Justified rewatch: 1x02 and 1x03

[gwyn]

1.2 Riverbrook
Original air date: March 23, 2010
Written by Graham Yost
Directed by Michael Dinner



Raylan hunts an escaped prisoner who is determined to reunite with his ex-wife—and his stashed fortune.


1.3 Fixer
Original air date: March 30, 2010
Written by Benjamin Cavell
Directed by Fred Keller



In tracking a confidential informant, Raylan goes up against a pair of violent ex-cons who are just dying for a showdown with "the Kentucky Cowboy."

Please share your thoughts and reactions in comments.

Comments

Riverbrook

[gwyn]

I kind of love, from a storytelling perspective, how they hung a lampshade on the metatextual basis for Raylan--a man who famously does not miss--missing by a fraction of an inch shooting Boyd in the heart. (Not to mention the obviously quality healthcare available in Harlan County, Kentucky!) Just because they knew what they had with Boyd as antagonist, and needed to keep him.

This was a great second episode, where we get to learn more about the Marshals team as well as Raylan himself--his "Well, shit" when he gets locked in the store was priceless, and all the hat jokes were perfect. But he's also his super competent self when he immediately recognizes the other escapee just because he's wearing a tourist t-shirt Raylan walked by on his way in.

I love him wanting to interview the former exotic dancer because it sounds more fun. (Also, super fun to see Pam from True Blood playing someone so different.) Dewey continues to be the supreme asshole you almost kind of can't help feeling sorry for. Every time Raylan bounces his head against a hard object an angel gets its wings. And Tim gets to show us what a competent badass he is--he's talked the talk earlier in the episode, and they set it up perfectly for him to walk the walk.

Fixer

[gwyn]

I remember when this first aired, I found the ep really kind of disturbing but I couldn't quite figure out why, and watching it again after all these years, I still get that feeling. It might be because of the creepy, smiling, seemingly hapless Travis Travers--he's so sinister underneath all that, he seems like he should be in the future serial killers of America club. But there's also a lot of good stuff that's not creepy that I enjoyed, including Raylan getting hazed like he's a rookie and him getting shot in the chest. Also loved how Raylan's reputation precedes him everywhere he goes, and Art wanting him to take a vacation so that Art, not Raylan, can get some rest.

I love how well they know each other, too--it's one of the great joys of the series to me, the way they play off each other and the depth of their knowledge of how the other operates, even if that doesn't mean they necessarily understand each other.

That scene where Raylan is talking about gunfighting with Curtis was so excellently tense and character-building, and I love how casual Raylan acts while instilling more than a little fear into Curtis with how competently he handles the gun--and the confrontation. Truly one of the best examples of showing rather than telling.

Raylan and Ava just exude sex appeal with each other. Yow.

Re: Fixer

[mackiemesser]

That's what I remember most about this episode: how nonchalant Raylan was about being a stone cold badass.

That and how blackly funny this episode was. I mean, they all are, but this one really seemed to cement that tone.

Re: Fixer

[gwyn]

That and Art continues to be the droll best: "Far be it from me to second-guess your neck hair." Every episode he gets the best freaking lines.

Re: Fixer

[mackiemesser]

Art really did get some excellent lines, tho the whole cast had amazing skill with a dry retort. :D

Re: Fixer

[j_pole]

Poor Art has no idea how much stress Raylan will bring into his life. He should've checked his heart while he had the opportunity.

Raylan's reputation instills in every criminal in Kentucky the desire to test it thus leading to a lot of great scenes. Also, the line 'you gonna bet your life on it?' makes its first appearance.

Raylan and Ava scenes are bittersweet to me. As a viewer, I love Boyd/Ava more, but can't help thinking that if they hadn't rush things so much, she could've been happier in the long run. Raylan obviously too hung up on Winona for this to ever work out, but... I love their conversation at the end, especially Ava's "that would be a crying shame" line, I don't know why.

