Wednesday, February 19, 2014

TV Review: Justified (2010-present)

I hate cop shows. Seriously hate them. They’re lowest common denominator crap which feed you the impossible idea that a computer can predict crime or neon-laced crime labs that work in the dark can solve crimes with a carpet fiber and sexy banter. Might as well use pixie dust. What these shows really are is soaps where the characters carry guns and fence with stylized serial killers destined to lose by the script. Even worse, they’re all the same. There are a couple that stand out however, and Justified is the best of those. In fact, this is an awesome series.
Justified centers around United States Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens (Tim Olyphant). Raylan is a Kentucky boy who got the hell out there and now has been sent back by the Marshal Service as punishment for what many think was the murder of a hitman in Miami. Justified is the story of Raylan doing his job back in Kentucky as he finds himself wrapped up in the tangled nest of hillbillies who inhabit that part of the country. And as you'll note right away, this no normal cop show. There are no crime of the weeks to be solved. There are no glitzy labs, no melodramatic races against the clock, no attempt to wow you with the soundtrack.
The hillbillies Raylan faces include several clans, including his own family. His father Arlo is a turd, a liar and a petty criminal. His childhood rival Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) is... well, Boyd Crowder, and he is part of the Crowder clan. There are a clan of Bennetts also who are at war with the Crowders. There are some black folks hidden in one of the valleys too. His ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea), works at the court and her husband attracts the Dixie Mafia into Raylan's life -- they are from Lexington and they are connected to the Detroit Mafia. Each of these groups engages in a sort of low-intensity war for control over the region, particularly Harlan County, as they ply their trade of bank robberies, murders, benefits fraud, drug dealing and general mayhem.
Interestingly, Justified strives for a more realistic presentation, so it's filmed in Washington, PA and Pittsburgh rather than Hollywood, and it presents genuine hillbillies. They aren't the cleaned up "salt of the earth" types Hollywood normally shows. These people don't dress like supermodels, they aren't sexy or slick. None of them will ever be mistaken for Prof. Moriarty. What they are is white trash... white trash who don't shower or change their clothes, white trash who are hooked on drugs and crime as a way of life, white trash who think nothing of hurting other people because it suits them. Good luck finding that on CSI, even though that's what our jails are packed with.
Justified is rather realistic when it comes to gun play too. The cops don't shoot to kill without a reason, but when they do, people die. The bad guys kill people too. This isn't one of those shows where the main characters are all safe and each gets to spend an episode in a fake coma as the others come in and tell them how they feel about them.
The dialog is realistic too. When you watch CSI or NCSI or SUV or whatever, you hear dialog that is written for a television show. The characters say things normal people don’t, they express things that normally would not be expressed, and they dramatize everything. Justified doesn’t do that. To the contrary, the office banter, the relationship talks, the verbal combat with thugs and crooks is spot on. Nobody here says, “Should you continue your present course of conduct, I’ll need to take action against you,” when they could instead say, “Raylan, you’re pissing me off.” Well, except for Boyd. The dialog here is actually some of the best I’ve seen. It’s punchy, funny and on point. Each character is different and speaks their own language.

