Justified - New series on FX

Jcomp · Feb 17, 2010

So... I can't be the only person eagerly looking forward to this.

I'm not a huge TV watcher and even the shows I like I frequently forget to watch, but I will not be missing this. It looks incredible. I like the cast, it's based on an Elmore Leonard character, FX has been on roll with their original series... I have complete faith in this being awesome...

heyjude · Mar 15, 2010

Oh, yes. I came here to post about this and found your thread. Starts tomorrow.

From the Pgh. Post Gazette:

On paper, FX's "Justified" might seem a little ho-hum: Soft-spoken but deadly U.S. marshal with baggage -- most recently a "justified" shooting of a murderer in Miami -- returns to work in his eastern Kentucky hometown.

But on screen the show has a soaked-in mood, courtesy of pilot director Michael Dinner, and terrific performances that mark "Justified" as the best new series premiere so far in 2010.

Also, Graham Yost of Boomtown fame? Awesome. (Although I am still and will be till the day I die bitter about Boomtown's early demise.)

cscarlet · Mar 15, 2010

Hubby and I are quite excited... It'll be cool to see "Shane" (from the Shield) be a hard-core bad guy.

FX has turned out to be one of my favorite networks in recent years.

rhondawrites · Mar 15, 2010

I'm looking forward to this one. Timothy Olyphant was great in Deadwood. This looks like a perfect role for him.

justme · Mar 25, 2010

This is my new favorite show.

ToddWBush · Apr 2, 2010

Has anyone else been watching this? Three episodes in and it's a fun, well-written, and pretty well-acted show. I'm liking the fact that the badass is back on TV (with Jack Bauer basically being neutered the last three years and Vic Mackey going away, it was a wasteland of too many feminine men).

Smileycat · Apr 3, 2010

Jcomp said:
So... I can't be the only person eagerly looking forward to this.

I'm not a huge TV watcher and even the shows I like I frequently forget to watch, but I will not be missing this. It looks incredible. I like the cast, it's based on an Elmore Leonard character, FX has been on roll with their original series... I have complete faith in this being awesome...

I really think Тимоти Олифант (Timothy Olyphant, in Russian, I think) is a terrific actor, who needs the right vehicle to turn him into a Hollywood star. I actually haven't had a chance to see this yet, but I will.

P.S. Got the Russian from the link you posted.

small axe · Apr 3, 2010

The scene where he's confronting the African American legbreaker / gardener ... and he's warning him all the things that can go wrong when someone tries to pull iron like an old west gunslinger? Scary and funny and so character-rich it's beautiful.

SPOILER ALERT: How often do you get totally surprised by someone being shot on TV ... and have it really hurt you? I loved that character ... and he got shot!

Yeah, "JUSTIFIED" is going to be a fav of mine too. I hope "Shane" remains a major character too. I didn't really buy his hospital conversion.

rugcat · Feb 11, 2011

I missed season one, just watched the first episode of season two.

A great show. Reminds me of The Shield (not surprisingly), mostly because it has that same riveting feeling, and just fantastic characters. And Tim Oliphant is stellar. Much of the dialogue is weirdly formal, in that rural Southern way -- echoes Deadwood, to my ear, but maybe that's due to Oliphant and the Deadwood connection.

It mines the rural hill country in a way that True Blood tries to capture the South, but doesn't really pull off.

I'd guess it might be too violent for some, but what a fantastic show.

rukkus · Feb 12, 2011

rugcat, you should definately check out season one. Justified is probably the best show on at the moment... lots of southern subtext, top notch characters and entertaining as Hell.

Providing it can stay away from the mellodrama (unlike True Blood), season 2 will be stellar.

Bmwhtly · Feb 12, 2011

I didn't see this (It was shown past my bedtime over here) but given the reviews here and the praise from the Sunday Times, I think I'll add it to my wishlist.

Smileycat · Feb 13, 2011

I really admire Timothy Olyphant's ability to really change himself (even his face), depending on the part he's playing. I'll try to catch it, but I missed the first ep.

heyjude · Mar 31, 2011

Wow. We just finished watching the first season last night. This show is incredible. The writing, the acting, just amazing. Nobody does a better existential crisis than Boyd. And there's nobody I'd rather watch doing anything than Raylan Givens.

