Justified The Complete First Season Timothy Olyphant, Walt Goggins Movies & TV

Well, it is set in Eastern Kentucky, rather then in Sparta, Mississippi; still, Justified is bound to resonate with any fan of the groundbreaking In the Heat of the Night series: small-town-in-a-big-World problems being solved creatively in 60 minutes or less, but without the annoyingly preachy tone that In the Heat of the Night would sometimes assume. A definite positive! You'll have fun making character comparisons between the two shows (can you find a "Bubba"? how about a "Luanne"?).

Let me first note that Justified is a very new show; so far, only six episodes have been aired. However, the episodes carry such an unusually high degree of promise, I feel confident rating the series, even at this early stage, with the top score.

The story is simple: deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) brings too much negative attention to himself by killing one Miami thug too many... He is therefore relegated to a remote post to cool his heels. Unfortunately for Raylan, the post happens to be the sleepy Eastern Kentucky, where he grew up and hoped never to come back... Estranged petty criminal father, an ex-wife,cheap dvd prices, an ex-flame, an ex-friend... Well... they do say you can never go back home... Or, was it: you SHOULD NEVER go back home?... Anyway, upon this background, the writers skillfully project a series of surprisingly engaging, multidimensional stories that go beyond catching "the baddy of the week." Yes, there is the usual parade of rednecks (and I hope we'll get to see more eccentric types as time progresses), but often "the baddies" are portrayed as flawed human beings, making some very poor choices, all while doing their best to survive in this World. And that does have the effect of bringing them into conflict with the law.

Also satisfying is the way the writers choose to characterize Raylan: he is NOT some cartoon super hero using secret kung fu moves to dispatch his enemies. Instead, he is a humble man, still dealing with emotional ramifications of his divorce, and still conflicted in his relationship with his father. Occasionally, he allows his foes to gain the upper hand (and rob him of his car, badge, and gun), further proving he is a real person, which makes him very relatable... Kudos to Timothy Olyphant for his portrayal of Givens. Both he and the writers have the character spot on from the first minute of the pilot!

To those who like action though, worry NOT. The stories never get sappy and there is plenty of creative a** kicking (somehow, even a bazooka makes it into the script!). If I were forced to find a pet peeve regarding Justified, it would probably be the unrealistically high number of good looking people with porcelain veneers and slim waistlines the authors have inhabiting the area. From my personal experience involving a five week stay in Lexington, Kentucky, the reality has fewer teeth and a much higher BMI (no offence to the locals intended ;o) ).

And so, keep this show on your radar. I don't watch TV anymore (I have cancelled my cable as it seems to stream nothing more then vile reality shows), but am so enthused by Justified, that I actually pay to watch it on Amazon On Demand,cheap kids dvd movies... Go figure...