The real strength of this show, however, is the characters. One of the problems with most shows (especially cop shows) is that all the characters eventually drift into the same stereotype. Every actor wants to become the silent hero with the secret pain. Barf. That doesn’t happen here. These characters are written as real people and they act according to their characters. If a guy is an amoral idiot, then he will act like an amoral idiot. If a guy is a barely controlled thug, then that is how he will act. Yet, the characters are all deeply complex. You will see each character put into “no win” situations on a regular basis and watch how they respond. You will learn a good deal about what motivates each and what their strengths and weaknesses are. And in doing so, you will be amazed at how rich and fantastic is the picture they present. These people aren't cardboard. More than that, they are all fascinating. Raylan is a good cop with a low tolerance for procedure. Arlo is a skunk. Boyd is a philosopher turned conman. Maggs is a pirate. Wynn Duffy is survivor. Etc. You will constantly be surprised by what happens. This is the kind of show where you know what the characters would normally say if they were on another show, but you have no idea what they’re going to do or say here. That’s quality writing.
Interestingly, Justified comes from two novels (“Pronto”, “Riding the Rap”) and a short story (“Fire in the Hole”) by Elmore Leonard, whose other books have been turned into excellent movies: Out of Sight, Jackie Brown, Get Shorty, 3:10 to Yuma just to name a few. He’s known for his dialog and it shows here.
The acting is fantastic too. You will recognize many of the actors who make their way through this series, but you’ll never doubt they aren’t really who they claim to be. Olyphant in particular is Raylan and he plays the part so well that it may typecast him. Nick Searcy plays his boss Art. You have to love Art. Art is hilarious as the put-upon boss who has much more control over his office than people think and who is much wittier than he wants people to believe. Walton Goggins, who was in another great cop show – The Shield – is Boyd Crowder, a fake neo-Nazi turned preacher turned back into a hardcore criminal. He’s psychotic, menacing and yet bizarrely likable. Then there are characters like Dickie Bennett, a coward who needs to be killed. His mother Mags is a fascinating character. Stephen Root plays the crazy, yet realistic Judge Reardon. Jere Burns plays Wynn Duffy, a nut job who is surrounded by even bigger psychos in the Dixie Mafia. He and Raylan cross paths because of Raylan’s ex-wife’s husband, who is basically a conman. And so on. There isn't really an uninteresting character or a poor actor in the mix.
All told, this is one heck of an entertaining and addictive show. You will not regret watching this one. Start at the beginning though because there is a huge learning curve.

59 comments:

Kit said...

Good job reviewing a great show.

AndrewPrice said...

Thanks Kit. I love this show. I was expecting it to be ok, but honestly I've been blown away. There is sooo much good stuff I can say about this show. I only wish they had another 5 season in the can.

Also, I want more Art!!

Kit said...

Who is your favorite character. Mine are Raylon, Boyd, Chief Art, and Maggs. The last one still gives me a slight shudder just thinking about her. Jesus! What a creeper. I also liked the teenage girl's story arc in Season 3. It is telling of the show's quality that such an arc in a lesser show would've been botched and horribly done but in Justified is incredibly good. The actress was great, too!

re Art, my Dad's favorite moment was the scene at the airport where Chief Art had to chase after the old bank rob who was dragging the oxygen tank.

Kit said...

Oh, and the show has been renewed for a sixth season, which will be its last. :-(

Anonymous said...

One of the best shows(not just cop shows) of all time. Where to begin. The writing is great. I haven't read any of Elmore Leonard's work but it makes sense that a novelist was involved in this. On a standard cop show the dialogue serves only to move the plot. There is a direct line from the opening line to the final credits. The dialogue on Justified is just... hell,rich doesn't begin to describe it. Raylan and Boyd are both a lot deeper than they seem at first glance. And while the show doesn't flinch from showing white trash in all their dirt there is a fierce strain of intelligence that runs through the characters. All these people know what they are. None of them are self conscious about it. Mags Benett probably didn't finish high school. Would you want to go up against her with your life on the line?
Another thing I like is that there is no comic relief in the office. Both Tim and Rachel are serious characters in their own right. Both have featured prominently in the storylines and either could carry a plotline on their own if a season ran more than 13 episodes and wasn't pressed for time.
The thing that keeps you watching though, is Timothy Olyphant's Raylan Givens. Very few actors inhabit their character the way he does Raylan. In a normal cop show there's no real suspense. No matter what situation the lead gets into you know that he'll be out of it in time for the credits. Not so here. Raylan's competence has led to overconfidence that has bit him in the ass several times and the fact that the people he goes up against play absolutely for keeps has you watching from between your fingers,unable to look away.
I don't have a bad thing to say about this great show.You're right though.There is a big learning curve.
GypsyTyger

AndrewPrice said...

Kit, That sucks. I didn't know that. :( Still, at the rate they kill people, the show does kind of need to end because they're running out of characters!

My favorite characters in order are: Boyd, Art, Dickie and Robert Quarles. Boyd is an amazing character who has some of the best dialog ever written. Art is just intensely funny and his character is truly subtle... best boss ever. Dickie was a moron but somehow fit this story perfectly. And Quarles is the most memorable psychopath I've ever seen on film or television.

AndrewPrice said...

GypsyTyger, I agree with everything you said!