Oh, I'm sorry, was I drooling?

Jcomp · Mar 31, 2011

This season has been absolutely stellar. Last night's episode was magnificent. As good as the first season turned out to be, this show has really found its legs this year. Fantastic television.

Chicago Expat · Mar 31, 2011

This season has been kind've unfocused, but it does seem to have found its legs the last couple weeks.

I still don't think it gets a grade better than B+, on the other hand, I do look forward to the next episode.

I get the sense that the writers aren't sure if they want Justified to be a High Noon story, a southern-fried Shield, or a Jim Thompson novel.

EDIT: Re-reading this, my post reads more negative than I feel about the show.

Jcomp · Mar 31, 2011

Chicago Expat said:
I get the sense that the writers aren't sure if they want Justified to be a High Noon story, a southern-fried Shield, or a Jim Thompson novel.

I see what you mean, but Ithink they're doing a realy good job of balancing it all, considering they're trying to sort of overextending themselves. It's cowboy country-noir, classic Western, partially serialized and partially episodic. That's one hell of a juggling act. The show probably could have benefited from a bit more focus, but I think it settled into a good structure now.

Chicago Expat · Mar 31, 2011

I do get a sense of a structured story arc rising up out of the ashes of the first half of this season. There's some real tension building up right now with the town vs mining company vs local thugs. A lot of the (alleged) tension from earlier episodes seemed a bit too manufactured (don't get me started on the stolen cash episode).

What the writers need to be cautious of is making everyone a quirky character, like a southern Twin Peaks. 'Cause lemme tell ya, speaking from experience, there ain't that much quirkiness in the entire state much less a tiny town like Harlan.

Jcomp · Jan 11, 2012

Season three is coming next week. Can't wait. Season two was fantastic.

BeatrixKiddo · Jan 23, 2013

I loooove this show. Timothy Oliphant is great and this show still seems to be under the radar. He is the coolest cop cowboy ever (and smoking hot).

He was also great in Deadwood.

tpolen · Jan 24, 2013

Absolutely amazing show - have watched it from the beginning. Had to DVR Tues night's episode - hubby out of town and will watch when he returns. Probably the only show we actually watch together!

Alpha Echo · Jan 28, 2013

I can't read all the posts because we only just finished season 2, but I have to say I have a major crush on Timothy Olyphant. Especially when he's wearing that hat.

It's the rugged cowboy look. He actually reminds me of my husband. Only with more hair and no beginning love-handles.

AND, he's totally incredible in this show. He's a great actor and plays the character really well, I think.

We're waiting for Season 3 to retail a little cheaper than it is right now, and then we'll buy it too.

heyjude · Apr 9, 2013

Anyone else watch through this last season? Absolutely the best-written show on TV (that I know of). The dialogue is fantastic. I aspire to be a tenth the writer...

Tasmin21 · Apr 10, 2013

Oh yeah, loved it!

Still not sure about the line that (I think) Raylan crossed there at the end. But then again, if my family was threatened, I'd do some pretty mean stuff too.

heyjude · Apr 11, 2013

Yeah, I figure that if anyone messes with Raylan's unborn baby, that person is asking to get killed.

Jcomp · Apr 11, 2013

(over-analysis coming in 3, 2, 1...)

I think that Raylan's actions in this season's finale make for an interesting tie-in to the opening scene of the series. Raylan had less at stake personally when he threatened Tommy Bucks, and the thing is, there's no indication that he wouldn't have shot Tommy anyway, even if Tommy hadn't pulled first. And even in the last season, he legitimately plays Russian Roulette with Wynn Duffy and could have totally shot him, even though Duffy wasn't directly involved in the murder that had Raylan so pissed off.

I think the beauty of the series is that it doesn't portray all of this as wholly heroic, like he's Dirty Harry. He's partially responsible for some of the messes he has to fix, because he's constantly pushing the boundaries of what's legal or necessary to do his job. And he's questioned his anger issues and penchant for violence even in that first episode. This last season ended with him looking over the grave of the man who probably passed that violent streak down onto him. And now his baby's been introduced to violence even before birth.

And don't even get me started on Boyd's arc this season, I'll be here writing up analysis all day. Just a great season of teleivision overall. Even better than I expected it to be.

Justified - New series on FX

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