PRODUCTION NOTE: The writer of last night's episode, our pal VJ Boyd, will be dropping by around 3:30ish to answer questions and chat in the comments. Feel free to load up and check back in later in the afternoon. We'll blast out an update on Twitter and Facebook to remind you, too. Should be fun.
People on Justified got schemes, y'all. Schemes and secrets galore. A quick rundown:
Boyd is working with Wynn Duffy to find Drew Thompson, and paying off lawyers to torpedo Arlo's deal. Wynn Duffy is working with Theo Tonin's people to do the same, and continues to have secret meetings with Johnny Crowder about sending Boyd to wherever well-read sociopaths go when they die. Art has successfully taken the Thompson case away from the FBI thanks to the corrupt agent from the other week tainting the case. The corrupt agent's boss was also working for Theo Tonin, until he got a bullet in the head courtesy of the former host of Nickelodeon's GUTS. Ava is packing up the belongings of a hooker she thinks is dead, and mailing them to Alabama so no one suspects anything. Chubby Mitch Hedberg is turning Kentucky upside-down looking for said hooker, who is very much not dead, and he is trying to hide the whole thing from Boyd. Oh, and the reason he can't find her is because the puppet sheriff Boyd put in place last season is hiding her under his dinner table in an attempt to get her to talk about a murder Ava and Boyd covered up, because now he wants to take Boyd down. (For those keeping score, that makes three people -- not including members of the US government -- who are currently plotting against Boyd.) And we haven't even gotten to Major Dad and his detached foot yet.
The only person in last night's episode who wasn't neck-deep in subterfuge was Raylan, because Raylan is less of a schemer and more of a "Welp, I guess I'll grab this picture, throw on my flannel jacket, and march through the woods until I get some answers from some hill people" kind of guy.
As always, here are some other highlights, and GIFs from Chet Manley.
- Patton Oswalt was back last night as Constable Bob, and he was turning down oral sex from metal-mouthed teenagers and offering to let Raylan use his go-bag. We only saw him for a few minutes, but they were delightful.
- Wynn Duffy's reaction to the FBI agent getting his head blown off was terrific. As are Wynn Duffy's reactions to everything. He is a very difficult man to fluster. ("Not a problem.")
- Here is all you need to know about Raylan's personal life: He missed a message from Winona about their baby appointment being moved, gave her crap about her showing up late, offered her a cold, caffeinated coffee, found out he was actually 30 minutes late, talked about his job for a while, then left Winona in the waiting room to run off and fight crime. He's gonna be a great dad.
- Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- would make me happier than Mike O'Malley's character (a Theo Tonin goon) getting arrested and going to trial, and the judge turning out to be Mo from GUTS .
- If the producers at FX ever need to save a little money, allow me to offer this suggestion: Raylan and Boyd locked in a box for an hour talking about movies. That's it. No plot, no other characters, nothing.
- Tim was on screen for like three minutes total last night, and he still managed to drop in a "I dunno, I was probably too young to be blowing the head off of Taliban" in response to Raylan teasing him about enjoying children's books. Maybe we can put him in the box with Raylan and Boyd for that money-saving episode, too.
- Losing money hurts, sure. But do you know what hurts worse? Getting shot in the eye.
- Look at the big balls on Shelby.
- There was a sign in the Crowder bar that said "Pay Cash Or Get Served Buckshot." I thought you might like to know.
I suppose that's a good place to stop. Please do not come to my house and cut off my foot.
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Very late to the party, but I quite enjoyed seeing Raylan tell Boyd that he does, in fact, possess a sense of humor.
And I FINALLY earned Constable Bob y’all! Yee-HAW! Time to grab my go bag!
I NEEEED to know where I can get Boyd’s jacket in this episode. Every single jacket he wears is more amazeballs than the last.
Thanks again VJ.
I loved the slight smile Arlo gave Raylan as he swiveled around in his chair.
Yes, I’m just now getting around to watching this episode.
Raylan is now just lightly amused by finding severed body parts.