First, the writing is just amazing. I am constantly laughing out loud at some twist of a phrase or just taking in the beauty of some line that makes a point in the most unexpected way. And these actors deliver their lines perfectly. And the fact their characters are all so different and yet their lines are perfect is a true testament to the writing.

Secondly, I love that all the cops and the Marshals are competent. Not only competent, but extreme good at what they do. They could easily have made some of them fools just to make Raylan look better by comparison, but the fact they haven't speaks really highly of Raylan's character.

As for Raylan, that so true. How many times am I staring at the screen waiting to see if he shoots the guy or doesn't, wondering how in the world he is going to get out of something, or wondering what made him choose to pick a fight with a guy who can kick his butt. He is unexpected because his character is on edge and Olyphant makes that happen. I still think about the ice pick guy whenever I think about how unexpected the show is. I could not for the life of me figure out how he was going to get out of that, and the method they chose was so unexpected that I backed it up just to watch the scene again. Brilliant.

I also love that everything is more realistic. These aren't the generic super-smart serial killers other shows use like disposable kleenex. Some (like Maggs) are brilliant in their own way. Others are cowards, some are rock stupid, some are high as a kite. And while they may hate Raylan, they don't just kill him as the criminals would on other shows because people in real life (even criminals) draw lines, just like these guys do, and they don't cross them. Few criminals in other crime shows have those lines and that makes them feel fake to me.

Finally, yes, a huge learning curve, so start from the beginning.

shawn said...

I've only seen 3 episodes, and I thought they were okay. May have to check it out a little more.

On the plus side, Nick Searcy is a conservative and has a great little web series on youtube called Acting School with Nick Searcy that is definitely worth checking out.

AndrewPrice said...

Shawn, I think it takes about half a season to find its legs. I would recommend trying the first 6-7 episodes of the first season. If you're not hooked by then, then you probably will never be.

I've heard that Searcy is a conservative. He plays a fantastic character in this.

Anonymous said...

Andrew; Thanks! The ice pick scene was great. They walk into the motel room and there he is. He disarms Raylan and explains the rules of the game. Then he tells Wynona to count down from 10. And Raylan,cold as ice, says "Go ahead Wynonna." I won't spoil it for somebody who hasn't seen it,but I DVRd that episode and I bet I watched that scene 20 or 30 times that week. If you watch carefully there are all kinds of little character development things that are inserted into the shows but they don't beat you over the head with. Art has the poster from Tombstone in his office. Raylan has it on his wall over the dresser. Last week while Art was sitting in his truck staking out a diner he was listening to Rush Limbaugh. They drank Pappy Van Winkle bourbon one time, which is a real Kentucky product. Little things like that . The show takes it's time. People you get emotionally invested in die suddenly and brutally,with no warning,which is the way death comes to law enforcement and career criminals.Things that keep you staring at the screen the whole hour.

Kit said...

The decision to end the show was made by the creators, not FX. They felt it had run its course.

djskit said...

My wife and I have watched this from Season 1 and I simply can not narrow down any "favorites", but the scene with Art chasing the old guy with the o2 tank has to be up there.
Quarles drink of choice was Pappy VanWkinke, while Raylan is more of a Wild Turkey guy.

KRS said...

One of the reasons I love this show is that in bits like the ice pick scene, I felt completely punked. That entire scene was foreshadowed and I could not imagine a way Raylan could get out of it, other than some cheap stunt. Then it turns out the solution is so incredibly simple that I have to stop the stream and back it up again - after smacking myself in the head.

Just as your review indicates, Andrew, it comes down to the fact that you never know what you're going to see, what anyone is going to say or do that makes this show so sublime.

The learning curve isn't difficult at all, either. It's just that each season is a story, one season builds upon the next and the writers respect your intelligence. So, they play upon your knowledge of the characters and expect you to connect the dots. In fact, I think the characters drive the story to a much greater degree than any other show on TV today.

I hate to see it all end, but best that it end when the creators say it should, and not after Raylan rolls up on a Harley in front of a shark tank.

AndrewPrice said...

Kit, It's usually a very smart producer who knows when a series needs to end. I wish it wasn't ending, but I respect the decision.

AndrewPrice said...

