Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 13 Bloody Harlan

The second season of Justified end on a mellow note, Mags slowly slipping away, and it's a good example of what makes Justified such a good show. There is certainly lots of tension and action on the show, but without a dedicated serialized format, those factors alone do not put Justified close to a show like Breaking Bad. Justified often slows down in the midst of the excitement and allows the characters to take measure of their situations. Through this, we get a great idea of the world these people live in, where each decision and urge has serious repercussions.

"Bloody Harlan" is a bloody episode, as one would imagine, filled with bullets and an explosion. Core to the episode is Loretta who represents Harlan as a whole and the crime, perpetrated by the Crowders and Bennets, that has terrorized the town. This provides the impetus for the plot since Raylan returns to Harlan to track her down while the conflict breaks out, and eventually Art, somewhat unwillingly, sends in the cavalry.

If there was one thing that let me down, it would be Winona, who has been a real weight on Raylan. It seems like the only reason she's around is so Raylan has more problems, and now that she's pregnant, she'll probably be sticking around for a long time.

Score: 9.5/10

Preview of Week 5/01/11 - 5/07/11

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - USA, Sunday, May 1, 9:00pm ET
In Plain Sight - USA, Sunday, May 1, 10:00pm ET

Criminal Intent returns for its final season with Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe back in tow while In Plain Sight begins the season with Mary McCormack's pregnancy written in the story.

NCIS - CBS, Tuesday, May 3, 8:00pm ET

We finally get to see how Gibbs met Tony!

Justified - FX, Wednesday, May 4, 10:00pm ET

The penultimate episode of this season ended with Raylan's decision to spare Dickie kicking him in the butt. With an episode named "Bloody Harlan," we can pretty much imagine what will happen.

Fringe - FOX, Friday, May 6, 9:00pm ET

After the marvelous ending to the last episode, Peter in an apocalyptic future, the season finale this week should be a good one.

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 12 Reckoning

The beginning of the episode immediately confirms that Helen was killed and from there, "Reckoning" stands as one of the most powerful episodes of the season. This is the episode where everything comes full circle--the Givens and Bennets coming into conflict, as well as the Crowders on the side--and the table to set for the season finale next week.

Raylan spends the episode tracking down Dickie, going through various sources like Boyd and Arlo, before catching him. We see just how invested Raylan is in catching Helen's killer, so this isn't something he can easily write off. However, when Raylan has Dickie on the ground, begging for his life, he stops and decides to follow his code. He's not going to shoot this pathetic, defenseless man.

The rest of the episode has the funeral, which is touching and we get to see Raylan's future tombstone. But the tables are quickly turned as an old woman shows up and seems to set things in order. Jed recants and admits to the murder, letting Dickie off the hook, and as the final scene shows, Mags is as invested in Dickie and crime as ever. To Raylan, this must be a shitty situation. He had the chance to put down Dickie once and for all, likely putting the Bennets out of business permanently, but decided to go with the law, and then that was exploited to the full extent by the Bennets. Not killing must seem like a hard thing to do.

Score: 9.3/10

Preview of Week 4/24/11 - 4/30/11

Treme - HBO, Sunday, April 24, 10:00pm ET

HBO's acclaimed drama returns tonight. One thing I'm looking for is whether there is tighter plotting than the first season.

Glee - FOX, Tuesday, April 26, 8:00pm ET

This 90-minute, Lady Gaga-themed episode could be a total disaster, given Glee's track record, or it could be decent.

Justified - FX, Wednesday, April 27, 10:00pm ET

After the bloodshed at the end of the last episode, the second to last episode of the episode will definitely be a good run up to the season finale.

The Office - NBC, Thursday, April 28, 9:00pm ET

Michael Scott's final episode should be a must-watch for anyone who's followed the show at some point.

Fringe - FOX, Friday, April 29, 9:00pm ET

Season finale time means that shows like Fringe reach another level of epicness. With the machine turned on and Peter in the hospital, these last two episodes should be great.

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 11 Full Commitment

No time for a longer review again. :(

Justified has hit the home stretch and is rapidly approaching the climax with only two episodes left. There's no time for usual Marshall business or a break in the activity, as all the factions and interests will come into conflict soon. As the title "Full Commitment" suggests, people make their choices and stick to them, and some pay the consequences.

The big cliffhanger is Dickie shooting Helen, and I don't think she made it out alive unless Dickie was intending to send a message to Arlo. Of course, this all wraps back to Boyd, who recruited Arlo, so Raylan will definitely be looking for him. That doesn't necessary mean he'll be violent, though, as he dealt with Wynn and Gary civilly.