The Boyd Crowder line of the night was:
“What precipitated this change in your weather vane?”
Boyd has Tarantino-level dialogue and I love it.
About time they got Ned Ryerson outta here.
Also, how does Boyd not anticipate the handshake/handcuff routine? You’re better than that Boyd.
Nicky? Hey, Nicky? Nicky! Nicky Augustine? Nicky Augustine, I thought that was you!
Finally had a chance to watch. Glad to see that a bourbon company was finally smart enough to put 2+2 together and advertise in the show. How the hell did it take this long?
Jd the same thought as my 3rd Bulleit was just starting to make it hard to understand what Raylan was saying.
The Not-Mitch Tim conversation was eerily similar to Travis Bickle talking to the SS guy in Taxi Driver.
Yup. Thought the same thing.
Only Colt was genuinely after advice.
Colt’s definitely not waiting for the sun to shine!
How do you rattle Win Duffy? Besides talking about his hair, of course
Raylan seemed to accomplish it a few seasons ago. Was “Next one’s coming faster” directed at Wynn or Gary?
God damn, I love this show more than I could ever love a show. Ever.
Didn’t see the Shelby bit coming so that was a pleasant surprise.
Which artist/producer was responsible for that beautiful instrumental hip hop/bluegrass track that played after Raylan left Constable Bob and drove into the hills? I’ve googled through the “Justified soundtrack” listings but so far I haven’t been able to find anything. That’s some amazing music they’ve got this season.
Verified
I don’t know but I’ll see if I can find out.
No offense to Eva or bartender/grifter, but Winona just brings the heat.
I believe you meant AVA not EVA. And Winona sucks. And now shes fat. Or pregnant. Whatever.
PRC, I’m with you. Winona is the tits. Errrr…whatever, haters GON’ hate!
i love this show more and more as the weeks (and seasons) go on. bravo FX.
I was happy to see Boyd and Raylan together. The interplay between the two of them is always entertaining.
Also, every time Ellie May gives that “aw shucks” curl of the side of her mouth I want her to die in a plane crash.
You’re gonna need a saw.
Agreed, Johnny. Ellen May drives me crazy. I was really looking forward to her going away. Instead, now we gotta deal with Shelby being creepy as he tries to get on her good side.
I think my problem with her is we’ve never been given a reason to be invested in her. She offers no reason herself, the only one I can see is Ava has a soft spot for her.
More Boyd/Raylan is never a bad thing.
Every time they are on screen together we are reminded what makes up the soul of this show.
I’m really glad to know I wasn’t the only one who caught that sign in the Crowder bar
Also, Not-Mitch Hedburg and Tim having screen time together was wonderful
Last night was the first time I realized the parallels between the two.
@VJ
Thanks for taking the time to confirm the attorney/Boyd dealings, awesome and kinda surreal to get direct confirmation of understanding of a story line from an actual show writer. Internet for the win. Also definitely think changing up the narrative was a good call from the “Buffy Big Bad”, in sticking with that universe theme, this season reminds of ANGEL’s last season where there different enemies and stories that were dropped like puzzle pieces throughout the season and the bigger plan suddenly all came together at once with one big payoff.
@VJ loved the show last night…could you talk about any of the research you had to put in, as a writer on the show, about Kentucky, the dixie mafia or anything like that?
Verified
We definitely did research on Dixie Mafia, many of us went to Harlan, etc., but basically we make everything up. Enough really insane political hijinks and criminal dealings have occurred in Halan County that nothing we make up is really too over the top (well, maybe Quarles, but he’s from Detroit, so…)
I just kept thinking “Stephen Tobolowsky’s character just keeps getting more and more crooked.”
Then, BLAM, goodbye brains.
Verified
Gotta go work, now, but I’ll hop back on tonight, so if you have anything else, post away! Thanks for having me.
Thanks for giving us your time, we all really appreciate it.
I got my father into watching Justified – we bond over it – and it’s a really fun shared experience. He’s 70, I’m tech-oriented, and it was either an awesome TV show or bone density test results to get us on the same page.
