Justified rewatch: 2x02 and 2x03

[gwyn]

2.2 The Life Inside
Original Air Date: Feb. 16, 2011
Written by: Benjamin Cavell
Directed by: Jon Avnet



Raylan chases a pregnant fugitive who has fallen into the hands of human traffickers.


2.3 The I of the Storm
Original Air Date: Feb. 23, 2011
Written by: Dave Andron
Directed by: Peter Werner



The hijacking of a bus full of drugs ends in murder, and Raylan pursues the likely culprit: Boyd Crowder.

Comments

Life Inside

[gwyn]

As much as I loved having more Tim in this episode, and getting to watch Art flip them shit, I could really have done without a pregnancy horror episode. Of all the shows I wouldn't expect that of, Justified would have been at the top of my list. I did like, at least, that she figured out right away what was happening, and that the EMT tried to help--sad that he died for it. So much ick, with a few great moments, and we get to see Mags laying the groundwork for the lies she sets up with Loretta and how that will come back to ruin her.

Re: Life Inside

[mackiemesser]

Yeah, this felt a lot like a filler episode and it seems a bit odd to have one like that so early in the season. Still, I do appreciate whenever Tim gets to be awesome and Mags interacting with Loretta had me really tensed up - super sinister.

Re: Life Inside

[gwyn]

It's weird, isn't it, how the haze of remembering what a bang-up job they did on the season as a whole clouded that there were a few not so great ones in the mix. I think this might be where Winona steals the money, too, and that ends up sort of wrecking Art and Raylan's relationship? Ugh. Fortunately, we know a lot of good stuff happens in Harlan.

Re: Life Inside

[mackiemesser]

Oh, that thing with Winona and the money was so frustratingly pointless and stupid. I'm certain they could've come up with another way to show Raylan was morally flexible in some matters that would have been more organic.

I of the Storm

[gwyn]

It's weird how much the quality of S2 sort of blinded me to some of the lesser stories in it--I'd forgotten these two episodes and they really did not watch well for me in this rewatch nine years later. This feels unfocused to me, and they're very busy setting up a lot of stuff for later, including the threads of the Gary story, Boyd's reasons for going back to crime, the return of Dewey, and all the crap with Winona that happens later. Plus the level of crookedness in the Bennett family, and Doyle's role in it, how little of a handle he and Mags have on their loose-cannon idiot family, even though they believe they do have control. Some great guest stars though, especially Michael Mosley, who I'm always happy to see.

Re: I of the Storm

[mackiemesser]

Wow, I had forgotten that Doyle Bennett was law enforcement. Mags sure did have her shit planned out.

Very much an introduction to new characters and plot set up episode.

Also, Winona kinda irritates me.

Re: I of the Storm

[gwyn]

Yeah, this was the season I started to hate Winona. I feel like they took a really bad turn with her, because the showrunners were all men. It would have benefited them to work on her with the same regard they had for Mags and Loretta and Helen. Not to mention how complicated and interesting Ava was. It was just strange, the path they followed for Winona.

The other thing I forgot to mention was them seeing Tim in the bar, with another guy. That was when I knew my assumption about him was correct, though they never onscreen confirmed he was gay.

Re: I of the Storm

[mackiemesser]

Yeah, they did such great work with so many other women - Ella Mae was a standout, for instance - but Winona just didn't work.

Right? They show that one thing and then never anything about Tim outside of work again. I feel like they could've spent a lot more time with him.

The Life Inside

[hafital]

What totally wigs me out about this episode is that the bad guy baby daddy is played by a friend of mine from high school d'oh. He pops up on tv shows and movies all the time and each time i'm like oh look there's Kai. And let me tell you, he don't look it in this episode but he was CUTE in high school. Super tall and charming and with a dazzling smile. And he was talented (I went to an arts high, so we did theatre together) Me and all my friends had a wild crush on Kai, and my best friend went to prom with him! LOL.

Anyway, he's sporting an Evil Mustache in this episode. So you know he's Evil.

I agree on the pregnancy horror, and that it didn't need to happen. Though I think I did like this episode for the most part. 'Course it could just be because of Tim. I will admit that. At least she didn't die or give birth on screen.