Score: 9.2/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 10 Debts And Accounts

With three episodes left in the season, Justified is really heating up and all the pieces are coming together. The biggest turn this week was Boyd's complete upholding of the Crowder legacy, plotting and planning to take Harlan. He gets some allies, including his cousin Johnny, and picks Dickie as his method of reintroducing himself.

Meanwhile, Mags seems to be turning away from criminality because she has a nice bundle of cash, and instead of fully blaming Raylan for Coover's death, she actually puts it on Dickie and basically tells him to get lost. We see from this that Mags is somewhat rational in her actions, knowing that pot has its limitations, but cutting her son out at the same time would seem to be an impulsive move. The natural tendency would be to go after Raylan, though, so perhaps publicly disowning Dickie instead of trying to kill Raylan is actually a calculated move to draw less attention.

There is a lot of Raylan and Winona in the episode, mostly them expressing their doubts, but in the end, they agree to move away. But as soon as that happens, they're ambushed and Raylan is forced to kill two guys. With Boyd on the warpath, it's almost inconceivable to think of Raylan leaving now. But what does this mean for Winona who must have been scared out of her wits?

Score: 8.9/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 9 Brother's Keeper

Wow, that was a great turn of events, wasn't it? "Brother's Keeper" makes full use of Mags's villainy, and Margo Martindale sure as hell can act. The episode begins with Mags being gentle with Loretta, helping her get ready for the party, and it's shocking to think she could have treated Coover so badly just a few weeks ago. But Coover, through his stupidity, realizes that Loretta is basically a replacement for him and Dickie, the child Mags wanted to have, which plays into his later actions. Later, after Coover is killed, Mags is in tears and you want to feel for her.

These events alone might make us sympathetic towards her, but we also see another side of her, the businesswoman whose cutthroat style is both devious and sinister. She outmaneuvers Carol, telling her that the company only wants Arlo's property because it wants to build a road to transport the coal. Somehow, Carol had no knowledge of this (why did the company not tell her?), and the company is forced to cave to her demands. At the end of the day, no one looks great in the situation. Carol kind of gets what was coming, after underestimating these people and turning out to be ignorant of the whole situation, while Mags and Boyd turn out to be looking for a quick buck.


Just when Boyd isn't looking too much like a bad guy, he turns around and joins Mag to make a quick buck. While it was expected that Mags would have something up her sleeves, seeing as her duplicity is overflowing, Boyd has been behaving quite well this season and this latest move doesn't seem to fit in. Still, there is nothing malicious about his actions, only economic interest which happens to coincide with Mags's.

Looking ahead, there four episodes left and plenty to work with. Winona isn't picking up Raylan's calls, which isn't a good sign, Carol continues to flirt with Raylan, and, of course, Mags will want retribution for her son's death. I'm sure Raylan will be in her crosshairs, but what about Loretta?

Score: 9.2/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 8 The Spoil

As expected, Justified was renewed a few days ago. This isn't a renewal that really got my attention since there was no way FX would cancel the show with the ratings and the year its had, but it's still good to know in the back of my mind that there will be a third season to follow what is shaping up to be a great second season.

We're now past the midway point of the season, and "The Spoil" beings the climb to the top. After setting the table in the beginning of the season, every part of the show is heating. Continuing from last week, Raylan protects the mining company executive who flirts with him the whole time, and ends up defending her from the angry plaintiffs from last week. Since the company still has work to be done, it'll be interesting to see if Raylan sleeps with her or stays faithful to Winona.

At the same time, the Bennetts are staking their claim to Harlan, using whatever means possible to keep the mining company out of Harlan, including attacking Boyd. Luckily Ava is there and even shoots Coover's animal, which Coover is really upset about. Speaking of Coover, we really see the vicious side of him when he pounds Raylan at the store. Any sympathy for his hand getting smashed is gone. But aside from her strongarm tactics, Mags proves to be an amazing orator, having great presence and rhetorical abilities to sway the crowd away from Carol.

Back at home, Raylan assumes that Art knows about the stolen money and Wionna remains very worried. We don't see what Art does or wants to do yet, but his inaction would indicate an unwillingness to turn them in.

Score: 9.3/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 7 Save My Love

After the way last week's episode was resolved, and my habit not watching the promo, I didn't expect anything more. As far as I could tell, the money stuff was done since the hundred dollar bill was recovered and all was well and good. Even if the writers didn't go further than that, I would be okay. But the writers decided to push the plot further as well as bring everything else together, reminding us that Justified isn't a simple procedural. Perhaps this is a case of lowered expectations, but I was darn impressed by "Save My Love," which felt like an episode of The Shield, with the main character running around so the authorities can't find the money.

