Justified (Season 4)

[Raiders]

Really liking this season. It's less focused (this last episode didn't even mention a parachute once) and without one common villain, at least so far. Raylan is really floundering and kind of directionless. His road trip adventures to catch up to the woman who stole money from him and her cockfighting-wannabe-ex-fist-fighting husband was a joy of laconic wit and the final showdown with beanbag bullets had great timing.

I do wish the church tale had gone on longer. Perhaps it will be resurrected (pun intended) later in the season.

[slqrick]

I really enjoy the way this show just does what it wants essentially, with each new season, without having to strictly adhere to the usual method of a protagonist dealing with a Big Bad over the course of a year. The Drew Thompson mystery is interesting, and I have a feeling it'll have a great payoff later on, but I like the fact that it doesn't have to be a part of every episode, or shoehorned into the last minute to remind viewers its there. I don't really care for Lindsey as a character, but the characters in that story (the boxers, the dude who owns the house, etc) have all been entertaining. Also nice to see them incorporating Rachel into Raylan's storylines.

[ledfloyd]

Yeah, that was a fantastic episode. I'm just bowled over by how great this season has been, and how even after four seasons I have no idea where it's going.

[Irish]

I really enjoy the way this show just does what it wants essentially, with each new season, without having to strictly adhere to the usual method of a protagonist dealing with a Big Bad over the course of a year.

^ This.

I find it really interesting that show is moving away from Raylan as protagonist and toward being more of an ensemble, what with all the divergent storylines.

This past episode was excellent. I liked how they developed the bartender character, carrying her over from previous seasons.

Favorite line:

Any fool that didn't see that grifter Barbie coming a mile off deserves getting his ass fleeced.

The expression on Raylan's face and the way he segues past that line is priceless.

[transmogrifier]

I do wish the church tale had gone on longer. Perhaps it will be resurrected (pun intended) later in the season.

I'm guessing the sister will definitely play more of a role, perhaps with Ellen May (a great example of a colourful supporting character given more depth over time - now if they can only do the same for Rachel and Tim).

The last episode was perhaps my least favourite of the season so far, if only because I was hoping that the bartender/boxer storyline had something more meaty behind it, especially as the boxer may have been a good foil for Raylan. And the very final scene at the gas station was unusually clumsy and poorly shot.

Still, very much enjoying the season so far. This and Breaking Bad remain the only two currently airing dramas that I find myself looking forward to. Homeland went to shit, and Treme is more of an old friend that you drop in on from time to time.

[Thirdmango]

As I was watching the latest episode I was a little confused because I had somehow thought the waitress was pregnant with Raylan's child. I feel like they said something like that in the first two episodes... But now I don't think that is the case.

[Henry Gale]

We're all aware of this, right?

--->

[ledfloyd]

Quite the parade of guest stars last night. It was fun seeing Gerald McRaney pop up, if ever there was an actor made for Justified.

[Raiders]

I'm unsure of last night's episode. It was among the most purely enjoyable and witty episodes for sure (Boyd and Raylan together is always choice) but it threw an awful lot at the wall all at once and less than a day removed, some of it hasn't stuck.

[ledfloyd]

I'm unsure of last night's episode. It was among the most purely enjoyable and witty episodes for sure (Boyd and Raylan together is always choice) but it threw an awful lot at the wall all at once and less than a day removed, some of it hasn't stuck.

I think it's an episode where the rest of the season will determine whether it was a good one or a bad one.

[transmogrifier]

I'm unsure of last night's episode. It was among the most purely enjoyable and witty episodes for sure (Boyd and Raylan together is always choice) but it threw an awful lot at the wall all at once and less than a day removed, some of it hasn't stuck.

Nah, it was much better than the previous episode. The only thing I'm concerned about is the fact they have lined up far too many threats to Boyd: Duffy/Johnny; Shelby/Ellen May; Cassie (maybe). You'd expect Boyd to keep on keeping on, so it will be a little repetitive to watch them all fail over the course of the season.

