Review: 'Justified' - 'This Bird Has Flown': Chicken run
Raylan and Rachel go looking for Lindsey, while Ava has a call to make on Ellen May
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in "Justified."
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A review of tonight's "Justified" coming up just as soon as I download the song about looking for a rainbow in every storm...
"How much you know about this girl?" -Rachel
"This Bird Has Flown" probably wasn't as compelling as some of the other season 4 episodes so far, if only because I don't really care about Lindsey one way or the other. I haven't minded her in the past, but nor have I felt a need to see more of her in the way that, say, Joelle Carter popped off the screen as Ava back in season 1.
Ultimately, though, I think the episode worked because it didn't really hinge on that question of where her loyalties lay. It was about Raylan trying to talk himself into something that he knew probably wasn't true, just as the episode's B-story featured Ava going into similar contortions about Ellen May, when she had to know, deep down, that they would wind up having to kill her.
And I appreciated not only how the two stories paralleled each other — and both ended with the woman of questionable loyalties disappearing into the wind — but how Graham Yost and company have been structuring the season so far. There's the big mystery arc lurking in the background (and only touched on briefly tonight; see below), but for the most part, it's a string of smaller events, with one leading to the next, and then to the next. Randall shows up a few episodes ago, then Lindsey disappears with him and Raylan's cash. Preacher Billy turns up for a few episodes and dies(*), but it turns out that the real threat is the spiritual rebirth he's inspired in Ellen May, and the damage she can do to Ava.(**)
(*) I thought that was something of a mistake, the way this episode treated Billy's death as accepted fact. Yes, his odds weren't good of surviving the bite, but the way the information was delivered here felt anticlimactic, especially given how good Joseph Mazzello was in his three earlier episodes.
(**) Ava's arc this season very much brings to mind that line from the "Boardwalk Empire" pilot where Jimmy tells Nucky he can't be half a gangster anymore. That, or Mike Ehrmentraut's line to Walter White about the danger of half-measures. She's either a full-on part of a criminal empire, or she's out.
The other part of the episode I quite liked was the work it did in continuing Operation: Tim and Rachel, here focusing on the latter and her budding friendship with Raylan. Four episodes in, I do feel like I can discuss actual character traits for the two of them. We can see that Rachel, for instance, likes and/or respects Raylan a bit, whereas Tim just sees him as a pain in the ass. They both enjoy mocking him, but Rachel is also looking to him as something of a mentor, in a way very evocative of McNulty and Kima in "The Wire," and I hope things turn out better for Rachel than they did for Kima.
And because of the way these episodes have been structured, with some kind of surprise at the end of each hour that sets things up for what the next show will be about, it's hard to get too hung up on a particular episodic story. After all, I got to spend an hour watching Raylan Givens banter and shoot people with bean bags. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
Some other thoughts:
* The Drew Thompson mystery gets put on hold this week, save for a fleeting, intriguing clue: Shelby is reading the autopsy report when his deputies bring Cassie in. We know Shelby was also a cop in his younger years, and I'm assuming he'll have some connection to the case, as well. More Jim Beaver is never a bad thing.
* Ron Eldard hasn't had a lot to do so far as Colton, but we get our first sign that the man isn't quite as comfortable with killing — at least, with killing women (and/or innocents) — than he seemed when he was introduced in the season premiere.
* Always glad to see Navi Rawat, who pops up for a short but memorable scene as Gina, the woman who jokingly offers to wrestle Raylan. Hope this wasn't a one-shot deal for her.
* To bring in just one more cable drama comparison, it was hard not to think of a certain "Sopranos" scene while Ellen May was riding in the car with Colton, even though she seemed to understand much less of what was going on. (Or was faking it better, based on her apparent escape at the gas station.)
What did everybody else think?
Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupAlex V
January 30, 2013 at 12:12AM EST Reply to CommentAny chance Ellen May was taken? We know there's a mole in Boyd's operation and Wynn Duffy could use an advantage over Boyd? Or what if (and this is a long shot) the preacher's sister took her for many of the same reasons? Think about it.
LR too cheesy and contrived. She ran, for good reasons
January 30, 2013 at 3:10AM ESTK Eh. It seems plausible to me that Johnny could have tipped off Wynn and Wynn may have kidnapped her.
