The best drama (and possibly even show, period) on tv is Justified. Bold statement, eh? Well, it’s a bold, wonderful, highly unique and deliciously outstanding show, so my bold statement is… I’m sure you see it coming… justified. Shows like this deserve bold statements – and fanatical followings. So what follows is one bold fanatic’s review of a show she, her husband, and her cat are all madly in love with.
Unfortunately, Justified aired its first season opposite a show that I’ve watched religiously (and loved muchly) since it first aired, The Biggest Loser. My husband watched Justified while my daughters and I watched Losers. He raved about it so much I wanted to watch it but Bob and Jillian would have came looking for me. I’m nothing if not scared of fit little trainers, so I missed Justified the first time around. However, our oldest daughter Emily bought my husband the Justified: The Complete First Season
Justified is the story of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (played to absolute, stupefying perfection by Timothy Olyphant), an engaging hero from eastern Kentucky. With his Stetson, killer wit, cowboy boots, and forever-ready sidearm in his hip holster, Raylan’s a tv character that’s truly larger than life.
Not since Magnum (Tom Selleck) has there been a character who commands the screen and captures the viewer’s imagination like this.
Another bold statement.
While I’m on a role, I’ll go one step further. There have been a handful of television shows that were so perfectly cast you’d think the casting department answered to God, Himself. Given the state of the world today, God has His hands full, so we’ll just give credit to the STELLAR casting department. Justified – with their regular cast as well as delicious guest stars – is right up there with Friends, LOST, and ER.
The character of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens was created by America’s pre-eminent crime novelist Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Out of Sight) and is played by Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood, Live Free or Die Hard). The Chief Deputy of the Lexington USMS office is Art Mullen, played by Nick Searcy (Cast Away, From the Earth to the Moon). Working alongside Raylan are fellow deputies Tim Gutterson – played by Jacob Pitts (The Pacific) – and Rachel Brooks – played by the gorgeous and talented Erica Tazel (Life, The Office). Raylan, Art and the other deputies do what all U.S. Marshals do – chase down fugitives, protect witnesses, transport prisoners. Their rapport is one of the best things about the series.
Beautiful and talented Natalie Zea (The Other Guys) is Raylan’s ex-wife, Winona Hawkins and the equally lovely and talented Joelle Carter (American Pie 2) plays Ava Crowder, a woman involved with Raylan. Both of these characters are a lot of fun to watch – you really aren’t sure what either one’s going to do next. Their emotions shoot from the hip as freely and passionately as Raylan’s gun.
Suffice to say, the show would in no way be the same without them.
Fellow LOST fanatics will recognize M.C. Gainey as Bo Crowder. Gainey is an absolute genius. How he’s managed to keep from having an entire television series built around him is beyond me. The man’s mesmerizing. Speaking of mesmerizing, the cast members below are extraordinary as well.
- David Meunier (Johnny Crowder)
- Damon Herriman (Dewey Crowe)
- Nick Searcy (Chief Deputy Art Mullen)
- Jacob Pitts (Tim Gutterson)
- Erica Tazel (Rachel Brooks)
- Linda Gehringer (Helen Givens)
- Raymond J. Barry (Arlo Givens)
Along with Timothy Olyphat, one of the show’s biggest weapons is the brilliant actor Walton Goggins (Boyd Crowder). Goggins once said, “I don’t take a scene or word for granted.” Can you say APPARENTLY!?!? This actor is the type that simply isn’t fair to his cast mates, the scenery, the wardrobe department… When he’s on the screen (especially when he’s lost in such a compelling character), nothing and no one else exists.
The writing, the scenery, the chemistry amongst the stellar cast, the dialogue… even the dead-on wardrobe (as a Kentuckian, myself, I can attest to the fact that the wardrobe department has done their homework!) – everything is breathtaking. Everything is flawless.
The cast is so perfect it’s unsettling, the music makes you remember why you fell in love with music in the first place, and the dialogue leaves you speechless.
For people like my husband and myself – a couple of people who love to grab snacks, sit down with our cat Alexa, and just lose ourselves in a great television show – Justified is, in a word, magic. I’d rave more but I have a pot roast with vegetables to bake as well as banana pudding to fix. After all, I’m expecting magic tonight.
