Season Two Premiere Advance Episode Review
“The Moonshine War” Airing February 9, 2011
JUSTIFIED Wednesday nights at 10 PM EST on FX
February 6, 2011
By Lena Lamoray
JUSTIFIED FX RELEASE: Developed by Graham Yost (Boomtown, Speed) and starring Timothy Olyphant (Damages, Deadwood), Justified is based on the works of crime novelist Elmore Leonard, including Leonard's short story Fire in the Hole. Fresh off the epic gun battle that concluded season one, season two of Justified finds Bo Crowder dead, and the Crowder criminal grip on Harlan County broken. Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant) must now face off against the criminal organizations that are moving to fill the void, and finds himself entangled once again with the mercurial Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins). The series co-stars Nick Searcy (CSI) as Givens' longtime friend and boss 'Chief Deputy Art Mullen;' Jacob Pitts (21) as 'Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson;' Erica Tazel (Life) as 'Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks;' Joelle Carter (CSI: Miami) as 'Ava Crowder;' Boyd Crowder's sister-in-law; and Natalie Zea (Hung) as Raylan's ex-wife 'Winona Hawkins.' Walton Goggins (The Shield) also stars as 'Boyd Crowder.' Yost (Boomtown, The Pacific, Band of Brothers) wrote the pilot and serves as Executive Producer/Writer on the series. Leonard (Cuba Libre, Rum Punch, Get Shorty) is also an Executive Producer on the series along with Fred Golan (Boomtown, Raines), Sarah Timberman (Kidnapped), Carl Beverly (Kidnapped) and Michael Dinner (Karen Sisco), who directed the pilot episode. Justified is produced by Sony Pictures Television and FX Productions.
JUSTIFIED “The Moonshine War” Season Two Premiere Episode Advance Review, Airing 2/9/2011
JUSTIFIED returns this week and you know what that means, more action, drama, twisted plots and law being dished out by the best dressed ‘Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens’. Timothy Olyphant does such an exquisite job portraying Raylan. Even though it wasn’t, Timothy makes you think that the role was written just for him. When he walks into a room wearing that hat, which Elmore Leonard calls “The Dallas Businessman’s Special”, you know he means business. I am enthusiastic to welcome in the second season of JUSTIFIED on FX. “The Moonshine War” - “Raylan tangles with a ruthless Harlan County crime family while hunting for a fugitive sex offender. Story by Graham Yost and Elmore Leonard; Teleplay by Graham Yosy. Directed by Adam Arkin.”
“The Moonshine War” begins by recapping where we left off last season but really how could you forget that powerful and intense shootout scene that involved Raylan (Timothy Olyphant), Boyd, Ava (Joelle Carter) and a couple of members of the Miami Cartel. Bo Crowder (M.C. Gainey) was shot and Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) decided to seek vengeance on the Cartel members that murdered his father. We are left with the sentiment that Raylan is the only friend that Boyd has left in the world.
I don’t think an episode of JUSTIFIED would be complete without someone getting shot, kidnapped, roughed up or whatever other element of poison the writers may deem fit. I think that is part of the charm of JUSTIFIED is that you never know exactly what is going to happen. Of course not knowing what will happen next is common in every show but incredible series like SONS OF ANARCHY and JUSTIFIED take it to a whole new level. FX really delivers shows that are powerful and precise. They know exactly what their audience wants even though sometimes they are forced to take it away from us, TERRIERS. I know will I ever stop mentioning TERRIERS? I certainly hope not. I have watched the first three episodes of season two of JUSTIFIED and each episode gets deeper, darker and more powerful. The ending of the third episode, “The I of the Storm” is just glorious.
In the season two premiere, Raylan uses a heavy hand to get the situation under control and has a meeting with Gio Reyes (Jordi Caballero) to discuss matters. Raylan wants his word that it is over. Chief Deputy Art Mullen (Nick Searcy) is behind Raylan on the matter and makes his support very clear to Gio.
Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel) requests Raylan’s assistance in checking out a call she got about Jimmy Earl Dean, a sex offender. Rachel is not exactly comfortable dealing with the matter alone and he offers to help her with his people.
Loretta McCready (Kaitlyn Dever) is getting “perved on” by Jimmy Earl Dean and he asks her some personal questions but it comes down to the wire and ends rather sharply for him.
Some things are found out about Walt McCready (Chris Mulkey) that do not fly with the Bennett’s and they give him an ultimatum that involves him putting his best foot forward.
Raylan checks in with Mags Bennett (Margo Martindale) and she gushes to Loretta about Raylan’s past and Mags offers Raylan a taste of her very special apple pie. Raylan wants to know if she has seen Jimmy Earl Dean or Boyd. One of the most insightful lines is uttered, “Never trust a man with three first names.” Mags also shares with us her stance on “sexual deviants”. Raylan and Rachel also pay a visit to Dickie Bennett (Jeremy Davies) and Coover Bennett (Brad William Henke) and that entails a rat swinging good time. The Bennett’s are a very interesting family and they alone could keep Raylan busy for the rest of eternity but he has other pressing matters to take care of.
Raylan’s quick thinking comes in handy even though he is forced to give a lesson on how a firearm works. His lesson “sounded good” and helped him avoid messy paperwork.
Walt McCready shares some apple pie with Mags because Mags wants to make sure that Loretta is okay after having to deal with Jimmy Earl Dean. Mags cares for Loretta and offers her support and assures him that his “troubles are all gone now”.
Raylan invites Winona Hawkins (Natalie Zea) over for an intimate discussion. They are always reminded of their connection and how difficult it is for them to get past certain aspects of who they are together.
The premiere ends with a bang and what else would you expect from an Adam Arkin directed episode? Wednesday nights have not been this exciting on FX since, I don’t know September 8th through December 1st. Don’t miss the premiere of season two of JUSTIFIED February 9th at 10 PM EST only on FX.
