The end justifies the means — January 19, 2015

The end justifies the means

justified_2Here’s the good news – the season premiere of “Justified” airs tomorrow night at ten o’clock on FX. Now for the bad news – it’s the show’s last season.

For those of you unfamiliar with “Justified,” it’s set in eastern Kentucky’s very own Harlan County and concerns Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, his itchy trigger finger and his nemesis/man crush, Boyd Crowder. As last season ended, Raylan had arranged for Boyd’s fiancé (and Raylan’s ex), Ava, to receive a not-so-free get out of jail card in exchange for her agreeing to inform against Boyd.

This turn of events sets up what promises to be a final showdown between the lawman Raylan and the outlaw Boyd.

Just so everyone knows where I stand, if I had to choose for only one of the men to leave Harlan alive, it would be Boyd. Yes, I’m picking the heroin-dealing, prostitute-running dude who ordered hits on sweet little Ellen May and a sick old man who wanted nothing more than to pass his lonely, last days in a nursing home.

But what can I say? Raylan might be better looking and more law abiding than Boyd, but he’s also more sanctimonious and boring than Boyd. Indeed, Boyd possesses a level of self-awareness that’s usually only attained by meditating monks and he’s got a way with words that would make Shakespeare jealous. As Boyd would tell you himself, he might be many things, but inarticulate ain’t one of them.

Sam Elliott joins the cast this season and I’m not sure there’s enough room in Harlan for Body’s wild shock of hair, Wynn Duff’s eyebrows and Elliott’s moustache, and I’m anxious to see how the three characters interact with one another.

I’m also anxious for appearances by my two favorite recurring characters – Dickie Bennett and Dewey Crowe. I’m not sure if Dickie will show up, but I spotted Dewey in a trailer for the show and that makes me happier than Wynn Duffy at a women’s tennis match.

I need to find happiness where I can, because there’s a chance that neither Raylan nor Boyd will survive the season. In spite of my disappointment in the self-righteous Raylan, I want him to defeat his demons and ride into the Florida sunset with Winona and their baby.

Most of all, I want Ava to double cross Raylan and the feds and start a new life with Boyd somewhere where he’ll finally get that Dairy Queen franchise he’s always desired.

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Season three of ‘Justified’ starts with a bang — January 23, 2012

Season three of ‘Justified’ starts with a bang

Ever since Mags Bennett drank poisoned apple pie moonshine during the second season finale of “Justified,” we fans have been twitching worse than our Stetson-wearing hero’s trigger finger. We’ve wondered if the show could sustain the creative high it achieved last season, if the new villains could fill Mags’ sensible shoes, and if Raylan and Boyd would continue their bromance.

We can relax. If the third season premiere was any indication, the greatest TV show ever set in eastern Kentucky has not diminished in quality, the new villains hold promise, and Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) and Boyd (Walton Goggins) are still engaging in foreplay, I mean fistfights. Continue reading

Emmys ‘justified’ in nominating show’s actors — July 17, 2011