The episode begins with what would seem like a cliffhanger from last week's episode, Winona waking up to tell Raylan that her hundred dollar bill had its corner torn off and none of the bills match. And then she drops the bombshell that she stole all the cash. Suddenly, it makes a lot more sense why she'd steal money, since the amount she has now is actually worth something versus a measly $100. She is no longer purely stupid but also a little greedy and opportunistic.

Raylan, of course, is fuming underneath, but agrees to help her as always. Through the misdirects, near-misses, bomb threat, and money bag almost being opened, Raylan prevails in the end, stashing the money away. If the money is eventually found, it can be attributed to someone messing up years ago since the communication between the closed bank and the Marshalls has already been so muddled. The real consequence is that Raylan and Winona aren't on great terms anymore, and there's a good possibility Art knows something fishy is going on

Boyd gets placed in an interesting situation, hired by the coal company as "security," which includes handling the Bennetts. Once again, Raylan and Boyd may have converging interests and end up fighting side by side despite their obvious animosity.

Meanwhile, Gary wants Wynn Duffy, a member of the Dixie Mafia, to help him with his horse thing. He just doesn't know when to give up.

Score: 9.4/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 6 Blaze Of Glory

I'm a fan of procedurals in general, so the fact that "Blaze Of Glory" will likely be inconsequential in the long run does not bother me. It's a well put together episode, with lots of Winona and Raylan, and a solid plot to support them. Basically, the episode solidifies the two of them, as Raylan not only saves her from certain criminal charges, but we also see lots of affection between the two.

Art and Frank was the small touch that made the episode. The scene in which Art chases Frank is funny, with two old guys cobbling after each other, but it also underscores the fact that Art is not as functional as before and not feeling great about it. Both are getting up there in age and both can relate, so we do feel a degree of warmth between the two. In the end, though, the law must be followed and Art follows through.

The situation with Boyd is explored in the very beginning, with Ava keeping quiet and Boyd lying. Sadly, the two do not return later on so we'll have to wait to see what happens to them.

Score: 8.9/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 5 Cottonmouth

Almost everyone would agree that, in the long run, serialized shows are more exciting than procedurals. Justified sits somewhere in between, juggling serialized elements with surefire procedural stories. However, as the first season progressed and the tension began rising, the show turned towards several purely serialized episodes, without the external, standalone Marshall jobs, and it really improved.

"Cottonmouth" is situated before the halfway point of the season, so the conflict still has a ways to go before the climax, but it is focused only on Raylan and Boyd. The guys from the mine drag Boyd into their scheme, which includes killing the mine foreman and blowing up tunnels. We wonder what Boyd is thinking, because it's never really clear what he's up to. Is he going back to criminal status? Then we hear him listening in to their conversation about killing Boyd as well, so it seems like Boyd has other ideas. Ultimately, Boyd turns the tables on them, switching the explosives to their deceit actually kills them, and saves the foreman. It's not all clear, though. Boyd still shoots the last guy in cold blood and takes a significant amount of number for Ava. Once again, we're left wondering exactly who Boyd is--is he a hero or a good-hearted villain?

While that's happening, Raylan continues to pry into the Bennetts and once again finds Dickie and Coover at the heart of trouble, as Coover got a forger to sign Walt McCready's checks from the state. The thing is, they don't tell Mags, who is a savvy businesswomen and knows not to call attention to the family. Her solution, bludgeoning Coover's hand with a hammer, is brutal, direct, and unforgettable.

Score: 9.3/10

Review – Justified Season 2 Episode 4 For Blood or Money

Up until the second season, Tim and Rachel have been non-factors, characters that filled the space behind Raylan. They were there, always tagging along, but we didn’t know who they were or what drives them. Last week’s episode had lots of Tim, and this week’s episode, “For Blood or Money,” has lots of Rachel, with the escape of her brother-in-law who killed her sister (according to Rachel, because the origins of drug abuse may lie elsewhere). Put in the spotlight, Rachel comes off very tough, unafraid of shooting and also unforgiving of her brother-in-law.

“For Blood or Money” is probably the most linear of all the episodes this season, with no twists and little movement for the outside plots. But the highlight of the episode, what Justified does so well, is humanizing the criminal. Heck, I even felt bad for the Furbot which only spoke Chinese.

There’s a bit of Mags, more talk of the Dixie Mafia, and Boyd trying to fight his innermost urges. It’s not much, but things have to inch along as the season progresses.