This show consistently gives me actors who were previously on Deadwood (including Major Dad), so I effing love this show. Plus Walton Goggins was the biggest present.
Not to mention several new or almost-new faces that we will hopefully see more of in years to come.
And that guy….Timothy Olifant, or something…isn’t half bad either.
What are the odds that Tim and Boyd’s ex-MP buddy are going to end up throwing down in a crazy shootout?
Pretty good, I’d say.
Sorry Not-Mitch. Tim is not to be trifled with.
This show is infinitely better (on top of already amazing quality) when Raylan and Boyd banter.
I could watch their interactions for days on end.
@VJ hey is Kentucky really this weird? Becuase holy hell
Verified
The US as a whole is pretty rural. I feel like what we did is not too far out to be real.
wowza i should get out of the city more often
@VJ Do you have a picture of Tim Olyphant taped up in your locker like the rest of us?
Verified
Mine’s still Buffy Summers
Is that Kristy Swanson or Sarah Michelle Gellar? (no wrong answer)
Verified
Gellar ftw
Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers = WRONG answer
@VJ Holy shit so much went on in this episode last night, how did it feel knowing you had the ENTIRE cast at your disposal?
@VJ
also..WHY COULDN’T YOU JUST LEAVE STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY ALONE..IT WAS THE WEEK OF GROUNDHOGS DAY FOR CHRISSAKES!
Verified
It didn’t really occur to us until after, but it was definitely difficult to fit all that in. (That’s what she said)
HA! Yeah, when he got shot, I turned to my buddies and said “Guess he coulda used more life insurance”
in hindsight, should have gone with some thing ‘its a dooooozy” related.
@VJ any chance we see Kenneth the Page interacting with the Hill People in a glorious Justified/30 Rock crossover?
Verified
They’re fans over there, so I’ve heard, so maybe they could throw a joke in? We can’t really do it on our show.
Yeah, it might be a little late for “30 Rock” to air a crossover episode.
Damn you NBC ! *shakes fist*
In the last 5 episodes, we have seen an arm lopped off and now a foot. I eagerly await what is next. Does Harlan County have a guillotine somewhere?
The gif of Raylan holding Quarles’ severed arm is my favorite thing.
@ VJ
Do Ava and Winona have one of those dreaded “no-nudity” clauses in their contracts?
Verified
I don’t know. We just don’t do nudity that much.
Oh and Wynn can be rattled, in my favorite scene of the show when Raylan was playing “Harland Roulette” with Wynn Duffy in his RV when he was looking for the guy that killed that cop.
Yeah he was pretty rattled. Maybe my favorite Wynn scene of the series.
@ VJ does
Any chance we see Limehouse again?
Verified
Yes. Why, do you need some meat cut?
I need a new piggy bank.
@VJ What is your bourbon and barbecue style of choice?
Verified
Taylor Elmore is the bourbon expert on our staff. I like vodka/red bull almost exclusively because I’m a workaholic and know nothing about the alcohol a real man should drink.
Verified
And BBQ, I like colters, but I think they’re all gone. Louise’s is the best restaurant ever and they have BBQ.
@VJ Is it intentional to not have a Buffy-style Big bad guy this year? Season one had the Crowders, 2 had Mags, 3 had Quarles. But this year there is no central bad guy. Church girl, Theo, Boyd, Wynn, Drew, and so on. I for one like the variety and feel that there are so many directions to go with the setup this year.
I remember reading an article where they said it was a conscious decision to try and go in another direction this year.
Verified
Yes it was intentional. We’re trying to tell 2 or 3 stories over the course of the season, all tied together, sort of, by the mystery of the bag.
I heartily approve
Me too, it’s nice seeing all the characters doing what they do.
@VJ About how much time will have passed this season? It seems like the episodes just pick up where they left off from.
Verified
Episodes 1-7 take place over 7 days (a day per ep). I haven’t tracked the others yet.
Jeez. Here I thought I had long weeks.
@ VJBoyd
How much more can you use Winona now that she has a (much much much worse) show on Fox to do too?
