Reviews

Mag's we'll miss you, you nasty, manipulative, lying murderous psychopath!!!

The only good thing you can say about her is she did seem to genuinely care about Loretta. Then again, she's the one who made her an orphan, and virtually nothing could be taken at face value with Mags.

Margo Martindale did a lights-out job with this character. I'll be damned if I didn't see my own mother in her (not a lot, thank God! But some) and a lot of the tough women I grew up among in rural Iowa. None of them were crime bosses of course, but they too had pride in where they came from - even if most people would laugh at them (behind their backs) for any "pride" in a small, poor isolated hometown.

People who wanted to leave their kids a little better off than they had it.

People who valued the truth in their dealings with others, especially family.

Margo Martindale, through Mags, put this forth as well as anyone, even if it wasn't her most important characteristic. She seems to "get" those of us who grew up poor (but surely not needy due to the good and decent parents who ensured that) in isolated areas that most people wouldn't want to stop even for gas.

For this, if nothing else, I felt a real connection to her character. Of course, there was much "else" to the Mags character - pretty much all of it vile. But she was real.

A great ending for a season, and a fitting ending for the Bennett family.

How do you have an extraordinary episode that leaves you feeling utterly unsatisfied? "Reckoning" will leave you there until you remember "life ain't always fair." and any semi-realistic depiction of real life won't always leave you feeling happy, sated or satisfied.

Hellen's murder gets 'solved' in that everybody knows what happened (and almost as important, why it happened), and then is unsolved in the legal arena as more lies are told and the mastermind (to use that term in its broadest usage to include an idiot with little mind and even less mastery) weasels his way out of it - legally. But he will still have to reckon with Raylan, and almost as dangerous Arlo.

It doesn't end in so much as a cliffhanger as masterful bit of storytelling that leaves a lot of loose ends to be tugged on in the 3rd season.

The character of Hellen Givens will be missed... by fans and by the characters in the show. A small role played to the hilt and made bigger and better than anyone could have expected!

Almost, maybe, kinda sorta for a few seconds?

Get to the end of this stellar episode and find out! If nothing else, you can empathize with her wish to have a human child.... A slow burning episode builds to an inevitable end, and we learn that lesson, once more, that it is the trip and not the destination.

Young Loretta finds out what those around her have known, and it is a most dangerous, and painful bit of information.

A mesmerizing performance by Margo Martindale (Mags Bennett) in this and the previous episode as she hit the heights of her power and influence and falls faster than Icarus when the wax of his wings melted.

A great episode - so good that it could be a season finale - that checks almost all the boxes for a great Justified show: great writing, sympathetic glimpses of the most awful characters and a laugh or two to keep it from becoming as "heavy" as some other quality shows (looking at you "The Wire"!). If you're a fan, you'll love this one!!!

Back to Harlan, and the pot is getting near the boiling point.

Raylan and Boyd are sorta kinda forced on to the same team, one that doesn't really seem to suit either one. The pivot upon which they both spin is a SEXXXY red-headed coal exec who seems a little too interested in both of them... She is in Harlan to buy up land for a new coal mine and runs headlong into Harlan's "savior" Mags Bennett (accompanied as always by her tads).

Mags' simple "green" message seems to have its believers among the locals who want both the jobs from the mine, but also a decent place to keep living. It all seems to make sense - unless you've seen Mags' actions leading up to this, and then you have to doubt anything and everything she says... A real rip-roaring action episode and includes all your favorite characters from down in the Holler (except Dewey Crow).

Arlo has less than a minute's worth of dialogue, and nearly steals the show. The only reason he doesn't is. Rebecca Creskoff as the coal exec, Carol Johnson. She is another in the growing list of stellar guest stars on Justified (and as I said before, crazy sexy).

Another average/subpar (for Justified) 'procedural' episode. Luckily, we are talking about Justified, so we have another very entertaining hour! Art Mullens (Nick Searcy) gets to take care of some old business. As should be expected from such a well-rounded, and well-acted character it works very well.

He is put up against an old bank robber (played by Scott Wilson - best known as Hershel from The Walking Dead - a personal favorite of mine) who is back to his old tricks. It sounds cliched, but with the expected sharp dialogue of Justified, the great stars, and in this case Searcy and Wilson it is an actual treat.

Nest to nothing on the Big Story - Boyd is questioned about his extracurricular activities, but that is really a minor part of the show. The Bennetts are absent (but surely plottin' somethin' offscreen!).

An almost cringe-worthy premise is not just saved but redeemed by all the strengths we've come to expect from Justified...

...and what could possibly go wrong??? Those familiar with my favorite half-wit (to be generous) know the answer is EVERYTHING! And pretty much everything does (that can't be a spoiler!) and it is simply compounded when he tries to set up Raylan as the fall guy. His parting line to his victims (to use the term loosely) is hilarious for those who know the show.

Boyd is trying to settle into his new life while everyone (but one) is pulling him back to his old life or assuming he hasn't changed at all. Let's just say it grates upon him... Along with Dewey, Boyd is the standout in this episode. Dewey for the laughs, and Boyd for the dramatic build-up. Both shine, especially together, but for different reasons.