GypsyTyger, I love the little touches throughout. This show is so richly made that you get constant reminders of who these people are in everything from what they say to what they do to what they wear to what they have on their desks. This show easily puts the normal cop shows to shame, where everything is just simply generic. I swear that everyone on CSI lives at a hotel.

AndrewPrice said...

djskit, I do have some favorites, but there hasn't been a single character I haven't found interesting. They've all been excellent.

Art's scenes are always fantastic and he has the best delivery. What's funny is that he's so hilarious and yet he's not comic relief. I like too that nobody can pull anything over on him.

AndrewPrice said...

KRS, Same here. I was watching that episode with my father and both of said, "How in the world is he going to get out of this?" We really had no idea unless something stupid happened like a misfire or someone bursting through the door. Then he did it. And we just stared at the scream. Then we started laughing because in hindsight it was both positively brilliant and yet so obvious... but there was no way to predict it. That was a brilliant moment.

And yeah, I love the fact that you just never know what will happen. No scene ever ends the way you expect, but yet they never reach or come up with things that feel fake to make it happen.

EricP said...

Best/Fave show since Friday Night Lights. How the writers consistently live up to Leonard-esque dialogue deserves its own award, too.

As for the shooting locations, only the pilot episode was filmed back in my beloved (South) Western PA. Believe it or not, the rest are filmed in the LA-area, primarily Simi Valley and Santa Clarita, amazingly Kentucky-esque (or -esque enough). Frank's Restaurant in Burbank the site of the latest Mullen tour de force, too, when he stakes-out guest stars Alan Tudyk and John "Dino/Carl the Custodian/Rice-check" Kapelos. Burbank's Donut-Hut also the location for Boyd's meet-up with "Hot Rod" Dunham.

For anyone interested in fun-time interviews with Deputy Chief Art Mullen, Nick Searcy stopped by Radio Free Threedonia a couple times to discuss the show (and beyond). Please check the archives at Threedonia.com, or maybe Andrew could link them here.

That, ScottDS, is how you do a shameless cross-site plug. ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

Eric,

Thanks for the correction. The IMDB (or whatever I was reading) said Pittsburgh and Washington, PA. It didn't say they had moved to LA. Interestingly, I recognized some of the streets from the pilot.

I had heard that Nick Searcy is a friend of Threedonia. That's great! I don't know how often you speak to him, but you should tell him for me that he's fantastic. Without him, the show would not be what it is. Seriously, he's the guy who grounds the series.

Send me the link and I'll connect it. :)

djskit said...

You can always tell the Simi Valley scenes by the scrub brush covering the hillsides in the background.

AndrewPrice said...

djskit, True. That's not what Kentucky looks like.

AndrewPrice said...

Here are the promised Threedonia interviews with Nick Searcy:

February 2011

January 2012 Be warned that Nick Searcy doesn't appear on this one until 1:54 of the show.

EricP said...

Thanks, AP! It's been very surreal getting to know Nick over the last few years. Not like we're golfing buddies, but hard wrapping my head around the fact we're even buddies. Will be sure to pass along the words of appreciation, too. Actors love praise. ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

Eric, I can imagine. It must be really strange to meet an actor because you come to feel that you know them from their shows.

PikeBishop said...

Please don't take this personally but its MARSHA.................................l One L!!!!!!!! One L!!!!!! Sorry a pet peeve of mine is the misspelling of that law enforcement officer.

AndrewPrice said...

Good catch. Sorry about that. I used to live near a Marshall County and that version keeps creeping back into my head. Will fix in a minute.

Backthrow said...

Great review, Andrew! Oh, how I love this show, but most everything I'd say has already been covered in both the review and the other comments. Amazing writing, dialogue, casting, acting and direction. Now Tim Olyphant has two great TV series under his belt, this and DEADWOOD.

Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder looks like what you'd get if you went back to 1964, mashed villainous Robert Duvall, Bruce Dern and Warren Oates characters together into one person, and turned him loose in 2014. What a compelling antagonist, played by a great actor.

Among many others, Neal McDonough was great as Robert Quarles in Season 3. Maggs was outstanding in Season 2.

