This was a great episode all the way until the end. I loved this season bc Raylan seemed to have matured. He explained to Norbert earlier in the season that he wanted to get Clement the right way, not just kill him or set him up to die. It was almost exactly the same lines Art would tell him so often in the original Justified. But now after all the corruption Raylan has seen, he realizes the only way to get it done is to go back to his roots and force Clement to pull, and just shoot the man himself. And we FINALLY get there, it's Raylan vs. Clement, exactly what we want, exactly like Tommy Bucks from the 1st ever episode of Justified. It would have been so poetic to have Raylan just finish it right there. Everything was perfectly set up, it's a call back to the first ever episode, PERFECT. Episode 8 could then have been Raylan dealing with the ramifications of shooting Clement, as he has so many times in the past (and a perfect opportunity to bring in a cameo of ADA David Vasquez!). And Raylan going after all the dirty cops in the judges book. But they don't do that.. they ruin it by having the Albanians come in. Like Raylan wouldn't have backup, and like he would so easily willingly give up the gun and get in the car with them. I think the season has been really good and I have faith they will wrap it up the right way, but it just seems like they really missed a great opportunity to give the fans the Justified everyone knows and loves, Raylan one on one, first to pull, shootout to the death. Maybe we will still get it, fingers crossed! And still hoping for any cameo at all from one of the classic Justified characters, Tim, Rachel, Art, Boyd, Wynn Duffy... cmon give us something at least!
Review of The Smoking Gun
