Justified is the story of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a true-blue hero and something of a throwback, given to wearing a Stetson and cowboy boots, carrying his sidearm in a hip holster – a weapon he only draws when he has to, and when he does, he shoots to kill, because, as he sees it, that’s the purpose of a gun. The character of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens was created by America’s pre-eminent crime novelist Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty, Out of Sight) and is played by Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood, Live Free or Die Hard). The Chief Deputy of the Lexington USMS office is Art Mullen, played by Nick Searcy (Cast Away, From the Earth to the Moon). Working alongside Raylan are fellow deputies Tim Gutterson – played by Jacob Pitts (The Pacific) – and Rachel Brooks – played by Erica Tazel (Life, The Office). Raylan, Art and the other deputies do what all U.S. Marshals do – chase down fugitives, protect witnesses, transport prisoners.
Average Customer Review:
( 276 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
182 of 194 found the following review helpful:
Loving this show is JustifiableMay 20, 2010
By SeaGoddess2403 As a heartbroken fan of Nip/Tuck, which just ended its 6 season run, I was keeping an eye out for another FX show I could enjoy. With FX, original series can be either hit (Nip/Tuck, Dirt) or miss (The Riches). Justified is a show I normally wouldn't have looked at even once. Being a city girl at heart, I'm not a fan of westerns or anything country. One thing I am a fan of is Timothy Olyphant. When I saw one of my favorite actors (brilliant in "Hitman") was going to be in a new show, I of course had to watch. A pleasant surprise awaited me.
It's as if Timothy Olyphant was born to be US Marshal Raylan Givens, a good ol' country boy with personal issues. After shooting a man in Miami old west style ("It was justified"), Raylan is punished by being sent back to his old home town in Kentucky to work the local cases, many involving people he knows. His estranged father, former best-friend-turned-criminal, an old flame and a complicated ex wife round out the engaging cast of colorful characters. Raylan has a reputation for being a bit trigger-happy, a branding he hardly thinks is fair ("only if it's justified"). He is never without his 10 gallon hat (unless someone steals it), he can talk down a hostage situation with whiskey and a bucket of fried chicken, or shoot a guy for "taking one more step". It's all in a day's work for Raylan.
Justified is one of those shows that makes you forget you're watching a show being acted by actors. It's as though you are observing actual people live their lives. I feel like I'm in the scene, watching everything unfold before me. The dialogue is fresh, gritty, real and absolutely hilarious. The characters bounce between utterly ridiculous and completely relatable. And the actors, everyone from the main stars to the day players are right on the money.
If you haven't yet seen Justified, do yourself a favor and catch it when it re-airs on FX. Watch it On Demand. Or wait for the DVD's to come out. If you don't give this show a chance, well, that ain't civilized.
132 of 146 found the following review helpful:
A.k.a.: "In the Heat of the Night, the Kentucky Edition"...Apr 24, 2010
By Shopper Well, it is set in Eastern Kentucky, rather then in Sparta, Mississippi; still, Justified is bound to resonate with any fan of the groundbreaking In the Heat of the Night series: small-town-in-a-big-World problems being solved creatively in 60 minutes or less, but without the annoyingly preachy tone that In the Heat of the Night would sometimes assume. A definite positive! You'll have fun making character comparisons between the two shows (can you find a "Bubba"? how about a "Luanne"?).
Let me first note that Justified is a very new show; so far, only six episodes have been aired. However, the episodes carry such an unusually high degree of promise, I feel confident rating the series, even at this early stage, with the top score.
The story is simple: deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) brings too much negative attention to himself by killing one Miami thug too many... He is therefore relegated to a remote post to cool his heels. Unfortunately for Raylan, the post happens to be the sleepy Eastern Kentucky, where he grew up and hoped never to come back... Estranged petty criminal father, an ex-wife, an ex-flame, an ex-friend... Well... they do say you can never go back home... Or, was it: you SHOULD NEVER go back home?... Anyway, upon this background, the writers skillfully project a series of surprisingly engaging, multidimensional stories that go beyond catching "the baddy of the week." Yes, there is the usual parade of rednecks (and I hope we'll get to see more eccentric types as time progresses), but often "the baddies" are portrayed as flawed human beings, making some very poor choices, all while doing their best to survive in this World. And that does have the effect of bringing them into conflict with the law.