Really the only thing I don't like about JUSTIFIED, and it's a very minor thing, is the opening theme rap music (though it segues into some banjo-inflected country style)... overall it seems a little incongruous to the characters and setting, even though rap knows no color/ethnicity. It's just that it doesn't seem to be reflected by anyone in the show, even with all the badassery and crime going on in it. It comes off like a shorthand way to convince uninitiated viewers that it's a "cool" and "edgy" show, as though the network demanded it be included for that reason.

Anthony said...

I was heavily into Justified in its first season, but I started missing episodes in season 2 and eventually I decided I would catch it all on Netflix or something. Exceptional show.

Andrew, have you seen The Shield? Its kind of over the top but it changed my view of Michael Chiklis and is filled with a bunch of stellar performances including a major one from Michael Olyphant.

Critch said...

I really do love this show. One thing I really love is the depiction of just how sordid a life of crime, whether you are a meth making hillbilly or a Mafia strongman, really is. Also, anyone know what kind of holster Givens uses? It looks like a Bianchi 19L,,,I like it...

AndrewPrice said...

Anthony, The Shield is my second favorite cop show. It also had Walton Goggins in it in another great role. I highly recommend that one too!

spoilers

Agreed about Chiklis. Before that show, I didn't think much about him -- goofy sitcom guy. By the time that show was over however, I was super impressed. What a combo bad-ass and psychopath and he played it perfectly. And I have to say that I loved the ending. I know a lot of people felt he needed some "real" punishment, but you can see it in his eyes that his life has ended, he got the worse punishment imaginable for this man... he's in hell.

AndrewPrice said...

Backthrow, What I love about Goggins is not only how understated he plays the character, giving Boyd a deep sense of menace and unpredictability, but also the way his dialog is written is just a joy to listen to. And physically, he's great because he comes across as real. He's not a pretty boy like so many villains on network cop shows.

Personally, I like the theme song a lot. It reminds me of the kind of music you hear ex-cons play (thuggish, lots of testosterone) and it reminds me of the intro to The Sopranos.

AndrewPrice said...

Critch, That's something I really like about Justified. In most crime shows, the criminals are idealized and stylized. They live in million dollar penthouses in exotic locations which they afford by robbing liquor stores right before taking their perfect girlfriends for a night at the casino... until CSI tracks them down! Dumb dumb dumb. The hookers are gorgeous. Everyone is well-education, clean and clever. Bull.

Real life criminals live like you see in Justified. I've had occasion to visit many of these people in their homes and they live just like you see on Justified. They live in sh*tholes, they don't bathe, they are perpetually high and stupid and out of control, etc.

Even someone like Maggs is perfectly written. I knew some people in WVA who were worth what Maggs was worth from their various criminal enterprises and they lived exactly like she did -- crappy homes, moron kids, in and out of trouble, always hiding from someone bragging about how tough they are, no sign that they have two cents to rub together.

All of that makes Justified feel authentic to me. That's something I just don't get from other crime shows.

PikeBishop said...

Backthrow: Hate to disagree but DEADWOOD SUCKED! It only survived due to "I'm watching it because its on HBO inertia."

Backthrow said...

Pike,

Fair enough, but let the record clearly show that, in this instance, I was infallibly right, a paragon of refined taste in popular entertainment, and you were... sadly confused... LOL

Also, I haven't subscribed to HBO since, oh, 1997 or thereabouts. I caught DEADWOOD on disc, and loved it from the start. Pity it ultimately got cancelled without a proper wrap-up, but that just happens, sometimes.

Conversely, it looks very likely that JUSTIFIED will bow out in prime form next year, as BREAKING BAD did last year.

Tennessee Jed said...

I was reading an article by, of all people, Jonah Goldberg the other day that made an interesting point about television. While much of it is garbage, the best drama is now coming from television series such as this one where ideas, themes, and plot lines are explored over whole seasons or even series. You just can't do that in a two hour feature film, but it does mean you have to commit to get the most out of your viewing.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, That's true. Television has become the place where all the talent is gravitating because they are able to run their stories over 13 episodes a season, so they can do much more than they could in films, and because places like HBO, AMC and FX are willing to sink money into making quality programming. The networks are still crap, but cable is where it's at.

Anonymous said...

"Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder looks like what you'd get if you went back to 1964, mashed villanous Robert Duvall, Bruce Dern and Warren Oates characters together into one person and turned him loose in 2014." Nomination for Backthrow for most lyrical description ever with bonus points for mentioning Warren Oates. And Neal McDonough as Robert Quarles pretty well redefined the portrayal of a psycopath.
GypsyTyger

AndrewPrice said...