A little more movement on the Bennett front, but not as much as you might expect (or in my case hope for). The tads are up to no good (Suprise, Suprise!) but Mags is absent this episode.

A high-quality episode, as only Justified can do it!

"More of the same" usually brings to mind tedium, boredom or receptiveness. In the case of Justified, you need to toss out all those negative connotations.

Here we have MORE smart-a$$, yet brilliant zingers. MORE realistic and interesting character development. MORE first-rate acting to make that work, and make us care MORE about the characters before us.

The star of this episode is Raymond Berry as Arlo. Nothing changes in regard to him being a worthless criminal, an awful father and terrible husband. But somehow you just can't help, if not liking him, laughing at his roguish behavior. There is really nothing redeeming in this character, but you'd probably enjoy an evening sharing a bottle of Kentucky with him. Quite a feat of both writing and acting...

You watch this knowing that it is building to something big (or at least a lot bigger) is coming, but not knowing what exactly (or even generally). This is my third time through this series and I'm still on the edge of my seat for the season finale!!!

Not quite a fugitive of the week episode, but not quite a full-on Harlan County story either. But don't let that make you think that this is some sort of confused, not quite coherent mess. It kicks absolute a$$!

New character Mike "The Hammer" Reardon (Stephen Root) is introduced in about as memorable way as legally possible receiving some much needed (and hilarious) first aid. And he never slows down after that. Raylan is assigned to protect him from ... someone (who could seemingly be anyone other than the many local strippers) who is out to get him. High jinx ensue...

Boyd is free and sets up a church to ... God only knows! Something other than high jinx ensue... causing a guilt-ridden Raylan to seek a way to bring Boyd to justice.

A great new character, explosive action and the expected black humor add up to a CLASSIC Justified.

All the asides about Raylan's ex's new husband come to fruition. And somehow it ends in a Mexican standoff in which Raylan, though there, is neither shot nor shoots anyone!

Wynn Duffy shows more of his true colors, and they are pretty dark. "Mercurial" (yep, dictionary) really doesn't cover even half of it!

All in all, about what you'd expect from a couple of days of Raylan's vacation.

If you are a fan of the X-Files you might recognize similarities in the story structure. In X-Files there was a series-long story arc to answer the question of "Are they out there?" and all the associated questions associated with that. And then there were what Gillian Anderson called the "Monster of the Week" episodes dealing with the "normal" (i.e., non-alien) paranormal. Justified has what you might call the "Harlan" story dealing with Raylan, Arlo, Boyd et al, and all the associated things linked to Harlan KY that runs through the entire series. And then there are the 'work' episodes that are pretty much self-contained and involve (usually) a fugitive that Raylan and the Marshalls Service need to bring in.

Like the X-File series story arc, many fans prefer the "Harlan"-centric episodes as in both series the main characters are more fully explored and developed in these episodes. I include myself in this category, but still enjoy the side-track episodes of both shows.

High quality Justified, and maybe the first episode to show depth of the characters and character development to the full extent that this show can, and regularly does, reach.

Kudos also for Natalie Zea (Winona - Raylan's ex) for her performance, not only for this episode (her first REAL chance to shine) but for the entire series. You can see how a guy would keep coming back to her, no matter how long the odds!

New characters and adding meat to the bones of another...

First off, the guest star W Earl Brown as a prisoner holding two guards hostage at the Marshalls' office really steals the show. One-liners that Justified is known for with a touch of honesty on the life of a prison inmate. It is really a top-notch performance of trademark Justified writing.

We also get the first appearance of Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns) in small spot that introduces us to an (later) integral character, unique for the show and memorable in his own right.

Then, we get the first meaningful (more than just a line or two to introduce him) of Asst. U. S. Attorney David Vasquez. You never quite know if he can be trusted (he IS a lawyer after all) or not. He seems like a good guy. He seems like a weasel. He seems like a good guy.... Which is he? Maybe neither, maybe both - a good weasel? Maybe a 21st century Columbo: "Glad you capped that POS. Just one more thing..." who is about as welcome as a case of hemorrhoids. Whatever you decide on him, he IS a fine addition to the Justified universe.

And oh yeah, Boyd is on the lose again!

A good episode, great for a "fugitive (?) of the week", where the overarching story inches forward in a satisfying manner.

Raylean goes about avenging an attack on Ava, but are his assumptions correct?

Am new Crowder.is introduced and shows (to a degree anyway) why the family has survived so long and with such a reputation.

And, the professional conundrum of Art Mullen grows as Raylan continues to make his life more difficult by the day.

As a side note, I'd like to give a big KUDOS to Nick Searcy (Art Mullens) for the job he does in keeping the show grounded. Without Art's professionalism, this show would likely devolve into farce, or simply a collection of smarta**es making smart-a**ed comments - funny as they may be. Olyphant and Goggins would likely have made for a pretty funny anti-buddy dramedy team when combined with all the oddball local yokels that populate the fringes of Justified, but Art Mullen keeps the show from reaching the realms of farce. A genuinely funny straight man, his seemingly true portrayal of a man frustrated by the juvenile antics of his subordinate keeps the show much more realistic - and therefore makes us care about the characters and the plot.

