From a short story by crime legend Elmore Leonard comes Justified, a new FX drama written and produced by showrunner Graham Yost, best known as the writer of the 1994 action movie Speed. Starring Deadwood alum Timothy Olyphant, Justified takes us to the wilds of modern day Kentucky and follows the exploits of Olyphant’s character, Marshall Raylan Givens, who is like a throwback to an old Western sherriff. He’s a no nonsense straight shooter who tries reason in tough situations, but is quick with a draw when talk won’t cut it.
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The title of the show stems from a shooting in the first episode where Marshall Givens smoked a criminal in Miami who had done him wrong. The shooting was deemed “justified”, but it gets Raylan reassigned to his home state of Kentucky where he becomes reacquainted with old friends, foes and kin. The state seems very lush and beautiful on the show, full of old towns and houses, but also full of ornery natives or the occasional Yankee who’s living there in exile and dreaming of “civilization.”
Justified has a feel that plays very true to Elmore Leonard’s style which usually involves introducing some quirky losers and a hero of some kind, and then throws them into a situation involving money that they all end up fighting over. Having read all of his books, the series makes me feel like I am watching one of his stories come to life.
Leonard started out as a western writer before turning to crime fiction. Many of his books have been made into films over the years such as 3:10 to Yuma, Joe Kidd, Mr. Majestic, Get Shorty, Jackie Brown, or the recent Killshot. Like Steven King, translating Leonard to film doesn’t always pan out. But this time it definitely does. The show has a nice pace and rhythm with colorful Southerners to give it some flavor.
The cast is filled out with Shield alum Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder an old work buddy of Raylan turned sometime nemesis. Nick Searcy as Raylan’s boss, Art Mullen. Joelle Carter as his hot-to-trot ex-girlfriend who has trouble written all over her.
Olyphant has landed a role tailor made for him, perhaps even better than his Sheriff Bullock character in Deadwood. Olyphant’s lanky, Clint Eastwood-eqsue presence makes a nice change of pace from all those bland, product enhanced mannikin’s on other networks. Besides some strong thespian chops, Olyphant has a trademark carriage and method that will serve him very well as his acting star rises.
I’ve seen the first five episodes and every one has been solid. Each is self contained and delivers the goods. If you like westerns, cop shows, guy shows like Burn Notice, you can’t do wrong here.
Justified airs on FX every Tuesday night at 10PM.