Early installment weirdness: it seems like Lori (whose existence I forgot about) could've been a little more prominent character if the show stayed episodic. Is this the only episode she's in? I'm actually glad this character was dropped: yet another woman (of the same type, more or less) flirting with Raylan would've been too much. More attention to Rachel would've been better.

[hafital]

Oh we're doing 2 eps? lol. I'm behind already! This week ran away with me but I shall catch up and enjoy doing so.

I'm going to have so much fun with this rewatch. It's been a few years since I watched Justified, and it's just enough time for everything to be new again, yet still familiar.

Loved Riverbrook. As much as I like the larger story arcs, it is nice to watch a show that has some good stories that can be told in one episode, while also serving some great character development. TV has definitely swung toward serialized tv shows with shorter season, and the episodic format is no longer that popular. But I cut my teeth on shows like Justified, that handily managed both.

I am a happy girl whenever Tim and Rachel are included in a scene. <3

All those planned development estates are a maze of similar looking streets, so I laugh at the bad guys getting the wrong house.

I snickered a lot at the "cousin" jokes.

My favorite bit was Art teasing Raylan about his hat, and Raylan describing Tim's sniper abilities.

[gwyn]

I thought it might be easier to do two at a time, just because 76 weeks is a looong time and without the commercials, the eps are only about 90 minutes, but it seems like anyone who was interested...wasn't in the end. But if you'd rather do one I can change it up, no problem, since you're one of the only ones commenting.

I agree--I love episodic TV sometimes, and this is just the best. There are lots of small arcs, but we get a new story each week, and it's just so well written and acted. I looove Raylan talking about Tim--"if he wasn't out there, I wouldn't be in here." ♥

[hafital]

I like the 2 a week! Let's keep it that way. 76 weeks is very long, but also I always want to watch more than one.

I looove Raylan talking about Tim--"if he wasn't out there, I wouldn't be in here." ♥

Yes! Thank you for reminding me of this. <3 times infinity.

1x02

[j_pole]

I really like those early procedural episodes. When I was watching for the first time, I read Alan Sepinwall’s reviews and comments underneath after each episode and was taken aback seeing how impatient and annoyed a lot of people were with them.

If the scene at Ava’s house hadn't sold me on Raylan and Boyd complicated rivalry, the scene in the hospital definitely would’ve. Boyd being so cordial with the man who shot him, joking with him, waiting all night without pain-killers to talk to him… Good stuff. Also, Boyd’s accent sounds differently here than in later seasons. Goggins said in an interview that he changed it slightly every year, but I hadn’t noticed it during my first watch.

I love that it was left ambiguous whether Raylan missed on purpose or not. He believes he intended to kill Boyd, but this episode is all about stories people tell themselves, stories that aren’t necessarily true, so there’s still a room for doubt.

Raylan letting Dewey drive cracks me up. It looks a little reckless and cocky, but of course, Raylan has the situation under control. That thing about Dewey working in a theme park was brought up again in season 6 when Raylan told Tim about it. Continuity!

I feel like 1x02 does a similar thing to the pilot, what with Raylan ending up in the same situation/conversation he put someone through in the beginning of the episode, only this time it’s less dramatic.

That scene where Shirley admires her, ahem, cousin for having ambitions and plans resembles the later scene with Winona. I think this is what makes all the criminals and lowlifes of ‘Justified’ a fun company to hang out with (from a safe distance): a lot of them aren’t just violent sociopaths; they have something to strive for.

Tim and Raylan immediately having this unspoken understanding and trust was amazing, but some part of me wanted to see this process taking more time and emphasis.

In conclusion, I love this episode. I understand that it pales in comparison to the pilot, but it’s a good thing. If every ep was just as dramatic and tense, it would’ve made the show, on the whole, less watchable and less enjoyable, as we had the chance to see with those Netflix (and not just Netflix) shows where the creators don’t believe in the ‘breather’ episodes. More importantly, this ep proves that ‘Justified’ isn’t self-important, which is crucial to it being so fun.