I want to talk about the awesome scenes with Raylan and Boyd at the beginning but I am distracted by the shirt Raylan is wearing that shows a tantalizing hint of clavicle. He's always wearing button ups and suit jackets for the most part. This is a nice (sexy imo) change. I know we see him more undressed several times, but I really like that shirt on him.

I am loving this seemingly defeated Boyd. I do believe that the loss of his followers (by his dad's hand) really knocked him for a loop. <3

Mags is decidedly creepy with Loretta.

I like it when Raylan and Tim tease each other. :D

I will happily put up with the grosser parts of this episode for that two second bit where Tim says getting the print off the cuffs was Raylan's play, the wee hint of a smile Tim gives Raylan, and Raylan giving him a nod in return.

My high school crush is like the worst kind of bad guy here. I mean, I respect a criminal like Boyd. But this guy is just utter gross weak trash.

"Shut the hell up or Tim is going to hit you in the face." haha.

Love the looks Raylan and Tim exchange as they realize where the bad guy is behind the table. Then Tim shoots the bad guy. Chilling but efficient and cool.

Incidentally, i watched Unbelievable on Netflix (which has a tough subject matter but it's EXCELLENT imo) that stars a more grown up Loretta (I forget the actress's name. Kaitlyn?) and she's very very good in it though it's hard to watch at times. And, coincidentally, it also stars my high school crush Kai, but he is not evil in Unbelievable. In fact, since the leads in that show are all female, he's a supportive husband and a Nice Guy. No evil mustache haha.

Re: The Life Inside

[gwyn]

Oh man, that is WILD.

Raylan in a henley is pure sex, I agree. And yeah, I loved that little interplay between Raylan and Tim. I just love them together--I know Boyd and Raylan was the slash pairing of choice, but mine was always with Tim. I was always out of step.

Re: The Life Inside

[hafital]

I'm always out of step too. We'll be out of step together. And I'm Raylan/Tim all the way.

It's not that I don't see Raylan/Boyd, cause it's like staring me in the face, or that I don't like it because I like it fine, it's just that I have never been a frenemies pairing person. I'm not a hero/antihero fan lol. I like my pairings to be on the same side.

The I of the Storm

[hafital]

Dewey! I like Dewey's rare moments of insight. "You know Boyd, for a guy's supposedly changed, you sound a lot like you always did."

I get that Winona is irritating. My problem with her is the same that I have with every show where there's a cop and a spouse who nags about the fact that they're married to a cop (or marshall in this case). It is a tired dynamic. But otherwise, I kind of like Winona despite this. I'm contrary like that. Though i can like her and also find her relationship with Raylan hugely problematic.

I like that Raylan pushes back on wanting to keep their relationship private, and I really wish they had called Tim over! Dang it!

Tim's "I don't miss." He does seem peeved by the question. It's funny because he's does project a laid back attitude almost to the point where it's the exact opposite, so I don't blame Art's alarm bells going off. Again, love the look Raylan and Tim share when Art calls Raylan back. It's just little things, but it I like the respect they have for each other.

"He's a little off, and you're always a little off." ilu Art.
"Suppose it could be Rachel. Are you sleeping with Rachel!?"
"I think I would remember if it were me." "Did you roofie me, Raylan?" Art's evil laugh when he figures out it's Winona haha.

I'm sad he couldn't ask if Raylan's sleeping with Tim, since Tim was already at the restaurant.

I learned a lot from watching Justified. Like the existence of an "oxy bus."

btw, I love Boyd with glasses. I have a glasses thing. And I loved that he called Raylan to tell him about Dewey.

Raylan's hat is another co-star on this show. '

"Are you speaking martian, Doyle?" lol.

This episode does take many sudden turns so you don't quite know what it's about.

Re: The I of the Storm

[gwyn]

God, yes, the thing with wives hating their husbands work--right around the same time, I had a bunch of my fandoms do the "my wife doesn't want me to police/ superhero" bullshit, and it made me fucking livid. I just feel like they had no idea what to do with her, so began to make her a pill and a thorn in Raylan's lifestyle, and I wish they'd chosen a different route or just written her off the show, because I didn't want to not like her.

This felt so mixed up. Like they broke the story, but when they were filming things, they began to realize a bunch of issues and just threw shit together.