Also satisfying is the way the writers choose to characterize Raylan: he is NOT some cartoon super hero using secret kung fu moves to dispatch his enemies. Instead, he is a humble man, still dealing with emotional ramifications of his divorce, and still conflicted in his relationship with his father. Occasionally, he allows his foes to gain the upper hand (and rob him of his car, badge, and gun), further proving he is a real person, which makes him very relatable... Kudos to Timothy Olyphant for his portrayal of Givens. Both he and the writers have the character spot on from the first minute of the pilot!
To those who like action though, worry NOT. The stories never get sappy and there is plenty of creative a** kicking (somehow, even a bazooka makes it into the script!). If I were forced to find a pet peeve regarding Justified, it would probably be the unrealistically high number of good looking people with porcelain veneers and slim waistlines the authors have inhabiting the area. From my personal experience involving a five week stay in Lexington, Kentucky, the reality has fewer teeth and a much higher BMI (no offence to the locals intended ;o) ).
And so, keep this show on your radar. I don't watch TV anymore (I have cancelled my cable as it seems to stream nothing more then vile reality shows), but am so enthused by Justified, that I actually pay to watch it on Amazon On Demand... Go figure...
70 of 76 found the following review helpful:
Justified deserves to be seenApr 13, 2010
By Linda Bauman
"ripetebook"
Never saw Timothy Olyphant until the promos for Justified and he was just an actor. Until the pilot episode and then I was hooked. He is a gem and becomes Raylan Givens. I have now taken time to see other movies and shows he has been in and I say again, he steps into the boots and puts on the hat...and Raylan Givens is alive and well. The humor on this show is subtle but wonderful. FX likes their shows edgy and this is edgy but great. We are now about to see episode 5 and if you have not given it a chance, please do. You will have no regrets. The supporting cast blends like good cheese to his fine wine. Again give this show a look-see and be amazed.
23 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Justified Is AWESOME !!May 29, 2010
By schnauzermommy
"schnauzermommy"
I have watched this show from the pilot all the way thru to episode 11. Each episode has been awesome and leaving me wondering what was going to happen next. I do not watch a lot of TV but this is a show worth your time. It is well written, and all the actors that play these characters have them portrayed dead-on perfect. I have to admit I love westerns and miss them being on TV but Justified is not a western. Raylan Givens is an old-school lawman in modern day times and his way of law is "black & white" and Timothy Olyphant plays that character as if his birth certificate said "Raylan Givens". I am so glad FX picked up this show for a second season and I was hoping the fist season would come out on DVD. This show deserves a bunch of awards and I hope to see it nominated. You won't go wrong with this DVD. I've seen the first 11 episodes and can't wait to see 12 & 13. And I'm sure the finale' will be a huge cliff-hanger leaving us to wish March getting here soon so we can see what happens next. Of all the junk that is on TV Timothy Olyphant and FX have given us true entertainment in Justified. Don't miss out!
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Fully Justified to Bite Nails, and Cry TearsAug 08, 2010
By VReviews The writing and acting are simply masterful. This series is truly the most compelling on TV past or present. Each character is complete and fully drawn, with a little bad in the good, and a little good in the bad. All the actors are superb, with the standouts being Olyphant and Goggins.
As season 1 developed, the special relationship between Raylan Givens (Olyphant) and Boyd Crowder (Goggins) began to unfold in unexpected and yet very intriguing ways. The character of Boyd was not originally intended to last a full season, so the fact that the writers allowed these characters to organically develop into something much more than planned is truly satisfying for the audience, and no doubt for the actors as well.... Brilliant!
based on 276 reviews
( 276 customer reviews )