January 30, 2013 at 5:26AM ESTAlex V It just seems like she had no inkling of what was happening. And it's plausable to me only because I can't figure why they'd rehash the whole preacher scenerio if only to have Ellen May run away? Granted it could turn into a Russian in the woods scenerio where Boyd just stresses out about when she will show back up and but I'm not convinced this show deals in those sorts of ambiguities. You're probably right. Maybe I'm just over thinking it.
January 30, 2013 at 11:02AM ESTmeghan Ellen May is a moron. She could never connect the dots that her life was in danger, let alone in the amount of time Colton was in the bathroom. I don't buy that she ran off.
January 30, 2013 at 3:08PM ESTBigGreenMat I thought it was pretty obvious she was taken. First off she is positively ecstatic when she is told she can go back 'home'. No inkling of what the call actually meant (not to mention she isn't the sharpest tack). Also the knock on the door when Colton is in the bathroom was obviously one of the abductors. They saw their opportunity. One of the them grabbed Ellie Mae, the other knocked on the door and was going to shoot Colton as soon as he opened it. The fact he just yelled and didn't open it because of needing to do the drugs just took too long and the abductors just left.
February 5, 2013 at 12:25PM ESTIf she did just run off, then the knock at the door and the pump in the truck make no sense. I can't believe they would be that careless (unless they changed their minds on the direction to go after shooting these scenes and didn't do a reshoot).
Steve2 I figured Ellie Mae got picked up by the preacher's sister.
February 5, 2013 at 3:13PM ESTNo way Ellie Mae would run off on her own. She's been clueless since the series started. Including this entire episode and particularly the car ride.
Jim Beaver's character told the preacher's sister that if she had anything on Boyd that they'd take him down. She didn't know Boyd was listening and Beaver's helping him. But she does know Ellie Mae has the goods on Boyd and she wants revenge for her bro's death.
toonsterwu
January 30, 2013 at 12:13AM EST Reply to CommentI hope that isn't the end for Jenn Lyon. I was starting to enjoy her and they started shading in some things about her today, making her more than Raylan's girlfriend. Although the tough, independent woman aspect was sort of shown last season as well.
Wonder how much more, if any, they do with the chicken and fighting stuff. Seems like they must have something more, after setting up so much.
The Shelby tie-in to the Drew Thompson stuff would be interesting. I loved the fact that he hung up on Boyd today.
Wonder how they play the Ella May stuff? I like the twist that the real threat was Ella May and not the preacher, but it feels like there could be something else with Cassie.
All in all, a fun episode that moved briskly.
big tony I don't think we've seen the end of Lindsey. Someone had to tip off that pyschic about the Raylan/randall fight. My money is on a connection between the pyschic and Lindsey which all ties in to the Waldo Truth mystery.
January 30, 2013 at 11:28AM ESTJaxemer11 I hope it is the end of Lindsey. I don't hate her, but she has nowhere near the chemistry with Raylan that Ava or Winona had.
January 30, 2013 at 11:34PM ESTNick Christie
January 30, 2013 at 12:21AM EST Reply to CommentSadly, this was in my opinion the worst episode since perhaps the first season. I love this show, but man tonight was hard to watch. A get-rich scheme that involves taking a cop's money to start a chicken ring? A "fighter" who literally cannot stop fighting and is mind-numbingly one-dimensional (sorry, two-dimensional if you count chicken-dreamer), a blonde who just ran off to do god knows what over a paltry sum of money/chickens, and Raylan ONCE AGAIN turning his back only to get jumped and yet managing to avoid certain death because the girl thinks he's charming. The Elle May storyline was sadly predictable, although at least somewhat poignant, but man, all the Raylan stuff was disasterously cliche.
Anyway, I just couldn't stomach the mounting ridiculous scheme and Raylan once again narrowly escaping death for his own stupidness. Sigh... at the least next week we get back to Arlo and Wynn. God knows we deserve some Wynn for sitting through tonight.
Tony M Happily, in my opinion, I thought it was the best episode of the year....
January 30, 2013 at 1:11AM ESTCinemaPsycho You know what, sometimes criminals really ARE actually stupid. I know we're not used to seeing that on TV, but it's true. The great thing about Justified is that smart people behave like smart people, and stupid people behave like stupid people.
January 30, 2013 at 2:45AM ESTLoopyChew Elmore Leonard is known for writing 1) stupid people on either side of the law and 2) people on either side of the law who are too smart by half. That's part of the formula that makes it fun!
January 30, 2013 at 8:16AM ESTSlam I'm done with Arlo, was disappointed to see him in the teaser for next week. The backyard fighter thug will be a great villian. The show keeps bringing in these beautiful women, but Ava Crowder still numero uno. Stunning.