In a show with good/great acting (Goggins, Olyphant especially) and some larger-than-life secondary parts (Dewey Crow comes first to mind), Nick Searcy/Art Mullen is (too) often overlooked. In my opinion, that is a real shame!

One of the more revealing, even if not better, of the 'fugitive of the week' episodes, as Raylan meets his art world doppelgänger - a man dedicating his life to destroying his father's life apex. Solid performances by the guest stars, including Robert Picardo (the Doctor from Star Trek Voyager - a personal fave).

The best parts are in the first and last scenes as Raylan and Boyd Crowder interact, if only for a few moments.

You also get to see the development of. Art Mullen as he starts to see that having his old friend from a previous assignment might not be all peaches and cream! His chemistry with Raylan rings true - and as much as we might love Raylan, we can't blame Art when Raylan's negatives start to outweigh his positives in Art's eyes.

In later episodes, you really start to feel for him as his savant Marshall becomes a savant idiot (no, NOT an idiot savant) in Art's eyes. An absolute genius at apprehending fugitives, he is, from a supervisor's perspective also a genius s**t-stirrer and an abject pain in the posterior! You get the idea he is starting to realize this in regard to Raylan and Ava - see the quote involving a small kitchen appliance!

What would be considered a great episode for most shows is really only average (at best) for Justified.

Most of the previous episodes have been pretty formulaic in the 'police procedural' mold. While not bad, these are simply not in the same league as the 'home' shows dealing with Harlan County and it denizens. Childhood friends and family of Raylan are developed in a very realistic way around him while he keeps his smart-ass attitude and good looks unruffled. And then his mask slips for a second or two, revealing that extra dimension that shows him to be human, and not just another character.

The pilot introduced us to Boyd Crowder and left viewers with little but revulsion for a violent, ignorant lying hillbilly. Having watched this series before, I can say that it doesn't take long for him to be turned into a likable antagonist. We know he isn't going to straighten out. We know he isn't going to repent of his earthly sins and perform contrition. But he does become a likable, conniving, charismatic rogue - albeit one surrounded by abject idiots (ahem, Dewey Crow) as henchmen!

We all know he is going down, but many of us root for him to get just one of his schemes to work before it happens!

This episode introduces Arlo (Raylan's father) and his aunt/stepmother Hellen. Of the two Arlo is the more important to the plotline, though Hellen is shown to be a (if not THE) reason Raylan isn't Arlo version 2.0.

Arlo is a lifelong criminal - though looking at his home, truck and material possessions not a very successful career. Dope, bootlegging, thuggery, grifting, outright theft - nothing is really off-limits for him. Violent and short-sighted, one can imagine why there is little that is shown to be his rewards for decades of crime.

But when not around his son, he is shown to be a fun-loving, funny man's man. Guys like him, and you can imagine that in his salad days having women falling for him too - though maybe not quite the sort that you'd bring home to meet mom!

He is a real character. A great drinking buddy, a good friend yet still a horrible husband and father. There aren't many saints or devils walking the earth, but there are millions and millions of deeply flawed 'good old boys' (of every ethnicity), and this show has real knack for creating and then expanding on these 'bad, but not quite evil' men.

Justified develops these characters as well as any show or movie I can think of. Arlo and Boyd are simply the top of the heap for this show in that respect.

Almost as annoyingly pretentious as actual Dadaism. A real disappointment as Laura de Mille/Mme. Rouge is an absolute hoot, but in an episode like this also absolutely superfluous.

And lets be honest - there is no real reason for Cliff/Roboman to do the hackneyed "I am so high" bit. He is utterly unfiltered (and Hollywood loves that cliche to introduce some Zen enlightenment that is supposedly being blocked by our preconceived notions of Western morality, never to have them rob the old lady walking home from the grocery store for their next fix...) and open to pretty much any suggestion. A cheap bit and beneath the standards that the writers have set, and the standard that the two actors have built up for Cliff!

But to give the writers and cast some credit, it did move me from ambivalence to outright dislike of Vic/Cyborg. Let him and the bicycle man fight to the death. And let it end in a draw. And then never again have us cross the River Styx.

A great return to form for those of us who were worried after the previous episode.

Actual LoL moments in the CHiPS/Starsky & Hutch/Robocop mashup/daydream of Cliff - "Stone & Steel".

Touching moments for Larry as he re-learns the 2 most important lessons about family...

And then the pruning of Kay/Jane's Underground family tree, but I'll leave it up to you to decide of this is done in a "healthy" way...

This episode is at the series' best in its combination of oddball comedy and (almost) action. As an added bonus there is an actual advance to the storyline!

The heartbreaking backstory of "Jane" told from numerous (thankfully not all 64!!!) perspectives.

Kudos to the numerous actresses residing in the Underground, and as usual to Brendan Fraser who tops his standard performance for this series (which is ridiculously high) while trying to contain his own inner demon(s). As sad as Jane's story is, the "I am not a man...." is in retrospect possibly the most depressing thing in this episode!

If you aren't rooting for Jane by the end of this episode, you are more broken than her...