FX deputizes a third season of 'Justified'

Timothy Olyphant stars in the Elmore Leonard adaptation

By Daniel Fienberg Tuesday, Mar 29, 2011 3:32 PM

Timothy Olyphant of 'Justified'

Credit: FX

After last week's sadness over the cancellation of "Lights Out," FX has some happier news to relay: The cable network has ordered a third season of "Justified."

"Justified" is currently airing its second season, with six episodes to go. To date, the drama has averaged 3.9 million viewers, up by 15 percent over Season 1, including 2 million viewers in the key 18-49 demographic, up by 18 percent. The overall audience rises to 7.2 million weekly viewers when you include multi-run averages.

The "Justified" finale is set for May 4.

"'Justified' was a critically acclaimed hit series in its first season, but the show has far surpassed our expectations this season," states FX President John Landgraf. "Creatively, the show is on a roll. The performances of Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Margo Martindale and the entire cast are extraordinary. Graham Yost and his team of writers are delivering some of the richest stories anywhere on TV and are doing a brilliant job of being true to Elmore Leonard’s original character, Raylan Givens. We couldn’t be more proud of the work everyone has done."

Adds Yost, who developed the series around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant), a character created by Leonard in the novels "Pronto" and "Riding the Rap" and the short story "Fire in the Hole," "I always say that the best review we've ever received on 'Justified' is the fact that Elmore Leonard gets a kick out of the show. I must add to that. Now tied for the best feedback we've ever received is the news that a network as cool and original and supportive as FX is bringing us back for another year."

The pick-up is for a 13-episode third season, presumably premiering on the show's now-established spring timetable.

As an additional note, several outlets were reporting on Tuesday that FX had also renewed the animated comedy "Archer." While this renewal is still very much in the cards, the deal is not yet finalized and therefore not yet formally announced. Stay tuned, though, because we're expecting an "Archer" renewal very soon.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

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yourblindspot

I truly hate to be one of these people, but the character of Raylan Givens first appeared in the novels 'Pronto' and 'Riding the Rap' almost a decade before "Fire In The Hole" was written.
March 29, 2011 at 5:25PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan YourBlindSpot - You are correct... That's what I get for blindly trusting the FX renewal press release...
  
  Fixed!
  
  -Daniel
  March 29, 2011 at 5:46PM EST
DougMac

good news
March 29, 2011 at 8:16PM EST Reply to Comment