Re: 1x02

[foolonthehill]

Your comment about Goggins changing Boyd's accent every year reminded me of the interview with Olyphant on Conan where they were discussing the possibility of Raylan having a Jamaican accent/lisp. The demonstration that Olyphant does cracks me up every time.

And I adore the interactions between Dewey and Raylan, and this one specifically is so, so good! In prison, we are left under the impression that Raylan is just, you know, being cocky and all when he decides to transport Dewey alone, but as we watch the scene, we discover that Raylan has thoroughly familiarized himself with Dewey's biography (and maybe actually is using his phone for that while Dewey is talking to him) and later - when he mocks Dewey at the end of the scene by repeating his words - that Raylan has been listening to Dewey all this time despite appearing distant and disinterested. Raylan might be exceptional with his gun, but I firmly believe that it's his genuine interest in criminals and people and their stories in general that make him such a fine lawman.

Fixer

[hafital]

Something about this episode reminds me of an old school Starsky & Hutch episode -- it's the whole money shark and his enforcer/collector, even roping in the girlfriend.

I do love these early episodes, where we're getting some sold character building, and learning more and more about Raylan, as well as Tim and Rachel. Highlight of the episode is the Tim and Rachel gleefully pushing off the informant on him haha. <3

I agree with Gwyn with how creepy Travis Travers is, but also how genius it was naming him Travis Travers. It just really adds to his smarminess.

On 1.2:

[foolonthehill]

One of the most important and cool things to me about this episode and the way the series generally deals with Raylan's missteps is how he isn’t a flat male escapist fantasy that always wins no matter what. He can have a bad day, he can find himself in the position of a hostage already in the second episode, he can and definitely will be ridiculed by his boss; in other words, he is affected by the circumstances like any other character on the show. But I’m a huge advocate of humanizing Raylan and everybody because, in my opinion, it’s a lot more fun that dealing with the simplistic images…

Also, kudos to the people who were in charge of all music on the show. I think all the songs that are incorporated in the setting/events, like that I Do Believe song playing on the radio in season 2, or Mags’ solo, or the performance by Dave Alvin really add to the overall atmosphere tremendously.

+ I can’t help noting that both Raylan and Boyd are self-proclaimed music lovers, and it’s just another nice little detail that reflects how similar they are – and where they come from – and makes you think about how close they could/must have been as teenagers. Many folks in the fandom who ship them like to imagine that fateful-night-in-a-truck-with-some-fine-‘shine-situation, and I feel like the music element of this or any other similar situation is underappreciated, lol.

Interestingly enough, the conversation in a car with Tim has convinced me that Tim has a helpless crush on Raylan. And I used to be somewhat opposed to the pairing, mind you. I mean, it’s just very, very compromising for a presumably straight man to talk about knowing how his hypothetical target “jerks off” and “what he looks like when does” in a conversation with another presumably straight male colleague, whom he barely knows. It could have been a bad/awkward attempt to joke about the memorized amount of unnecessary details, true, but Tim’s whole body language is very nervous and submissive throughout the scene, and he is visibly afraid/bracing himself to look straight at Raylan. And their interactions in seasons 1 and 2 against the background of Tim being pronounced gay off-screen definitely leave a lot of room for speculation.

And I’ve heard that some of the cast members/writers were somewhat eager to move on from the episodic/procedural storytelling of the first season, and as much as I get the literary ambition to embrace some bigger story lines, I’m convinced that it’s always a testament to the writers’ abilities when they‘re able to succinctly present a short story that is the thing-in-itself. Because you’d need a plot that is not too complicated but simultaneously not too simple to become predictable and boring, and you’d need engaging characters, you’d need a lively rhythm and a fitting climax, not to mention that this kind of stories usually forces you to explore all the possibilities that the setting offers. So, even though some people consider season 1 somewhat weak in terms of its story lines, I think that it’s not necessarily inferior to the others, just different, and it was actually the best way to introduce the characters and the duties and cases of the marshal service. And I honestly missed this, let’s say, lighter type writing in the subsequent seasons because not everything should be a matter of life and death and it’d have been so nice to be able to accompany our marshal team a little longer.