Justified knows how to deliver its cold opens.
“Kill the Messenger” starts off with a wonderful teaser, one which effectively sets up the episode and is brilliantly acted by both Timothy Olyphant and Nick Searcy. The punch is a long time coming, and we can see the inner and external conflicts bubbling at the surface, just ready to boil over once morals trump respect.
Damn, what an episode.
“Shot All to Hell” is this show firing on all cylinders: hilarious, intense, and downright entertaining. The body count is as high as its ever been, and I have to say, this is easily in the top 5 of my favorite episodes of Justified.
“I was thinking…aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?”
Although this episode seems to be a placeholder of sorts, it’s crackling with energy, humor, and tension; it may just be the best episode of the season thus far. It’s certainly the most entertaining. I mean, when you have Tim Gutterson in your episode, that’s an automatic A-.
PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN, DEWEY CROWE!
I’m really enjoying Boyd Crowder, motivational speaker this season, and I’d like to use that quote to segue into a little something about Dewey Crowe: Damon Herriman does some great work tonight with the more dramatic scenes. For the most part, he’s been used as comic relief, but here, I really feel bad for the guy because of the situation he’s in; he’s just started started to believe he’s making something for himself, but in the end, he winds up finding out he’s been manipulated and taken advantage of. The season’s done a good job of conveying a sense of desperation and loss of control for several of our characters.
Is Raylan Givens ever going to leave Harlan behind?
With the announcement of Justified’s sixth and final season, we now move to the lingering questions about how exactly this series will come to a close. Raylan Givens took a dark turn last season, and we’re starting to see him come undone; his storyline this week is fantastic. It’s hilarious throughout, but there’s also an undercurrent of tension in each scene, a fine testament to the work of these writers and actors. Raylan and Loretta have always been entertaining to watch, and it’s an especially fascinating relationship because we know just how much she understands him, and therefore how she can manipulate him.
Raylan’s character has always been about trying to shed his past and distance himself from Arlo, and I like how this fact continues to play a huge role; the “star makes it legal” line is very telling, raising questions about the justifications behind his actions and therefore connecting to Boyd’s character. It seems to be the mark of the writers crafting an endgame, as those around him–Alison, Koechner’s character from last week–seem to be pushing him toward change. He can, say, take care of Loretta, but that relationship will never be genuine; he needs to embrace his family, and well, that’s understandably very hard. The writers are doing something fantastic here with his character; right now, Boyd may have more of the narrative momentum, but I love what’s been going on with Raylan. Fatherhood and family seem to be the keys.
It’s been a long wait, but we’re finally back in Harlan.
Well, not exactly; in fact, the episode takes us to places like Florida and Detroit, expanding the show’s universe a bit and introducing new sides to the Crowe family and the mob. It’s really impressive how the show manages to remain as entertaining as ever while it’s spending its time place-setting for the remainder of the season. In fact, each character, however peripheral he or she is, is utilized magnificently in this fantastic premiere.
A Murder of Crowes is fundamentally about family, whether it be through Boyd’s vendetta against pretty much everyone or the crazy relations of the Florida Crowes. Michael Rapaport is introduced as Darryl Crowe, and accent aside, he fits into the role well as the man who’s had huge weights on his back, but is only just breaking now. The premiere has a fairly engaging storyline involving Elvis and Wendy, and the murder of Dilly Crowe illustrates the various messed up shit people will do in the name of “family”.
Polar Bears Watch TV 