TV Verdict

A cable network show about an old-fashioned US Marshall with a Stetson cowboy hat in the modern day may not be something to get excited about at first glance, but when it stars Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood) and is executive produced by esteemed American crime novelist Elmore Leonard, it’s enough to get our attention. Justified, the new FX drama airs its first episode Tuesday night, and the network was kind enough to send us over rough cuts of the first three episodes.

U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Olyphant) is a throwback cowboy with a hip holster and a proclivity for getting into quick draw gunfights with criminals, much to the ire and consternation of the federal government. Desperate to get him out of the spotlight after a recent high-profile slaying of a drug lord in broad daylight, the brass send Givens to the Kentucky office—his home state, and the one place he swore he’d never go back to. Now back in the Bluegrass State, Givens is confronted by his past—an ex-wife, an estranged father and some old time buddies turned to a life of crime.

Our observations are below. We’ll discuss characters and themes and keep it plot spoiler-free.

The first episode, “Fire in the Hole” introduces us to U.S. Marshall Givens, a cool and old-fashioned lawman that won’t pull his gun unless he plans to put you down. After causing some public relations gaffes with his bosses (killing people in broad daylight will do that) he’s sent home to Kentucky to work out of the local office. His new boss (Nick Searchy, The Ugly Truth) is welcoming but wary of the infamous addition to his staff—basically he asks kindly for him not to slay anyone else on the job, if only to keep up appearances. Being home brings him back into close contact with his ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea, Hung, Dirty Sexy Money) whose relationship with Givens is fractured at best, despite obvious feelings on his part. His first task is bringing in an old coal-mining buddy of his from back in the day, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins, The Shield), who has turned to white pride and acts of domestic—albeit redneck—terrorism. For Givens, it’s the opportunity to re-connect with an old friend, or shoot him dead, depending on how the conversation goes. Chasing down Boyd also brings Givens back into the life of Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter, Wonderland, American Pie 2), an old crush now married to Boyd’s brother.

In “Riverbrook”, a group of convicts escape from prison and Givens and the rest of the Marshalls are tasked with bringing them in. One of them has a plan to recover some money buried in a house over fifteen years ago, but is annoyed to find his ex-girlfriend and her new man burglarizing and tearing up floorboards all through town. The police don’t connect the events, but Marshall Givens does.

In “Long in the Tooth”, Givens along with US Marshall Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel, Jerico, Third Watch) head to California to apprehend a rogue dentist turned to vigilantism, but he’s annoyed when his boss puts Rachel on point for the investigation. The two clash immediately in terms of their styles. For Givens, the job is life itself, but for Brooks, it’s just a steady pay check with good job security, great benefits and a pension. She’s worked hard to get where she is, and now here comes hotshot Givens cutting to the front of the line.

Like a John Wayne role come to life, Givens is a magnificent character on the screen. He is confident and handsome and headstrong and unapologetically scrupulous; the living embodiment of an ancient, long-forgotten code of justice, lawful and principled to the point of self-annihilation. He would not be out of place in a glorious western film, marching towards a showdown he could not possibly hope to win. If he was Will Kane in High Noon, he’d kick the teeth of the bandits in with his magnificent cowboy boots and make out with Helen at the same time. There are going to be many obvious comparisons to his role in HBO’s Deadwood, but unlike the neurotic and uptight Seth Bullock, Marshall Givens is laid back and relaxed, like James Bond by way of a coal mine. Unflinching and unable to give his quarry an inch, Givens is considerate and sophisticated enough to give you a warning, but just one. After that, you’ll be leaving in a body bag.

You can really feel the influence of Elmore Leonard on this show. The character of Raylan is adapted from a Leonard character of the same name (from the novels “Pronto” and “Riding the Rap”) and portrayed as methodical and relentless in his pursuit of his prey. Leonard only serves in an executive producing capacity here—no writing by the looks of it—but if only by close association, Justified has picked up healthy doses of Leonard’s cool. Givens is a stone cold killer, but he’d much rather chat with his quarry, even give them the chance to head on out of town before the bullets start flying. He’s got a certain amount of, shall we say respect, for the criminal element; a begrudging acknowledgement that his purpose in life is to catch them. And without them, he’d be lost. You wouldn’t call Justified a comedy per se, but the sardonic dialogue between criminal and catcher, the interplay of role types leads to some pretty surreal and bizarre situations that are quirky and darkly comedic.

FX staple Walton Goggins (The Shield) does a respectable job as Boyd, the anti-Raylan, his childhood friend turned terrorist and white supremacist. He brings his most earnest intensity to the role, but is easily out-scowled by Olyphant’s ferocity. Some of the best moments in “Fire in the Hole” come from the easy banter and interplay between the two men; a weird and surreal brotherhood bond that transcends their opposite positions on the chessboard. Each makes it immediately clear that they respect and admire the other, but would not hesitate to pump hot lead into them. In this, they agree to disagree—Boyd wants Raylan to leave town, and Raylan offers his rebuttal by way of pistol.

FX has already approved Justified for a full thirteen episode run, and based on the rough cuts of these first three episodes, it’s almost impossible for them not to have a hit on their hands. The show flows so effortless between gritty drama and surreal wit—exactly the element people love so much in an Elmore Leonard novel—and the cable network gives it the freedom to drop some cursing and blood splattering. It’s hard to know from these three episodes where the show is going in terms of establishing a long-running plot arc, which Justified is going to need to survive in these crowded waters of television shows, but so far, I’m hooked.

Justified premieres on FX this Tuesday, March 16th at 10PM EST.