Praise Elmore! The much-anticipated second season of "Justified" finally returns tonight (10pm, FX).
I've watched the first three episodes and there's not a whole lot to say about it without giving away plot points, except for this: Season 2 is every bit as fantastic as Season 1. Fans will love every second Timothy Olyphant's white hat-wearing, gun-slinging federal marshall Raylan Givens is on the screen, and they'll beg for more screentime from Walton Goggin's complicated bad guy, Boyd Crowder.
The first episode's action picks up immediately after last season's game-changing shoot out. Raylan has some loose ends to tie up, and that takes him back to Miami. And then there's also the matter of handling his worthless father and tracking down Boyd, and while working a sex-offender case. It's all good stuff.
Tonight's episode also introduces an important new Harlan County criminal family, this one headed up by Mags Bennett, played beautifully by Margo Martindale ("Dexter," "Million Dollar Baby"). The Bennetts are the biggest pot farmers in Eastern Kentucky, and matriarch Mags is chillingly ruthless when it comes to protecting her financial interests. There's a scene in the first episode that I just couldn't watch -- or listen to.
So the signature Elmore Leonard violence is still there and still brutal, but sprinkled with a healthy dose of dry humor, making it all a little easier to take.
I'll also make a pitch here for anyone who hasn't yet seen Season 1 to truck on over to Amazon or Best Buy or Netflix or wherever and get Season 1 on dvd. It's twenty bucks you won't regret spending.
"Justified" airs on Wednesday nights on FX at 10pm (it repeats tonight at 11:07pm and 1:15am).
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow 
Comments
Rayland Rocks !!!
Wed, 02/09/2011 - 09:06 — AgentPierceRayland & Boyd are "gritty". "Gritty" is good.
BC, did you catch Chicago Code? Flashdance is gonna clean up Chicago ..... very similar to Blue Blood. DVR is filling up fast.
Justified & Chicago Code
Wed, 02/09/2011 - 11:22 — brookecain (author)Both are great shows -- and yes, the DVR is filling up way too fast. I'm really happy that "Justified" is back. I have missed Raylan and Boyd. And they introduce some very interesting new bad guys this season. And from what I hear, "Chicago Code" gets better and better each week.