random: Justified, season one

[themonkeytwin]

Recently needing some escapist brain-candy, and, as a result of some comments with bitterlimetwist, having a Timothy Olyphant jones (although Timothy Olyphant alone is enough for that sort of thing to occur), I succumbed to watching the back half of Justified S1. Following my less-than-enamoured response to the pilot, my desultory watching of episodes got me to

Comments

[fleurlb]

Excellent analysis. I hated the first few episodes of Justified. But then it just kind of wore me down and I kind of enjoyed the rest. But here's the telling detail- I can't remember a single thing about the show. Until I read your post, I'd have been hard pressed to describe a single plot point after the pilot. Clearly, the show is notworking for me.

Himself loved Deadwood, but I'm prejudiced against things set too far in the past. But now I'm spending all this time marooned on the couch, nursing the Lil'Bit, and rotting my brain with truly terrible tv. So maybe it's time to do something to change that.

If you want another show that's loaded with Deadwood alumni, I can't say enough good things about Sons of Anarchy. :) I know you've said before that it was a time issue, but what can I say? I'm a pusher. And I'd selfishly love to hear your take on it.

[themonkeytwin]

I'd have been hard pressed to describe a single plot point after the pilot. Clearly, the show is notworking for me.

The more I think about it, the more I feel like the showrunners were just having Raylan and co. dance about in the foreground as a diversion from the serious scenery-shifting and story surgery going on in the background. It's one way to deal with the situation left by the pilot, and lets them have a chance to play around with the characters and get to know them in the meantime. I'm becoming increasingly curious to see what's in store when the show returns, to see if that's the case.

I'm prejudiced against things set too far in the past. But now I'm spending all this time marooned on the couch, nursing the Lil'BitWhile wanting to say nothing to dissuade you from watching Deadwood ... if you want your boy's first words to be something other than "fuck" or "cocksucker", you might want to consider that carefully! Seriously, though, it is one of the best series I've ever seen, particularly for the character crafting. I mean

[fleurlb]

Himself and I are both terrible potty mouths, so I fear the boy's first word might be something terribly inappropriate. In fact, the song that was playing when he was born was full of curse words. :)

[themonkeytwin]

Hee! Well, I await the story of the first word with great anticipation, then. Should be good. What was the song?

[blacklid]

I'm sorry, I scanned. I got to Ava and my brain went !!!!-must-tell-her

[themonkeytwin]

Ava is manipulating Raylan.

Interesting take. I mean, yes, I see that she wants him, and wants him to protect her, and she's doing what she can to make that happen. And she learned a few tricks from the Crowders. Is that the extent of manipulation you meant, or deeper?

Raylan handles their breaking the law with the sensitivity of a man who's been there, done that

I'm okay with the cases, particularly as the season progressed, and where they used the old frenemies, I liked it. (If they were pulling their punches in order to use their real payload next season, so much the better.) But Raylan sympathising with the schmoes because he's been in the same spot ... mm, I'm not seeing that one. Which goes to the anger thing, too -

but his anger is smoldering

- totally agreed, and the more I think about that, I'm content to see how they play it out, as you say, in the long run -

and his anger is 100% aimed ... at himself.- hm. I don't see that, either. As I mull it over (and, I admit, slowly give some of the episodes a second watch), I

[bitterlimetwist]

I feel like I need to apologize for saying the second half was any good. :) Wow.

I will perhaps attempt a counter-argument later. [chores...blah]

Still, do you have any idea how excited I was to see this post? So, yay! [Except for the part where I feel like I had a hand in TORTURING YOU. Forgive me? :)]

[themonkeytwin]

Oh, don't worry too much. I think it'll grow on me. The more as I can see it as an entity separate from Deadwood.... I'm getting there. And, really, Timothy takes us a loooong way in this kind of endeavour. So ... well, alright, I forgive you. :)

I'm glad you're excited for the post, anyway! And I look forward to your counter-arguments. Honestly, the more I mull over this show, the more I'm likely to like it. Still, the final judgement awaits season two. Here's to them not completely screwing it up!

[bitterlimetwist]

This isn't so much a counter-argument as, uh, my 2 cents. Anyway, you seem to be coming around to it on your own

[themonkeytwin]

Oh, I didn't get the sense they were being malicious about hillbillies; more a kind of "they may be rednecks, but they're OUR damn rednecks!" kind of attitude to it. It was actually one of the strengths I felt it had in the first place, that even though they're showing these less-than-admirable characters of the region with all their flaws front-and-centre, they're doing it with affection and humour and compassion. Although I didn't really say that outright, so that's my bad.

I also didn't have a problem with the idea that the Crowder boys could be as ruthless and brutal as the Miami cartels, but with the way it was shown. That level of violence up until that point was communicated through someone telling the story, not visually, and it was jarring to suddenly switch gears in the finale. It felt gratuitous. For the effect, it would have played just as well just seeing Boyd's reaction. But that was a minor thing, really. I was watching the season hoping Boyd's conversion was real (because that's more interesting, and because, frankly