[Irish]

Quite the parade of guest stars last night. It was fun seeing Gerald McRaney pop up, if ever there was an actor made for Justified.

Love him. Weird that he turned up in "House of Cards" in the same week.

Didn't like how the episode was structured though, because McRaney's character is initially presented as a one-off but given his presence, you know it won't be.

I'm unsure of last night's episode. It was among the most purely enjoyable and witty episodes for sure (Boyd and Raylan together is always choice) but it threw an awful lot at the wall all at once and less than a day removed, some of it hasn't stuck.

Biggest issue for me is that the entire trip to 'Hill People' country was more or less useless. They open up the door on this entirely weird subculture (of which Raylan is a part) but you're only allowed to peek through, and briefly.

[Irish]

Also, floyd, your comment about an "actor made for Justified" made me think of Bill Paxton.

Now there's a guy I'd love to see on this show.

[Raiders]

Ron Eldard has stepped it up big time. Great job by him in this episode. Also, as a Supernatural fan, more Jim Beaver is always a good thing.

Good, not great, episode. I could do without the crooked lawyer-turned-bumbling criminal and though I always have wished for more Tim in the show, this was not really the way I wanted to see it. Hoping that his running into Colton will pan out into something bigger.

Raylan's reaction to the attempt at torching him was hilarious.

[Qrazy]

This show retcons so hard. So Arlo is completely sane and has a great memory now? Dafuq?

[slqrick]

Damn, what an episode. Olyphant handled the whole Arlo situation incredibly.

[amberlita]

Swear to god, at this point, I've completely forgotten why Drew Thompson is important.

[Irish]

Swear to god, at this point, I've completely forgotten why Drew Thompson is important.

I like to think of this as the "Sean Regan" problem (from "The Big Sleep"). It gets increasingly confusing when principals continually refer to supporting characters by name when you don't ever see those people, or see them only intermittently.

I got a little lost in the weeds on "Justified." I can no longer really tell what the hell is going on, or why anybody cares. But I'm still digging the ambition they're going for, what with so many subplots.

[Qrazy]

This show is terribly written. I watch for the scenery chewing alone.

[ledfloyd]

Raylan cares because he thinks his dad is up to something, and it kills him to think the old man could get one over on him. Boyd cares because Theo Tonin wants him to care. Why Theo Tonin cares? Hard to say, but I imagine that will be touched upon in the future.

It's less confusing than what was going on last season anyway.

[Irish]

This show is terribly written. I watch for the scenery chewing alone.

I'm watching for Boyd Crowder. I keep hoping the show slides toward making him the hero, of sorts. It's not really written that way at all, but that's the way I'm playing it in my head.

[Raiders]

This show is terribly written.

No, it isn't. Not by a long shot. Also, seems pretty obvious that Arlo was back on his meds tha he stopped taking last year now that he is in a regulated prison.

[transmogrifier]

The one thing I didn't like plot-wise of the last episode is Tonin jumping in bed with Boyd after Boyd has just blatantly lied to him and got one of his musclemen killed. That didn't make much sense to me.

[Qrazy]

No, it isn't. Not by a long shot. Also, seems pretty obvious that Arlo was back on his meds tha he stopped taking last year now that he is in a regulated prison.

Nah, it's terrible. Full of retconning, arbitrary character motivations, major character reversals, completely implausible set-ups, etc. That kidney episode for instance was complete idiocy demonstrating that the writers possess seemingly no knowledge of basic medical science.

Arlo's symptoms last season are a) a huge stretch given his issues and his medication b) there was a reason he stopped taking his meds, do you remember what it was?

[transmogrifier]

That kidney episode for instance was complete idiocy demonstrating that the writers possess seemingly no knowledge of basic medical science.

Huh? Dewey was duped. His kidneys weren't touched.