Score: 8.7/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 3 The I Of The Storm

"The I Of The Storm" clarifies a lot of questions about Boyd. Following up on the one scene from last week, he's living with Ava but it's not romantic. Boyd tries his hardest in the episode to keep himself contained, drinking alone, ignoring Dewey for the most part--but by the end of the episode, he snaps, dragging a poor, albeit racist, fellow along in his car before dumping him. And Raylan tells Ava to kick Boyd out, sure that Boyd is incapable of change.

Based on this evidence, we can tentatively say that internally, Boyd is still as troubled as ever and has not changed. But what about Raylan? Like Boyd, Raylan still seems troubled on in the inside, unsure of what to do with Winona and his life. But if Boyd can crack like that, and in one instant unleash pure fury, can Raylan keep it bottled up forever?

I like how Mags is still tied into the crime this week, with her three sons involved in some way. The Dixie Mafia is mentioned a couple times, so they should be another fun bunch for Raylan to take on or talk with.

Score: 9.0/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 2 The Life Inside

"The Life Inside" is largely a standalone episode about a pregnant inmate who escapes from custody. Raylan and Tim track down her and her captors, who actually want to kill her. The investigation isn't too complex, but the figures involved with her escape have enough meat that it turns out to be fairly interesting.

Like last season, Boyd is up to something, with his bloodied face and activities in the mine, but we don't know exactly what. Apparently, he's befuddled Ava into letting him stay with her, which might just be Ava being needy again. Regardless of Boyd's intentions, I'm sure viewers are very curious about him.

Mags continues to be frightening and possibly pure evil. Without proper context, she looks like a benevolent woman, but she's a hardcore killer talking to her victim's daughter. There's a lot less ambiguity from our perspective compared to Boyd from last season when he was all religious.

Is Winona pregnant? That would be a good reason why Raylan is staying, and also why he's cautious about his next move.

Score: 9.1/10

Review - Justified Season 2 Episode 1 The Moonshine Wars

The standalone case of the sex offender reminded me how great Justified is at creating villains inside a specific community. We spend plenty of time watching the creep do his thing, but the authenticity comes through with the accent and the rural setting, so we really feel like Raylan is in a local area where everyone knows each other.

It looks like Raylan will be facing Mags this season, the drug matriarch who isn't afraid to dish out poison. The interesting thing about her is that she knows Raylan very well, making her the perfect person for Raylan to face off against.

"The Moonshine Wars" is a comparatively quieter episode and doesn't have much shooting, but it sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the season. Raylan really doesn't want to shoot anyone, Rachel will probably have more to do, Winona is sticking around for a long time, and, of course, Boyd is up to something again.

Score: 9.0/10

Preview of Week 2/6/11 - 2/12/11

The Chicago Code - Fox,Monday, February 7, 9:00pm ET

Shawn Ryan. Cop drama. Do I need to elaborate?

Mr Sunshine - ABC, Wednesday, February 9, 9:30 ET

Matthew Perry returns to television, and with him "show killer" (not a reflection on her acting abilities, but she has starred on 3 shows which have failed to reach a third season) Andrea Anders.

Justified - FX, Wednesday, February 9, 10:00 ET

Our favorite U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens returns this week to hunt down a sex offender.

Review - Justified Season 1 Episode 13 Bulletville

Halfway through the episode, there wasn't many bullets and I was wondering exactly where the bullets in "Bulletville" were. Well, the second half rolled around and the bullets began pouring. First, Raylan and Boyd save Ava before coming under seize from the cartel members and take them out.

Aside from the shooting and awesome ending, Boyd's growth from the first episode has been nothing short of incredible. He goes from hateful neo-Nazi criminal to repentant Christian (with some shooting, of course) Since his release from prison, we weren't quite sure if he was playing another game or if he had actually changed. Walton Goggins brought his A-game and somehow made his character very sympathetic. After destroying the shipment last week, Bo goes after him and kills his buddies, forcing Boyd into a personal quest for his own version of justice.

Arlo, not to be outdone in the worst father department, is revealed to be working with Bo and agrees to give up his own son. But Raylan already has everything figured out and shoots Arlo before taking out two guys Bo sends.

Looking ahead at the second season, there are several loose ends. Boyd is going after the remaining cartel member in Harlan and has broken many laws, so he'll be in legal trouble. Arlo has to be locked up this time. Winona appears open to the possibility of taking Raylan back, letting slip that her husband is living in an athletic club. The cartel will have to go after Raylan with increased vigor after this latest incident.

Score: 9.6/10

Preview of Week 06/06/10 - 06/12/10

Breaking Bad - AMC, Sunday, June 6, 10:00pm ET

Best show on TV (better than Mad Men, SOA--50 times better than Dexter). That's all that needs to be said.


Lie to Me - Fox, Monday, June 7, 8:00pm ET

After a crazy wait, Lie to Me is finally back with new episodes! And the show was renewed, so we don't have to worry about ratings.


