I have this recurring tendency to never watch things right when they come out. I watched Breaking Bad years after it was off the air. Will probably go through Better Call Saul in about a year or two.
Why is this? If I had to put a name to it, life is short, and there is already too much content to consume in one lifetime. So, I have a strong predilection to wait. See what stands the test of time. What is worth coming back to.
I mentioned in my first write up on this that I was on the hunt for something new. I scratch that itch from a number of different sources. This time, a wiser man than myself guided my way to Justified. I had heard good things, so I decided to start.
And boy am I glad I did. Pulled me in from the first 5 minutes.
On its surface, the show is a procedure. There is a bad guy/event of the week and our hero stops him. However, much as I say about any genre of music, you can make any genre of anything work if it just has good writing.
My first big takeaway on this show is writing craft. This show is meticulously written. Not even just from a full season story arc perspective. Scene to scene just has time and effort put into it.
Another HUGE part of the show for me is the fucking casting. Lets put aside the leads for a minute, I want to give the casting director Cami Patton all the credit in the world of managing to pick up the strongest actors for the bad guy of the week parts. Pulling everybody from most of the cast of Band of Brothers to Mary Steenburgen to Stephen Tobolowsky.
Every episode is a treat to just see who they managed to pull in from episode to episode to act off this wonderful main cast.
But of course, all of those are just some of the reasons to watch the show. You know why you should watch this show.
Look, Justified ran for six fucking seasons. They can’t all be winners.
BUT, even in the series laziest hours, Walton fucking Goggins. Coming in to save the day. The writers only wrote one of the best TV villains for him to play and he fucking crushes it. Delivers 100% every time he is on the god damn screen.
Like it is worth just to see what shit Boyd Crowder gets into this week.
Much is made of gatekeeping things. Whether it be anime or a music scene, people are protective of a certain definition. To me, the worst offender is the Western. Justified is a Western with no fucking horses and set in eastern Kentucky. A lawman out to figure out what justice means. Dunno how much more western you can get.
It’s the Atmosphere too that sells it as a western. Building this whole world out of this small coal mining county just lends it to a man wanders into town looking for justice, vibe.
This is a show I plan on revisiting over and over again. In a land of 8 episode streaming bullshit that feels 4 episodes too long, this thing is a breath of fresh air. Go watch it.
4/4 – You’ll never leave Harlan alive.