January 30, 2013 at 1:56PM ESTJaxemer11 I have to agree with you. I haven't been this bored with an episode of Justified since Season One. The stuff with Boyd was great (as it always is), but the Raylan storyline was boring. And worst of all, there was no Art in this episode. The beanbag gun was great though. Raylan needs to get himself one of those.
January 30, 2013 at 11:37PM ESTHollywoodaholic My complaints are the obvious Southern California location's, Ava's $400 styling haircut, and the other details that are really starting to take away from the original backwoods bumpkins appeal of the show. I understand that, surviving four seasons, the cast are starting to feel their oats and look more like movie stars, but let's not forget no matter how much crime pays in Boyd's world, you still can't buy taste.
January 31, 2013 at 11:48AM ESTjoel The Ellen May storyline was predictable, but she's such an idiot bumpkin that I have a hard time believing she pulled over Meryl Streep-quality acting on Coltin.
January 31, 2013 at 1:17PM ESTBut what really stunk of poor writing was Lindsey, who apparently is planning the long con as a bartender in low-rent neighborhood bar. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and feels more like the writers quickly jetisoning a character or actress they'd changed their minds on. Really weird writing all-round on this episode, definitely one of my least favorite of the series, even if it did have quite a few funny moments.
DougMac Joel,
February 1, 2013 at 1:42AM ESTI don't think see was planning the long con at the bar. I think she just got turned on to the excitement of her old life and took a chance at a quick buck instead of grinding out a shitty wage at a hillbilly bar. She was never going to be more than Raylan's rebound from Winona anyways.
Nick Christie
January 30, 2013 at 12:30AM EST Reply to CommentOh, and one more thing: no one dies of rattlesnake bites any more. I googled Rattlesnake statistics, and apparently if you're treated within six hours, you're 99.7% likely to survive a bite. And even if not treated, you're still 95% likely to survive a bite, particularly one not on your face. Maybe they assume that city people think rattlesnakes are cobras or something, but that's another sloppily weak conclusion by the writers. Less than 25 people in the entire country die of venomous snakebites each year. If they did in fact call an ambulence, that preacher was fine. And if they didn't, he'd still be fine unless he was profoundly unlucky.
Wowie Kazowie "I googled rattlesnake statistics." Take a moment and really savor that phrase.
January 30, 2013 at 12:35AM ESTNick Christie Ha, well since I live in an area with poisonous snakes, and have gone hiking in the Appalachains I wanted to reassure myself that there wasn't some new superbreed of Kentucky river rattlesnake that was going to kill me. Luckily, there isn't.
January 30, 2013 at 12:43AM ESTChampSkins I also did a quick little google search... turned up this article: http://wtvr.com/2012/06/03/snake-handling-preachers-death-shines-light-on-lethal-appalachian-tradition/
January 30, 2013 at 1:37AM ESTSays about 100 practitioners have died since 1909 handling snakes. Not as uncommmon as you would think...
I imagine Yost and company did their research on this before they had it happen.
Nick Christie Hahaha, this is what happens when you post on the internet. Okay, if having a 3/1000 chance is legitimate enough for everyone, as well as the fact that annual deaths from rattlenake bites is above zero in this country (but below 10), then yes, the writers did their homework.
January 30, 2013 at 2:37AM ESTDarkdoug I thought they said it was some other breed of snake when Boyd brought it in. Maybe it was more poisonous.
January 30, 2013 at 4:54AM ESTAndrew @Nick: "if having a 3/1000 chance is legitimate enough for everyone". This is a TV drama, not a documentary. Are you saying the only things that can happen are those that naturally occur in real life? Not even reality shows or cooking competitions can claim that. As far as I can tell, the only show that follows that rule is...Ellen.
January 30, 2013 at 10:12AM ESTChampSkins The article I provided wasn't about having a 3/1000 chance, it was the fact that preachers who deal with snakes do actually die a decent amount. It isn't THAT far fetched as you make it out to be.
