Early in this week’s episode of Justified, Raylan gets his badge, guns, car, cowboy hat, and dignity taken from him by the escaped con he’s hunting down. It’s an interesting moment. Up until that scene the viewer believes that Givens is damn near incapable of making a stupid move. Seems like every ten minutes since we met the guy last week he’s handling a bad guy in some funny, violent way, and yet here he just gets fucking owned. Is this the moment where Raylan loses his shit, where he shows himself to be something other than an enviable badass?
Of course not. Givens gets his shit back and the escaped con who took said shit before the credits roll. Thing is, I never had any doubt it would go down any other way - and that shit makes me nervous.
Now granted, this is just episode two and the writers are still developing their characters. In this episode, for example, we got a helluva lot more out of Ray’s colleague Gutterson, a former sniper in Afghanistan who tells a kick-ass anecdote about stakeout tactics. But the fact that already I’m positive that everything’s gonna be all right and wrapped up before the hour’s up? That’s all well and good for a good time waster, but my favorite shows on television today (Mad Men, Breaking Bad) are shows where there’s a sense that anything could happen at any moment. So far I’m getting no such sense from Justified.
I’m hoping the writers are just making it seem that way to fuck with me later down the line, that after the show has really established their rhythm their gonna throw some massive fucking monkey wrenches into the works, but we’ll see. Hell, if Yost really wants to make an Elmore Leonard-style show, he won’t change the formula up a whole lot. I mean, I love The Leonard but dude definitely has a formula that he doesn’t stray from in the slightest – and this show already has it down cold.
And that’s why though I feel the show isn’t going to be a and all-time classic, I’m definitely on board for the rest of this season at the very least. All the characters – even the bad guys who probably won’t be returning after this episode – are so well-defined it’s fucking sick. Every scene is tight, exciting and funny. I mean, just look at the scene where Givens gets bested in the liquor store. The recognition of the stolen tourist T-shirts, the I-can’t-shoot-you-but-I-could-get-your-partner-for-sure banter, the turn of Cooper chasing the other escapee off with the shotgun – just spectacular shit. Then there’s the dialogue (“Not just dildos!”) never disappointing my ass in the slightest. So there’s still a lot to love here, just in a seemingly more “classic television” sort of way than you might first expect.
But what kind of serialized-type shit did we see this week? Well, Winona’s pissed at Ray for fucking up her husband’s nerves with his B&E stunt last week for one thing. Then there was some more sexual tension between Ava and Ray in a motel room. Chief Mullen discussed how fucked it was that Ray had shot two men in ten days (which set up why Gutterson had to take out the bad guy sniper-wise this time instead of Ray quick-drawing on the dude).
Also, we got another mention of Ray’s old man, this time from the escapee Cooper (I wonder who is gonna play Papa Givens when he finally pops up). And then, of inarguably most interest, we got another great scene between Boyd and Ray. Ray talks with Boyd in the infirmary where he’s recovering from the not-quite-fatal chest wound he received last week. Boyd thanks Ray for shooting him, says it’s a sign from God that he must change his ways. Is this how Boyd’s gonna get back on the streets, by playing the Born Again card?
So thems my concerns and my joys, dear reader. I’m digging it something fucking fierce, but I’m not exactly pre-ordering the DVDs or any loopy shit like that yet neither on account of my nagging ”disposable episode” fears. How about you? Are you still down for this journey tenfuckingfold or are your fears mine? Should I just learn to stop worrying and love the fucking bomb, already?
[Read the Elmore Leonard story that inspired the show Justified.]
I’m wondering. What is the arc? You can’t go home again or something more?
I’m worried.
I like the idea of the show, I liked the pilot, I like Olyphant and his great presence. But I’m worried.
Last week, Raylan shoots Boyd squarely in the chest with what looks like a 9mm or maybe even a .357 SIG, both heavy, heavy rounds. And Raylan would probably use hollow-point bullets, meaning maximum internal damage. Boyd survives. ?????
This week, the redneck shoots Cooper right in the gut. And yet, Cooper summons the strength to walk out into the street where he JUST HAPPENS to be when Raylan drives by. Later, he tells Raylan his “plumbing” is okay, but it still hurts a little. Plumbing okay? Hurts a little? Listen, the guy should be dead. And so should’ve Boyd last week. You just don’t really recover from those kinds of gunshot wounds.
And how did Raylan JUST HAPPEN to walk into the convenience store where the escapees were?
Anyone for a verdict of “Lazy Writing”?
I’m worried too, Mike. Too many wounds that appear fatal and are not. Too many hesitant bad guys. And what’s the big picture? I’m impatient to understand it. Still, much to like in it.
Mike -
I’m not as concerned with the plausibility of those scenes so much as I am with the writers not willing to kill characters. Fudge on connections a little bit and I’m still in, not completely taken out of the story. Having no balls in said storytelling (i.e. being able to kill characters), that I have a bigger problem with.
Patti -
I think you’re right about “can’t go home again.” The dad is referenced numerous times and I think we’re gonna see more of Boyd. He’ll have to make some choices about the law before blood and…work buddies, I’d imagine. Let’s hope they start up that arc soon, though, and that they don’t drag their feet with too many disposable episodes, hoping to catch new viewers before the big story starts. FX did that with the first season of Sons of Anarchy. First half was disposable and kind of annoying, but then every episode connected and it was a blast.
Man, you guys want it all. I’m so happy to hang out with Raylan, see what’s going to happen next, I am thrilled.