The Good Guys - Fox, Monday, June 7, 9:00pm ET

I didn't particularly like the preview episode Fox aired a few weeks back (review), but it could be worth revisiting if you like over the top silliness and a heavy amount of cliches.

Persons Unknown - NBC, Monday, June 7, 10:00pm ET

This new drama from NBC has an interesting premise--random people trapped in a confined area--but it's success hinges on the execution. Given how NBC scheduled it in the summer, I'm guessing it's probably not that great.

United States of Tara - Showtime, Monday, June 7, 10:00pm ET

The one show that has surprised me the most, more than The Good Wife even, has been United States of Tara. It dramatic turn from the first to second season elevated it far above Nurse Jackie and most other premium cable comedies.

Justified - FX, Tuesday, June 8, 10:00pm ET

I'm curious where the season finale will go and the implications on the second season. Depending on exactly how Boyd turns out, there may either be a shootout or cooperation between him and Raylan, which would be storyline for the second season.

Stargate Universe - Syfy, Friday, June 11, 9:00pm ET

I rag on the show a lot for many good reasons, but it's the season finale and one of the only sci-fi shows airing. The last episode ended with a standoff between the Lucian Alliance who have prisoners and the people on the Destiny who could kill the LA by venting the room.

Review - Justified Season 1 Episode 12 Fathers And Sons

Summer is right around the corner and sadly that means the excellent first season of Justified will becoming to an end. The serialized part of the show has kicked in and we haven't really seen a crime of the week thing since the judge episode (off the top of my head). "Fathers And Sons" was another, pushing towards the inevitable confrontation next week. And there hasn't been any shootings recently, much less from Raylan, so there could be some bodies dropping as well.

Arlo is going back into business with Bo for the Marshalls--for a price, of course--and by the end of the episode, Bo invites him back in. Along the way, Arlo talks down a soldier, inventing a story about Vietnam when he stayed alive in hiding while his friends were killed or capture. We can assume Arlo was in Vietnam and Arlo lies a lot, so he could have been lying about the veracity of his story.

Unless there's a huge twist next week, it would appear that Boyd is on the straight and narrow--albeit in his own rocket launcher toting ways. However crazy he may be, and he sure acted insane at the church, he really wants to get rid of the meth and is willing to cross his father. At the same time, he hasn't killed anyone since the first meth house explosion and spares the lives of the two cartel people. Then again, Boyd could have been scheming all along and become another nuisance to get rid of. My prediction is that Raylan will have to get rid of any personal misgivings about Boyd for the good of Harlan.

With Ava staying at her place, Winona shows some jealously and goes to Rayan's place for sex before leaving. Clearly she has second thoughts afterwards, but it's evident the feelings are still there. Later, Ava confronts Raylan about it and Raylan has nothing to say. Ava, meanwhile, takes matters into her own hands and stomps around town with a sawed-off shotgun, even pointing it right in Bo's face.

Score: 9.4/10

Preview of Week 05/30/10 - 06/05/10

Breaking Bad - AMC, Sunday, May 30, 10:00pm ET

After last week's freakishly smart/crazy episode, it looks like everything will be back on track which means anything can happen.

Justified - FX, Tuesday. June 1, 10:00pm ET

As the final two episodes of the season come around, the heat will be turning up. Boyd is out of control and Raylan will have to put a stop to him, but he may need his father's help.

Burn Notice - USA, Thursday, June 3, 9:00pm ET

The underlying mythology of Burn Notice has gotten kind of muddled and illogical with all the twists and turns that all go back to the simple fact that all the people who burned him want is his help. The beginning of Season 3 begins with another reset and Michael is quickly back into the spy game.

Royal Pains - USA, Thursday, June 3, 10:00pm ET

Royal Pains really began to wear on me in the later half of its first season and the second season begins much the same way. There's way too much interpersonal relationship problems, not enough comedy, and not enough medical stuff. That's where the difference between Royal Pains and Burn Notice is glaring. Burn Notice focuses on standalone stories much more and keeps away from soap opera-y arcs while Royal Pains embraces the soapy aspect to a point where everything feels labored.

Flashpoint - CBS, Friday, June 4, 9:00pm ET

Flashpoint would seem to be a normal procedural on the surface; it’s about an elite police team trained to talk down dangerous situations and if need be, take decisive action. Pretty simple, right? Well it is, and then you watch the show. Almost every episode immerses viewers into both sides of the equation—both the law enforcement angle and the mind of the criminal. It can get a little too sappy at times, but Flashpoint is one of the few procedurals that can bring out so much emotion.