January 30, 2013 at 10:32AM ESTJohn Well, *untreated* rattlesnake bites are often fatal. That was the problem with that preacher int he article linked to. He waited eight hours before calling for medical attention, and it was too late by then. But according to Wikipedia (yeah, I know, but it linked to what looked like a reliable source--it was the US Department of Agriculture's Web site, which in turn cited a study in the New England Journal of Medicine) the survival rate of victims treated within two hours of a bite (which seems like it certainly could have happened here, given that they were in a town) is greater than 99 percent. Also, approximately 7500 (it says "between 7000 and 8000) people are bitten by poisonous snakes in the US each year, and only about five die. That means that your odds of dying after you've already been bitten are about 1500 to 1. So while it *could* happen, especially if he foolishly refused medical attention (though there was no mention of that), it still seems pretty unlikely. At any rate, I'm actually glad the writers killed him off because those snakes were creeping me out. I couldn't even watch the final scene last week, as I knew it was going to end with him bitten (I just listened).
January 30, 2013 at 10:49AM ESTMean Gene I was also thinking that it was very, very strange that we didn't actually see the preacher die. And that he would've died from a rattlesnake bite, which I knew (though I'm not a herpetologist) usually aren't fatal. It's just very odd that the writers expected the viewers to assume that when Billy got bit it was a death sentence.
January 30, 2013 at 11:26AM ESTAnd it seemed like such an easy "win" for Boyd--show the preacher and his sister weren't as holy as they seemed, bring Ella May back to the fold, move on. Which makes me wonder if Billy actually did die, or if Ella May was indeed sent back to Boyd and Ava to distract them from other plans Cassie might have. She told Shelby she was content to let God handle Boyd's punishment, but the look in her eye said that she wasn't going to be that patient.
Which makes me wonder, if Colton tells Boyd that he did indeed kill Ella May (to cover up for letting her escape), and later on she and Billy are both "resurrected" and start preaching again, how might that affect Boyd and Ava?
Just a thought. Because treating Billy's death as obvious, as something that didn't need to be shown or even directly addressed, raised a red flag to me.
dondon19 Preachers who handle snakes do it to prove that they believe and are protected by God. If they get bitten they do not seek medical intervention - to them that would be tantamount to admitting they do not believe
January 30, 2013 at 11:27AM ESTJonas.Left Something that happens less than once a year over the course of a century is, indeed, a rare occurence. Of course, plausibility and likelihood are not the same.
January 30, 2013 at 9:08PM ESTBesides which, Raylan's career is becoming increasingly unlikely.
nath DonDon is right. Snake-handler preachers do not seek medical attention as part of their religion. They feel like they will live or die from the snakebite as God intended. If that's ridiculous to you, you don't understand how their religion works.
January 30, 2013 at 10:00PM ESTMean Gene Don't think I said it was ridiculous, just not very well spelled out that he'd died. And I daresay most viewers wouldn't know that snake-handlers don't seek treatment, and then there's the fact that for a young, healthy male there's still a reasonable chance of surviving a bite. My point is that there's ambiguity here, and I don't know if it's the writer's deliberately leaving doors open or if they just didn't think Billy's death was important enough to dwell upon.
January 30, 2013 at 10:29PM ESTJaxemer11 I imagine he didn't seek any medical attention. It seems like a preacher like this (who really believes what he is saying, and is not a shyster) would believe he should leave it in God's hands whether he should live or die. Isn't that how his father died?
January 30, 2013 at 11:40PM ESTjizzmo2003@yahoo.com You do know that this is a TV show, right?
January 31, 2013 at 11:19AM ESTCol Bat Guano Except his sister, who seems to be the brains of the operation, was calling for an ambulance and he was in no shape to disagree. I also found his dying to be out of the blue.
January 31, 2013 at 11:25AM ESTTony M
January 30, 2013 at 1:26AM EST Reply to CommentWhat's terrific about Justified is that you really never know what people are going to do. It was just possible that Raylon shot Randall with a real shell - the dark streak in him was that real. And Eva and Boyd's shifting feelings about Ellen May made the final call to have her killed that much sadder. Great episode.
CinemaPsycho So they were really talking about "sending her to Alabama" at first? Because I wasn't sure. Somehow I knew they would wind up killing her off, so I wondered why they were monkeying around with euphemisms they clearly didn't mean.
January 30, 2013 at 2:41AM ESTLoopyChew Ava was. Boyd wasn't.
January 30, 2013 at 8:19AM ESTTony M He was driving her to the bus station, per what Ava said earlier. And I think it was clear when he got Boyd's call, that it was a change of plan and that he wasn't all that happy about it. That's why he went to the restroom to snort heroin to prepare himself. I also thought Boyd and Ava's last conversation was clearly about a fresh decision.
January 30, 2013 at 10:24AM ESTIf they wanted to kill her from the start, they could have done it easily in Harlan. Why get cute about a girl no one is going to miss?
