memory despite recalling the brand of their favorite chewing gum when they were kids.
- Don't Explain the Joke. Kara-tea, get it? It's— it's tea.
- Establishing Character Moment: Wrench and Numbers appear to be a pair of intimidating hitmen. Then they start signing to each other. An interview with the writers confirms this was intended to make them seem unpredictable and secretive.
- Good Is Dumb: Bill is certainly well-meaning, but he can't seem to see anything wrong with his and Molly's very questionable interview with Lester.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Bill is pretty dumb and obstinate towards Molly, but she really is crossing the line into harassment by stalking Lester around town after he’s already made it clear that he doesn’t want to be questioned. His “drifter angle” also isn’t entirely wrong.
- Leitmotif: This is the first episode of the show to play Mr. Wrench and Mr. Numbers' theme. And it is glorious.
- Ms. Fanservice: Gus’s hot neighbor, who’s only scene in the series has her stripping to her lingerie when she catches him watching her.
- Professional Killer: Wrench and Numbers, the two hitmen from Fargo whose job it is to track down and kill the man who murdered Sam Hess.
- Troll: After Milos tells Malvo (under the fake name of Frank Peterson) that he believes his wife is the one blackmailing him, Malvo asks him to sign his biography for him.Milos: You, uh, want something personal?Malvo: Yeah, could you put "to Frank Peterson, thanks for nailing my blackmailer."Milos: (weird look)Malvo: I'm just kidding. Anything you want, you're the writer.
- Villainous Friendship: Max Gold states that despite Sam's status as a Jerkass, the two of them were friends and he deserves to be avenged.
