Justified TV series review - cast, seasons and more

Overview

Justified is a crime drama TV series which made its debut on the FX network in 2010. It is based on Fire in the Hole, a short story by Elmore Leonard. It tells the story of a US Marshall called Raylan Givens who enforces his own sense of justice in his hometown of Harlan, Kentucky.

The series, which has six seasons, is set in Lexington, Kentucky and the Appalachian mountains in eastern Kentucky. It was nominated for eight Primetime Emmy Awards.

Premise

Deputy US Marshal Rylan Givens practices an unusual and old-fashioned form of justice. This makes him a target for criminals and an issue for his US Marshals Service superior.

When Givens engages in a ‘justified’ quick-draw shooting of mob hitman Tommy Bucks in Miami, he is reassigned to Lexington, Kentucky. The new jurisdiction includes Harlan County – an area Givens was raised and believed he had escaped for good.

Cast and characters

Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens – Timothy Olyphant
Chief Deputy US Marshal Art Mullen – Nick Searcy
Harlan resident Ava Crowder – Joelle Carter
Deputy US Marshal Tim Gutterson – Jacob Pitts
Deputy US Marshal Rachel Brooks – Erica Tazel
Raylan’s ex wife Winona Hawkins – Natalie Zea
Boyd Crowder – Walton Goggins
Dixie Mafia businessman Wynn Duffy – Jere Burns
Boyd’s cousin Johnny Crowder – David Meunier
Raylan’s father Arlo Givens – Raymond J Barry
Assistant US Attorney David Vasquez – Rick Gomez
Boyd’s father Bo Crowder – M.C. Gainey
Sheriff Hunter Mosley – Brent Sexton
Harlan stooge Dewey Crowe – Damon Herriman
Raylan’s aunt Helen Givens – Linda Gehringer
Winona’s second husband Gary Hawkins – William Ragsdale

Filming locations

The pilot for Justified was filmed in Pittsburgh, suburban Kittanning and Washington, Pennsylvania. However, the rest of the episodes were shot in California. The setting for Harlan, Kentucky was often the small town of Green Valley. In the pilot, the construction of the new Console Energy Center was seen as the new courthouse.

Trailer

The trailer shows Raylan Givens sat with a man whom he proceeds to shoot. When the body is carried out, a voice says ‘You do know we’re not able to shoot people on sight anymore?’ Givens replies with ‘He pulled first.’

On-screen text says ‘Raylan Givens has a past’. He pulls up to a house, where a man says ‘Look at you. Looking like a lawman.’ They hug, while the on-screen text finishes with ‘…He’d like to leave behind.’ The man asks Givens ‘Seen Daddy yet?’ Givens says ‘No, not yet.’

Production

Justified, which was originally called Lawman, was given an order of 13 episodes by FX in 2009. It premiered a year later, and FX renewed it for a second season, which made its debut in 2011. When the decision was made to end the show, this was due to a conclusion drawn by lead actor Timothy Olyphant and series developer Graham Yost.

The pilot was referred to as the Fire in the Hole pilot, and this name has stuck as the title of the episode. The series was developed for television by Yost, and he is also the series head writer and showrunner. The show’s theme song, Long Hard Times to Come, was performed by Gangstagrass.

Episodes and reception

There are six seasons of Justified, and each one has 13 episodes. Each season aired on consecutive years between 2010 and 2015. The average viewer numbers for each season was consistent, remaining around the 2 million mark.

At the time of writing, Justified has a rating of 8.6 out of 10 on IMDb. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 97%, and TV.com gives it 8.4 out of 10. Meanwhile, 93% of Google users have reported they like this show.

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