FXs new drama - Justified - starring Timothy Olyphant - Part 1

[James]

Has anyone seen 'Harlan County, USA', the documentary from 1976? At an hour and forty three minutes it's quite long, but it's a fascinating look into an area and time few people know about.

From Snagfilms.com:

HARLAN COUNTY, USA is the Oscar-winning 1976 documentary that tells the story of striking coal miners in Eastern Kentucky. Acclaimed filmmaker Barbara Kopple and her crew spent three years within the mining community filming the bitter struggle of 180 families. Facing dangerous and violent anti-union thugs and the brutal murder of one of their own, the striking miners fearlessly face the picket line day in and day out in the hopes of securing a fare wage and a better way of life for their families. The film is a tribute to all working families of America, but especially the women of Harlan County—who actively organized and spearheaded efforts to keep the struggle alive.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

I have watched all 6 seasons, and personally put it in my top 10 TV shows of all time.
Elmore Leonard's writing & prose really seemed to shine thru in this series.
Why end it? I feel cheated!!
Couldn't they pick up with Raylan in Florida working for the US Marshals ?

 

[Monochron]

I recently also watched the entire series and would go as far as to say this is my favorite show ever.

I thought the ending was perfect.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

the ending quote from Raylan, i think it was "We dug coal together" Did you all take it as meaning we're cut from the same cloth?

 

[Monochron]

It was Boyd who said it and then Raylan replies with "That's right."

In the end, after all the **** that happened, there was still an odd unbreakable bond between the two of them.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I am having trouble remembering right now, but wasn't Raylan lying to him? Basically letting Boyd believe that so he believe that is why he was there, as opposed to the real reason.

 

[Whatupman]

He did lie about the Ava thing, but the phrase "We dug coal together" does mean something. After Raylan shot Boyd in the pilot, Ava asked Raylan why he was sorry, and he replied "Boyd and I dug coal together". I love how they tied that to the series finale. Damn, this show ... One of my favourites, and definitely the one with the best dialogue.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I know what the phrase means. I am a big fan of the series. But Raylan wasn't there because they dug coal together. He was there to convince Boyd Ava was dead, and he used Boyd's misplaced sentiment, romanticism to do it. Boyd, the ultimate player, got played by himself really.

 

[Whatupman]

I think that's open to interpretation. He was definitely there to convince Boyd that Ava was dead, but I don't think he was lying when he agreed that they have a bond. I do believe that through it all, Raylan has enjoyed all the verbal sparring between them, and I do believe that, in some way, Raylan actually misses Boyd. And I'm not sure Boyd even believed the lie about Ava, so I wouldn't say that he got played.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

It was Boyd who said it and then Raylan replies with "That's right."

In the end, after all the **** that happened, there was still an odd unbreakable bond between the two of them.

Yes, You are right it was Boyd who said that.
But I always wondered how to interpret that.

 

[James]

I am having trouble remembering right now, but wasn't Raylan lying to him? Basically letting Boyd believe that so he believe that is why he was there, as opposed to the real reason.

Raylan said the coal line in answer to Boyd asking why Raylan came all that way -rather than just telling him about Ava over the phone. It was just a question of why Raylan bothered putting in the extra effort to talk to Boyd t:

 

[Peyton Westlake]

Raylan said the coal line in answer to Boyd asking why Raylan came all that way -rather than just telling him about Ava over the phone. It was just a question of why Raylan bothered putting in the extra effort to talk to Boyd t:

That also adds to the mystery of it. Raylan could have simply called to tell Boyd that Ava died in a car wreck. But he still chose to go down to see him face to face. I guess it could have been a mixture of his respect for Boyd and hoping Boyd would buy it in person.

 

[James]

My mistake, it was Boyd who said the coal digging line, and Raylan agreed.

I didn't interpret the exchange to have any great mystery, the pair had been through a lot over many years -friends in the coalmine, a shared love of Ava, common enemies, their professional rivalry, etc. Raylan thought that relationship deserved more than a phone call, is all I took it as.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

I wonder if thats how the writer or producer meant it to be. Shame we will never know for sure. Unless its said somewhere on DVD commentary.

 

[James]

It's always been my feeling that like any other form of art, TV is open to audience interpretation and how they perceive it. What the writers meant isn't really important, only the final product.

 

[Peyton Westlake]

It's always been my feeling that like any other form of art, TV is open to audience interpretation and how they perceive it. What the writers meant isn't really important, only the final product.

Sometimes, each person's own interpretation is the best in any art form I agree.

 

[Batmannerism]

Have just watched all of Justified, over the last 3 weeks.

I remember seeing the pilot when the show first came out, and liking it. But after that I kind of lost track of it (hey, life got in the way). But the DVDs were cheap at the local bulk store, so I picked it up and it sat on my shelf for four years.

Then one day I caught a re-run of the first series finale, and I remembered what a great show it was -shortly thereafter the DVDs came off the shelf.

Now, having seen the whole thing, I have to say it's in my top 5 tv shows of all time.

To be honest, as the show went on I felt more and more that the real hero of the story was Boyd Crowder - as Raylan can be a pretty manipulative and cold character, but I suppose that part of what made him such an interesting main character, that he wasn't perfect. Boyd was certainly a more engaging character than Jax Teller, from Sons of Anarchy - but maybe that was Goggins' amazing performance (and good writing).

Still, what a great show with a perfect ending.

 

[Tao43]

Yeah, it was an awesome show. Raylan and Tim did not have enough screen time together. They had great chemistry.

My number one tv show of all time. Binge watch it all the time.

 

[Batmannerism]

Yeah, it was an awesome show. Raylan and Tim did not have enough screen time together. They had great chemistry.

My number one tv show of all time. Binge watch it all the time.

Yeah, Justified is awesome - I'm glad they let it go on long enough to
have a satisfying end, but not so long it was repeating itself or getting stale.

After binge watching the whole thing - I'm re-watching it from the start.

Interesting how the first season has a bunch of standalone episodes (to establish the characters) but after that the following seasons usually revolve around a single main storyline.

While Raylan was great, Boyd Crowder was my favourite character. By the end of the show I was cheering for Boyd to ride off into the sunset with Ava.
Walton Goggins should have won an Emmy for that performance - I would rather hang out with Boyd Crowder over Walter White any day !

The ending scene with Boyd and Raylan was probably the best ending scene of any tv show.

 

[Batmannerism]

Anyone else missing Justified at the moment ?
( especially with the crap that's on TV right now !)

 

[Tao43]

Anyone else missing Justified at the moment ?
( especially with the crap that's on TV right now !)

Definitely having Justified withdrawals.

It sucks that the show never got the recognition it deserved. The Emmys were way to far up Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Game of Thrones butt to see how good Justified was.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, I love Breaking Bad and GoT and Mad Men was good, but the award shows have criminally ignored some of the best shows on TV like this, Hell on Wheels and Black Sails.

 

[James]

Part of the reason I ignore every awards show ever.

 

[Tao43]

Part of the reason I ignore every awards show ever.

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[Maximus 36]

So funny this thread has been bumped as I just started binge watching on Amazon last night. Already at the Season 2 closer.

Love every single character on this show. And even though I loved him as Shane on The Shield, Walton Goggins is a revelation on this show as Boyd. The dialogue between him and Raylan is just too great.