GypsyTyger, I agree. Robert Quarles really has redefined the psychopath and he did it in a way that works so much better than the brooding crazies prior actors portrayed. This guy thinks he's sane. He thinks he's normal. And when he isn't, it's not his fault... he's justified. And then you see things out of him that make your jaw drop.

I had no idea who Warren Oates was until a couple years back when I started noticing him in EVERYTHING from the 1960s. I guess he was required if you want to make a movie back then.

Anonymous said...

I think he had a personal service contract with Sam Peckinpah. :)
Another thing about Justified is this; have you noticed that there's never been a bad performance by an actor on that show? They all seem to up their game.
Example, the only thing I knew Mike O'Malley from was that asinine sitcom Yes Dear. Who'd have ever thought that he could be absolutely chilling as Nicky Augustine, but he was.
And not to change the subject from the mighty Justified, but speaking of cable tv being the new center of drama, exploring ideas and such, have any of you guys been watching True Detective. I'm hooked. I never knew McConaughey could act!

AndrewPrice said...

They do. They have cast several actors that I've seen before and didn't think much of who then gave great performances on this show... Constable Bob comes to mind. I think the stellar writing helps, but it strikes me too that they have great directors.

Rustbelt said...

"Filmed in Pittsburgh and Washington, PA."

Oh, Lord. Admittedly, I haven't seen this show as I don't watch much TV these days. But seriously, the last thing I need is to see the white trash around here portrayed on TV- even if it only was for the pilot episode. I saw enough of them when I was working in news. You could tell they were idiots, slobs, and permanent "victims of society" who felt their deadbeat lives were justified and that everyone owed them a living.
I heavily considered supering one story about a trailer park fight as "white trash fights back" just for humorous effect. I was told that was mean and that I just didn't understand what their "unfortunate" lives were like. And they were right. I didn't understand and didn't care- still don't. They're scum, just any like criminals from the 'Burgh's Uptown area. Of course, there's that unwritten code that you're not supposed to judge and that everyone is just misrepresented or some other crap like that. God, I'm sick of society in denial. Politeness and PC doesn't solve stupidity and dimwits! Argh.....

Okay, rant over.

Great review, Andrew. I don't if I'll have time to check this one out, but I'll try.

AndrewPrice said...

Rustbelt, One of the things I really like about this show is that they don't do the usual BS about sanitizing these people. They are presented as so stupid they are borderline retarded, whiny and entitled, drug-addicted, without morals, racist turds who commit sex crimes, beat their women, cheat each other, move in and out of jail, suck off the government's benefits, etc.... as they are in real life.

This runs directly counter to the way Hollywood, country music and right-wing talk radio play these people up as "hard working salt of the earth" types. At no point will this show ever cause you to say, "Gee, these good people are noble and society needs to recognize their genuineness." To the contrary, the show makes it clear that they are a blight on humanity's ass. And that's a good thing if nothing else.

El Gordo said...

Great review, great show. Glad you loved it as much as I did.

"They’re lowest common denominator crap which feed you the impossible idea that a computer can predict crime ...

Are you referring to Person of Interest? I have just watched the first season and was disappointed. It is not bad but it was hyped as a smart and topical show and it isn´t. I´m all for a bit of paranoia about big government, but the show never feels grounded in reality. It feels basically like an average cop show written by Alex Jones. And the quality of writing is uneven (how many last minute rescues by characters who were miles away just seconds ago can you take?).

Of course we are now spoiled by having seen how much better tv can be.

PikeBishop said...

Agreed that TV, at its best, far outstips the usual crap that plays in the local multiplex. Plotlines can be developed over hours not minutes. It amazes me when my students complain that a movie was "long" if it last two hours. I'm like "MY God, your'e paying money to see this and some of these stupid comedies are now coming in at less than 80 minutes! (counting the previews!)

Backthrow: Sorry, I could see what they were trying to go with it, but Deadwood just didn't click with me. I watched it on "HBO Inertia" for about a year and a half and then all of a sudded it hit me. The faux Shakespearan-obscentity filled dialogue and the characters were behaving in ways that no human being would ever behave. It just fit the script. I tuned out.