LoopyChew I thought the last conversation was Boyd explaining to Ava that he didn't really have a cousin in Alabama, but that's me.
January 30, 2013 at 12:48PM ESTSlam When Ellen May was getting driven to that Motal in Alabama, all I could think of when I was 8 yrs old aand my first dog Linus in failing health getting driven to that big farm up north where she could run free and have a great life ...
January 30, 2013 at 2:03PM ESTZEKE Sorry to hear about your dog, Slam. That must have been tough.
January 30, 2013 at 7:15PM ESTChampSkins
January 30, 2013 at 1:27AM EST Reply to CommentUgh, Joe Mazzello was so compelling as Billy. Was realllly hoping that wasn't going to be the end of him. Oh well.
Jonnybon Agreed
January 30, 2013 at 2:55PM ESTJonas.Left I'm hoping the "as long as you haven't seen the body" rule will come into play. As long as its done credibly. I don't care for religous figures generally, but Billy was genuine and sincere and honest. I also loved the self aware comment about being "the hillbilly with the snakes."
January 30, 2013 at 9:17PM ESTI do think it would be interesting to see his sister helping out god in the wrath department.
joel His death was weirdly abrupt but it would not be the first time Justified brought in a well-respected character actor only to jetison them quickly. He could still be alive but even the sheriff acknowledged his death, and death is hard to hide from the law. Plus it's going to be awfully hard for this whole thing not to get sort of silly if his sister is setting up some elaborate, devious trap for Boyd.
January 31, 2013 at 1:13PM ESTMC
January 30, 2013 at 2:02AM EST Reply to CommentAm I the only one afraid that they're laying the foundation for a Raylan/Rachel romance? I'm hoping it's going to end up as a mentor/friendship, but you never know.
Marquan I actually think that would be okay to watch as long as it goes badly fairly quickly, which it probably would. I don't want to watch them fall in love, but any kind of tension can enhance the drama if you handle it right.
January 30, 2013 at 2:34AM ESTJonas.Left I'm not9t afraid of it, but it did occur to me. I think Itwould be iinteresting. I don't think it would be smart for either of them, but I don't think that's a consideration those two seem concerned with.
January 30, 2013 at 9:23PM ESTEd I hope not. Raylan would make a terrible mentor.
January 31, 2013 at 1:28AM ESTChris
January 30, 2013 at 2:42AM EST Reply to CommentSo, maybe this is a stretch, but I thought that Ellen May was actually in cahoots with the preacher and his sis. Hear me out. She tells Boyd that his face was all puffy, etc. Boyd walked away right after the bite, so he likely didn't see him die. Justified has never been squeamish about gore, so why not show him die rather than just some throw away comment. The sister could easily be keeping the preacher hidden. She's probably also smart enough to not mention that she knows Ellen May's secret to the sheriff. At the end, she could have run off or been secreted away by the sister. It's a long shot, but maybe...
Bernardo63 I tend to agree about the preacher. Has anyone of any importance in this series died off-screen? I would not be surprised to see Joe Mazello appear at an opportune time down the line.
January 30, 2013 at 10:49AM EST
January 30, 2013 at 10:52AM ESTJonnybon I like this.
January 30, 2013 at 2:56PM ESTElevation
January 30, 2013 at 3:05AM EST Reply to CommentJustified is so great. My only issue was that I found it far fetched Raylan was keeping thousands of dollars in his sock drawer in an apartment above a bar. Was there no other place to store or deposit large sums of cash?
franimaljones Agreed. Especially showing the hiding place to a bartender with an unknown past and a seedy husband. I don't even show my kids my hiding places.
January 30, 2013 at 1:36PM ESTJonas.Left This season seems dedicated to proving definitively that Raylan is a great gunman and a screwup at everything else. I love the jokes at his expense, but its starting to feel like hitting him with beanbag rounds after he's already handcuffed to the van of life.
January 30, 2013 at 9:29PM ESTBrian
January 30, 2013 at 3:35AM EST Reply to CommentPainfully bad episode. Ugh. Taking a shower.
Darkdoug
January 30, 2013 at 5:02AM EST Reply to CommentRegarding the McNulty-Kima comparison, it worked out okay for Kima, IIRC, since she was a successful detective at the end of the show, while McNulty went out on his ass. I'd say that McNulty provided her with a warning about consequences as well as lessons on how to be a cop. And it WAS Kima who turned him in at the end, after all. Kima was on her way down McNulty's personal path before he started mentoring her professionally.
