Doing these posts reminds me each time of the huge talent pool that this show brought in: directors like for these two episodes, both with feature films in their CVs, and Dahl directed one of my favorite neo-noirs back in the day, plus previously they've had Jon Avnet and a few others who are also features directors. And then there's the kind of actors they bring in, like Stephen Root for The Hammer, as well as the Deadwood actors: last week it was Dan from the Gem, and this week it's his buddy in crime, Johnny.

I like how both these episodes have amazing scenes with Boyd and Raylan out in Boyd's wilderness "church." Raylan's whole prayer is absolutely golden, counterpointed perfectly with Boyd's long-suffering reactions. Then they follow it up the next week with the bust and the two of them lounging next to each other. It's no wonder they became the main slash pairing.

I liked that we got to see a little more of Tim in Veterans, and it was that scene where he shows up partly drunk (don't drink and drive, Tim!) to get them into the VFW that inspired me to write a Tim is actually gay fic for Yuletide that year (at the time, they'd never said anything, but a few years later they off-camera decided that he was, in fact, gay). I loved how quickly Tim moved to go after Arlo for striking Raylan--that says SO MUCH about who Tim is, and that he's seeing this side of Raylan he had no idea existed previously. Art maintains an even strain about it, but you can tell he's watching everything there very carefully.

Jesus, I hate Arlo. I always wanted him to die in a really hideous way. Bo isn't much better. It's too bad Helen didn't eviscerate Arlo in his sleep.