Home Featured TV Shows All TV Shows Movie Reviews Book Reviews Articles Frequently Asked Questions About Us

Justified: Where's Waldo?

Art: "Raylan, on a scale from one to a shitload, how much do you need to tell me right now?"

Great title. It made me laugh before I even saw the episode.

Art's little diatribe to his buddy Patrick about Raylan was apt as well as funny. Raylan manages to find trouble wherever he goes — work, home, doesn't matter. Art is aware that Raylan is moonlighting, no surprise there. And now Raylan's girlfriend Lindsey has a violent, obnoxious ex-husband who beats people up for a living and wants to tussle with Raylan. You know this won't work out well.

So far, no Raylan/Boyd scenes, which are pretty much my favorite thing in this series. But Boyd doing dueling scripture with Preacher Billy was indeed fun, as I anticipated. Interestingly, Preacher Billy, despite his predilection for snakes, might be as sincere as he appears, and his sister Cassie might be the power in that relationship. Lindsay Pulsipher has definitely mastered her possibly evil Southern girl persona, and I couldn't help picturing a Justified/True Blood crossover. (That's right, werepanthers in Harlan, could be fun.)

Boyd sounded bitter about religion, which I guess isn't surprising. Boyd also struck out with his impromptu job application to be the new Dixie Mafia drug distributor in Harlan County, which was surprising. Wynn Duffy (absolutely love Jere Burns in this part — thanks so much for bringing him back) easily out-eviled Boyd by killing his own henchman and turning Boyd down.

I'm starting to wonder if a life of crime no longer agrees with Boyd? Or Ava, for that matter, who also sounded angry, bitter and mean when she called Ellen May a whore and said that salvation wasn't for people like them. Seriously, maybe it's time for Boyd and Ava to go straight. Either that or they're going to have to step up the evil. And I really don't want to see that happen.

As much as I love Boyd and Ava, I sure wouldn't want to work for them. Ava is absolutely correct that the newly baptized Ellen May will never be able to keep her mouth shut. I hope that doesn't mean Boyd's new and sort of fascinating enforcer, Colton, won't be taking Ellen May out. But even if he doesn't, I don't get the feeling that Ellen May's new life with God is going to work out for her, poor thing.

Jim Beaver returned as Shelby Parlow (great character name), who really thought he and Boyd were square and their relationship was over, while Boyd saw their relationship more as an eternal circle. Shelby wants to be free of Boyd, but it's obviously not going to happen without a struggle; Boyd isn't ready to give up control over a sheriff that he got elected. I bet this situation won't turn out well, either.

On to the Panamanian diplomatic bag plot. If this is the only episode in which we'll experience the late Waldo Truth's family, I'll be disappointed -- especially with Beth Grant as quite possibly this season's version of Mags. I loved that Tim called them "dogs in the pound". Also loved them lighting up a joint and passing it around in front of a group of armed U.S. marshals. That's nerve.

So if Waldo is dead, who is "Drew Thompson"? Arlo?

Bits and pieces:

-- Raylan didn't seem all that surprised or upset that his father had committed a murder. Not that I expected him to wring his hands or clutch his pearls.

-- Art just turned 56 and Patrick thought Art was going to retire. (Nooooo! Don't let Nick Searcy leave Justified!)

-- Raylan's new girlfriend Lindsey may have bad taste in husbands, but I like her philosophical twangy goodness. "You ever hear the expression, a woman needs a reason, all a man needs is a place?"

-- Loved the day care kids from the revival tent assaulting Audrey's with their fake money.

-- The Truths live in Versailles. Art pronounced it "Ver-sales" which I'm sure is correct in Kentucky, although it certainly isn't in France.

-- New verb: to "raccoon." Not very pleasant if it's happening to you.

Quotes:

Lindsey's ex: "I'm probably gonna walk out that door. But if I don't, do you think you could make me?"
Raylan: "I don't know, and I'd rather not find out."

Art: "Talking about buying an Airstream now."
Patrick: "Could be fun."
Art: "Oh yeah. Lots of time together in a close space. That'd be good for the marriage."

Art: "That mystery bag thing is giving me a little marshal stiffy."
Tim: "That's a nice image."

Art: "Boss doesn't drive unless he wants to, and I don't want to. But we are gonna stop for lunch before we get to the Truths in case you shoot one of them and we won't get to go after."

Ellen May: "That's from Palms, number 62."
Ava: "You mean Psalms."

Boyd: "You've got your collection plate, and I've got mine."

Boyd: "Wynn Duffy, meet my people. My people, meet Wynn Duffy's people."

Boyd: "You can trust me."
Wynn Duffy: "But I don't even trust the way you just now said I could trust you."

Another good episode with lots of seasonal set-up. Three out of four bottles of Pappy Van Winkle,

Billie
---
Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

8 comments:

  1. Loved the crisp dialogue; I knew I'd seen that actress before. Justified/True Blood crossover? Bring it on!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, this was good.

    More Tim, please! He is woefully under-used.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I second that, we need more Tim. And Rachel. I think it would've been fun if all four of them were together for this episode.

    You don't need to worry about Art retiring any time soon, Billie. The producer's said that because the show's timeline is so tight (the first tree seasons only cover a year) Art could be around for a few more season before he hits mandatory retirement at 57.

    I love it when Boyd gets his preacher on. I would happily watch an entire episode of his reciting scripture.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah, the preacher throwdown was everything I'd hoped for. Great stuff. I particularly loved Boyd's biting bitterness. Very apt, as you note, Billie.

    Wonderful to get some time with Tim. Woot! Art's description of him may have been more hilarious than his description of Raylan. And the three of them in the car speculating on the nature of Raylan's side work was so much fun.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm from Kentucky and Art did indeed pronounce Versailles correctly

    ReplyDelete
  6. "That's right, werepanthers in Harlan, could be fun." THANK YOU! I was wondering where I knew her from!!! :o)

    That may be the correct pronunciation for Versailles in Kentucky, but it sounded like nails on a blackboard to me! :o(

    Slow start to the season... can't wait for the action to start picking up and threads to start coming together! ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I know that I am in love with this show when I watch the Boyd/Billy showdown three times. Absolutely brilliant writing and acting.

    And, I agree -- more Tim, please. I loved Art's description of all three of his deputies. It was spot on, but the advice at the end on how to handle Raylan made me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  8. >>"and I couldn't help picturing a Justified/True Blood crossover. (That's right, werepanthers in Harlan, could be fun.)"
    Oh, God, THAT'S who she was...

    What always makes me smirk in the comments is the pleas for more Rachel/Tim. It's fair, and they do have Main Cast credits but I've long since accepted that they're always gonna be light flavoring. Can't say I'm all that bothered about it either... although there's still lingering curiosity about the time Tim was in the same faraway bar that Raylan went to with Winona.

    First episode was a little slow but this one gave me my proper Justified fix. It should be called Stacheless with respect to Duffman's return

    ReplyDelete

We love comments! We moderate because of spam and trolls, but don't let that stop you! It’s never too late to comment on an old show, but please don’t spoil future episodes for newbies.