Art suggested Rachel should take a lesson from Raylan last week, and maybe these close-up looks at Raylan in action will serve as a kind of early-warning sign to her.
Jim Tindle Justified and The Wire are mutually exclusive. Dumb comparison in the review and dumber in the comments. Enough.
January 30, 2013 at 12:26PM ESTJonas.Left Yeah, Justified is nothing like The Wire. Not once has it ever felt like a chore to watch.
January 30, 2013 at 9:32PM ESTSlam I'm so sick of people who treat The Wire like it cant ever be criticized. Deadwood was way better. It's like the cult of The Beatles. All art is subjective, and everything is open to debate.
February 1, 2013 at 3:53PM ESTshalom82
January 30, 2013 at 7:33AM EST Reply to CommentI was recently thinking that this show is still one of the very best on tv, and briefly flirted with all-time greatness in season 2, but what it really needs to be worthy of inclusion in Sepinwall's follow-up to "The Revolution Was Televised" is one thing and one thing only - Garet Dillahunt.
Jonas.Left The perfect guest star for this show. He can do so many shades of creepy.
January 30, 2013 at 9:34PM ESTUcity
January 30, 2013 at 10:45AM EST Reply to CommentFirst shot taken by Raylan this season?
Haynie
January 30, 2013 at 10:49AM EST Reply to CommentA few notes:
- I'd really like an update on Arlo. Not like we didn't last see him kill a man or anything. I'd have thought Boyd and/or Ave would have gone to see him byw now, unless he's in solitary.
- How hard is it to drive the van back to the seller, tell him they were bought with stolen money, flash a badge, and get the 20k back? Maybe that just reinforces the sincerity of Raylan's comment to Rachel about how he wasn't really supposed to have it to begin with.
- Colton's casual murder of the oxy dealer and his issues with Ellen May seemed slightly inconsistent to me. There all kind of logic you can apply to make it work (man vs. woman, viewed the dealer as a traitor), but that was a big leap in reaction from one murder to another.
- When Raylan first staggered into the bar at the end of the episode I couldn't really tell where he was. I actually thought he was showing up at Winona's, which would have made sense as he just lost all the money he was putting away for the baby.
Slam I thought the same thing about selling back the chickens, but the guy handcuffed to the van woulda told the law, then Raylan's in trouble. The only way he gets his money back is killing the thug, then selling the chickens. But Raylan doesnt want to go that deep. Not his style, Tyoical Elmore Leonard character; jst shrugs off the money
January 30, 2013 at 2:08PM ESTchas I felt the same way about the load of chickens. Randall wouldnt have said anything. He was already going back to jail for a parole violation, he wouldnt admit to breaking more laws. As for Colton killing the oxy dealer, he may have been drugged up beforehand or just find a moral difference between a guy dealing and a poor dumb country girl that hasnt done anything.
January 30, 2013 at 3:53PM ESTKyle Rovinsky
January 30, 2013 at 12:22PM EST Reply to CommentI don't get the obsession with Tim and Rachel. They're minor characters-- who cares? Or perhaps better said, why not care about Lindsey (you basically said you dont) but do care (apparently strongly) about other second-tier characters?
And a another Wire reference! Oy vey.
sara I care. Having well defined secondary characters leads to a better show. Plus Tim gets some of the best lines and his and Rachel's relationship to Raylan is sort of important to defining the character. Raylan may be a good Marshal but time and again he has been shown to be a crappy co-worker and a so-so friend. I think this helps to keep his character interesting and less one-dimensional then if these relationships didn’t exist. Personally I found Lindsey interesting both as a character and as an example of Raylan’s questionable taste in women but don’t really care one way or another if she sticks around.
January 30, 2013 at 12:56PM ESTfranimaljones
January 30, 2013 at 1:25PM EST Reply to CommentWasn't there a different blonde bartender Raylen was hooking up with last season? I don't remember that obnoxious voice on the last one. Alan, I don't care about Lindsay either. I hope she is out of the picture.
January 30, 2013 at 2:20PM ESTbitchstolemyremote
January 30, 2013 at 1:32PM EST Reply to CommentEnjoyed the episode enough considering it is more or less a stand-alone. The outcome of the Lindsey side was a little predictable (though the bean bag bullets are fun). More interesting is the Ellen May debacle and Ava's embrace of criminality. Colt's gonna be in trouble though!