Koshcat said...

I tried to get into this show when it first came out but struggled. I may have been impatient with waiting for another episode each week and went back to my chosen drug--Netflix. I can watch whole seasons! I see this show is now on Netflix so I may give it another chance.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, That works best for me too. I like being able to watch as many in a row are interesting. And as this shows moves forward, it all starts to tie together in ways that make you want to see the next episode immediately.

AndrewPrice said...

PikeBishop, TV really is where it's at for the most creative stuff at the moment.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. We tuned out of Deadwood after the third episode. The constantly ridiculous swearing made it impossible to get into the show.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Constable Bob, the confrontation between him and YOLO was one of the greatest things I've ever seen.
GypsyTyger

AndrewPrice said...

Agreed. I love Raylan's line later too... "Seeing as how Bob set the bar so high in terms of not talking, I couldn't possibly tell you." LOL!

Koshcat said...

I read here that some are upset that the next season is the last but I think this is smart. Many shows start off fresh and interesting and then get stale. This also frees up the writer to work on something different as I'm sure they get bored as well. I like how there are those in TV experimenting with different things. The Killing basically ran for 2 seasons and finished the mystery. Now they have restarted a new one. My only complaint is that they tend to have too many red herrings. Although I have only seen the first season, American Horror Story did something similar. Justified and Breaking Bad look like they are getting out while they are still "hot". Makes for a better ending than Lost.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshcat, That's true and I agree. On the one hand, it would be great if these shows go on forever. But on the other hand, it is best that they leave on a high note. There's nothing sadder than a series that ran a year or two after the point where they simply ran out of ideas.

And while I have loved this show, I do have sense that they've killed off a few too many of the characters who filled the cracks of the show. It's still an excellent show, but I think it would be better with 3-4 of those people still alive.

Critch said...

I spent most of yesterday in court with my 25 cases...out of the 25 I can see maybe 5 of them eventually getting off the drugs and doing something, the others I'm not optimistic about. Most of them live with someone else or in a halfway house, most have huge medical problems from smoking, drinking, putting drain cleaner up their nose, heroin,,,you name it....the oldest one is 57 and looks 80, a bad 80.

One is probably going back to prison tomorrow because he won't curb his intense desire to act tough,,not a good idea when you're on parole.

What would everyone think of Timothy Olyphant as James Bond? I know, he's not a Brit, but so what, Brits play Americans all the time.

Kenn Christenson said...

Late to the party - as usual. :) Glad my favorite series is getting its' due, here. Just a brilliant, well-written show. And, a show that depicts Southerners as real people instead of the cliched moronic hicks we'd see in other shows.

Add another guy, who's met and briefly worked with Mr. Searcy. A genuine good guy and what a great sense of humor the guy has. Plus, who would go half way across the country to do a video for a no-name director? (Of course the video WAS for the 1-227 AVN REG (look 'em up - they rock!))

AndrewPrice said...

Critch, One of the things I've found with regular middle class people is that they simply do not understand how ingrained this behavior is in these people. Normal people think that shame or a desire for a better life can get these people to stop the drugs, stop the crime, stop the sexual misconduct, get off welfare and get on with their lives. They don't understand that most of these people are actually proud of themselves for putting one over on the system and they will never change.

I've said this before, but watching "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" should be required. I met hundreds of people like that in West Virginia.

AndrewPrice said...

Kenn, I can imagine. There is no way Searcy could deliver those great lines without a strong sense of humor.

What I like about the portrayal of the South here is that it is accurate. It shows both the good people and the bad people. It's not cliche.

Backthrow said...

Critch,

I don't know about Olyphant as 007, though he'd have the danger and charm down pat, but I think he'd make an excellent Matt Helm, if they made proper movies from the novels, rather than the campy Dean Martin vehicles of the past.

Voz said...

I have loved this show since I saw the first episode. I try to watch everything Olyphant is in now since seeing him in Justified...I don't have anything bad to say about this show at all...all the bad guys have been amazing...
This show and Southland were the only two shows I wanted to watch when they were on...Southland was IMHO, the best cop show ever.

AndrewPrice said...

Voz, I haven't seen Southland.

Post a Comment