Our take: http://wp.me/p2MfmI-28T
Jonnybon
January 30, 2013 at 2:57PM EST Reply to CommentIt's time for a haircut, Raylan.
Ed Agreed. Art tolerates a lot from Raylan, but the long hair should have been brought up by now.
January 31, 2013 at 1:30AM ESTAllSmiles :) I agree! Raylan Givens is the sexiest character in the history of television and that shaggy hair makes him look awful. Cut it!
February 1, 2013 at 4:57PM ESTKen from Chicago
January 30, 2013 at 3:17PM EST Reply to CommentIt would be cool if Ellen May (I keep wanting to say "Ellie May" as THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES) belatedly sussed out Ava wanted to kill her, just as it took her a while to figure out her being sent away was because she knew about the killing. If she can get off the drugs she could prove to be an intriguing--and savvy--character on the show.
Yes, I love more development of Rachel as a character. Nice to see she's as good as her word. She warned whathisface about sticking blades in her face. "Lady don't blink!"
Oh, Lindsay, yeah those beanbag shots to her husband reminded me of THE WALKING DEAD's Carol wacking her abusive infected husband in the head with the axe in season 1. By the end, even Darryl was a bit scared of her pent up rage.
Jim Beaver and the preacher's sister was a scene of pure beauty--as his character took a virtual pick axe to Boyd Crowder's character.
Whoa, I totally didn't recognize NUMBERS' Amita offering to wrassle with Raylan. Impressive.
Yeah, I like all this season's splitting the difference between straight episodic one-and-done stories and huge over-arcing stories. Theses multi-episode stories do weave in and out of the limelight quite well--along with some nice dialogue.
Ope
January 30, 2013 at 5:42PM EST Reply to CommentFirst episode of the season that I did not enjoy. The positive was the scenes with Rachel and Raylan. That worked well I thought.
I did not care for the girlfriend story, especially since we don't need any more incidents to drive home how messed up Raylan is.
What really irked me was The last few minutes. First, it looks like Boyd's war buddy (forgot his name) had a tear in his eye after Boyd called him, like killing the girl hadnt been contemplated already. Then he snorts oxy? I don't remember there bein any indication previously that his dirty work is troubling him and that he's taken to drugs (because of it?). Just found that a bit sudden.
Jonas.Left
January 30, 2013 at 9:57PM EST Reply to CommentMy fingers are crossed for Ellen May (dang, I thought it was Ellie Mae). So far this season, E.M. is my biggest interest. I feel so bad for her sorry situation, surrounded by powerful people who don't really care about her. You can't sentence someone to death for convenience sake if you actually care about them. This reminds me of The Godfather II, when they murdered the prostitute so they could blackmail the senator. I despised the Corleones too much to care what happened to them after that. Everyone matters. Even nobodies like Ellen May. I used to love Ava. Now I hate her guts.
Chesterfield I used to think it was Ella-May.
January 31, 2013 at 5:41AM ESTAnyway, the show has really empathized with her this season, being naive, dumb, weak an unable to fend for herself. She is a victim, both of her own inadequacies and people taking advantage of her because of them. I love, LOVE what they have done with her so far this season, and Ron Eldard's moment in the car when he got the word was a really emotional one. It was actually undercut by her getting away, like the show decided "nah, that is too f***ing dark".
Also, that story was much more gripping than Raylan's this week, but that's been true for a while about Justified, that Raylan's stories aren't always the best or most important ones.
Jonas.Left Some people thought it was implausible that Colton could feel so bad about E.M. after killing so casually before, but she's just so sweet. I totally buy that he would be conflicted after getting to know her a little. As far as her disappearance goes, I'm not sure how it'll play out. If she ran off to avoid her fate, then she isn't as dumb as she seems and she has one hell of a poker face.
January 31, 2013 at 5:59AM ESTChesterfield I'm willing to wait and see what the show does with that (her getting away) before passing final judgment. If it's interesting, I'll let it slide, but if she ran off because she realized she was in danger then everything she has done so far in the show has been an act and her sweetness entirely faked. That, I think, would be a mistake.
January 31, 2013 at 7:07AM ESTBut as I said, I'm going to wait and see. Besides, Justified has always been more clever than that, especially in its portrayal of people who are not that bright.
jizzmo2003@yahoo.com I think even an idiot like Ellen May could figure out what was up. It's not like she hasnt witnessed a murder and been around seedy people all her life.
January 31, 2013 at 11:29AM ESTAlso I think she reminded me of a dog being taken off to the vet to be taken down. All she needed to do was hang her head out the window.
Jonas.Left I hate to see her called an idiot. I think she never got a fairachance in life. Its notable that going to a random motel is brought up but not staying with family. She has all the characteristics of a victim of abuse, and she could be adept at reading the signs of someone intending her harm. That's how kids survive in a an abusive environment, realizing daddy is about to go off and getting out of his way.
January 31, 2013 at 5:52PM ESTChesterfield @Jonas.Left: I agree. This whole season so far, I have been thinking about what a tragic figure she is. I also think that Jizzmo is right about the "dog going to the vet" analogy, as I picked up on that as well and it was almost certainly intentional on the writer's part. The thing is that that interpretation sort of is done at her expense, almost mocking her for being pathetic, which is why I'm kind of hoping, despite what I said before, that she managed to figure it out herself.
February 1, 2013 at 5:51AM ESTAs I said, I'm a bit worried but I'll hold off making judgment until we see where this goes.
eddieisannoy I assumed Ava had 2nd thoughts, called her and tipped her off
February 1, 2013 at 12:04PM ESTSlam When Ellen May gets baptized one or 2 epiosodes back and she comes out of the water with that white blouse, she looks beautiful and pure; really brought that character to life.
February 1, 2013 at 3:38PM ESTJaxemer11
January 30, 2013 at 11:31PM EST Reply to CommentThere is no comparison between Kima and Rachel, and that is because there is no comparison between Sonja Sohn and Erica Tazel. I love this show, but I think the Rachel character is awful. I hate to say it, but I think most of the blame lies on Tazel, who can't deliver a convincing piece of dialogue to save her life. The show would be better off writing her off and bringing in a better actress than trying to put some more meat on her character.
Slam The Rachel character is so one-dimensional and unconvincing. That teeny tiny petite actress could never be in law enforcement beyond pushing a pencil.
February 1, 2013 at 3:41PM ESTTim
January 31, 2013 at 12:44AM EST Reply to CommentI thought the same thing about that scene being like the (God rest her soul) Adriana's exit out of Sopranos!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNgBf6VQbaY
Slam That scene tore me up. SO devastating. I can't watch it again.
February 1, 2013 at 3:43PM ESTRoy Munson
January 31, 2013 at 12:52AM EST Reply to CommentI had the exact same Sopranos thought during the car ride at the end
Roy Munson
January 31, 2013 at 12:53AM EST Reply to CommentHow the F is his father getting release next week??
DougMac
February 1, 2013 at 1:38AM EST Reply to CommentGlad to see appreciation for Navi Rawat. I always found her interesting and felt it was a shame she isn't more good stuff.
Also I can take or leave Lindsay, but her husbands line at the end to Raylan, "but at the end of it all she was still kind of worth it" was pretty great. If it really is the end of her story I think it was a good one.
Muh
February 2, 2013 at 12:56AM EST Reply to CommentI have to be honest, I like Raylan as a lone wolf type of character. Tim and Rachel always tagging along is sort of lame.
LOVE the bumping up of Ava to more of a danger. I like how nuanced this is, and Boyd would be perfectly comfortable either killing Ellen May or letting her go...whatever Ava wants most, he will give.
Muh
February 2, 2013 at 12:56AM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...I have to be honest, I like Raylan as a lone wolf type of character. Tim and Rachel always tagging along is sort of lame.
LOVE the bumping up of Ava to more of a danger. I like how nuanced this is, and Boyd would be perfectly comfortable either killing Ellen May or letting her go...whatever Ava wants most, he will give.
Muh
February 2, 2013 at 12:59AM EST Reply to CommentI have to be honest, I like Raylan as a lone wolf type of character. Tim and Rachel always tagging along is sort of lame.
LOVE the bumping up of Ava to more of a danger. I like how nuanced this is, and Boyd would be perfectly comfortable either killing Ellen May or letting her go...whatever Ava wants most, he will give.
I can't buy Preacher Billy dying of a single rattlesnake bite. This isn't a 1950s drama, in real life people survive that stuff. And it's too bad, I liked giving Boyd a problem like Billy.
Mahmoud Fayed
February 3, 2013 at 1:18AM EST Reply to CommentI hope Ellen May gets away safely where she finds a mentoress to guide her along the path of becoming a strong independent woman who loves herself as much as she deserves to, and when she finally does return (possibly in the final season) she'll be called Ellen Mayhem by everybody and be the final boss of the show.