Verified
We can get her for a day here and there. You will see her again.
@VJ Is there a character that you enjoy writing for more than any others? Or one that you just go “Ugh, I hate this dingus!”?
Verified
Wynn Duffy is the most fun by far, and then Shelby, Jim Beaver makes everything you write sound like Shakespeare
Related Question: How hard is it trying to include so many great characters? I mean, I could watch an entire episode of Tim leaning up against a car and telling war stories (the “too young to be blowing heads off the Taliban” line was perfect), but this episode included a bunch of new or rarely seen characters in addition to the regulars. Do you find yourself looking for ways to incorporate characters into the episode?
So does Boyd go down? There’s his cousin, the sheriff, the church bitch, and perhaps Wynn Duffy all plotting against Boyd. Either Boyd challenges Omar as the baddest man in television history or things end badly for our lovable well spoken murder.
I doubt Cousin Johnny’s crafty enough to take out Boyd. Wynn + Frankfurt + Detroit could, the church lady is probably a non-factor, and part of me thinks Shelby just wants insurance against Boyd instead of trying to get rid of him.
These were my dumb opinions, you read them, you can’t unread them!
Maybe Wynn tries to double cross Boyd. I dunno though, having a gun pointed at him at the table was pretty bad ass. One of the most awesome meeting scenes since McNulty met with Rawls for the first time. I’d like to see a Wynn/Boyd face off.
It’s the Dutch Schultz style of negotiation. Put your pistol on the table and you’ll probably get most of what you ask for.
Verified
I’ve answered a few, but keep posting and I’ll hop back on in a bit and answer some more!
“The world is a tree, I’m just a squirrel trying to get a nut”
-Awesome. All I needed to know in life I learned from Boyd Crowder.
Great line for sure.
If I could be one twentieth the bad ass as Wynn Duffy I could die a happy man.
Y’know between getting caught up on The Following last night and Justified, my night was very full of Natalie Zea. This is not an unpleasant development. Now they just need to cast Kevin Bacon in Justified as the guy that swoops in on Winona with her and Raylan separated, and Raylan of course makes his life miserable.
Easily my favorite episode of the season so far in which Raylan didn’t take off his shirt.
I love that they just keep bringing in actors from Deadwood. And I totally agree that McShane needs to be brought in at some point. Hopefully as a regular who lasts more than a season.
Him and POWERS BOOTHE
And Joanie, she would be great for Ava’s whore house.
Man, I’ve been waiting on Powers Boothe to show up for awhile now. Maybe next season (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
Where’s Mr. Boyd? Is he trapped in a shed by some hill folk?
I love the Hill folk
Verified
I am here, it’s just taking forever for the site to post my responses. Probably because my computer is four years old.
Between Joisah and his daughter, I want to say Roz? They have two working feet between them now.
I would have love to hear Augustine say to Wynn : “You have fed on you.”
/unashamed reusing of referential pun to obtain the Tim badge > success!
Filthy Phil livin in the hills.
yet another Sons/Justified connection. Olyphant has to show up on Sons next season.
He was a great hill person. The scene with the hill people was great. Especially Boyd trying to talk Raylan into saving him.
Boyd’s extremely well-timed “I dont’ like your play, Raylan” was the highlight for me.
Dammit, plan. I meant plan.
I also thoroughly enjoyed that line.
This episode was a perfect example of why I like Justified more than SOA. There were a few plot developments, but its not like we really learned anything new, aside from Shelby (which I’m sure most of us guessed as soon as we saw the security footage). The the hill people thing turned out to be some unnecessary side thing where all we learn is that Drew Thompson isn’t there and Raylen is wasting his time, but it didn’t feel shoehorned or added just to add some twist to the story. This episode basically set up the sides each character is on. Other than Duffy (WHO IS KILLING IT THIS SEASON!) we now know what each character wants, and I, for one, am crazy excited to see how it all plays out since the characters all have conflicting goals.
I like the fact that we still don’t have a clear idea what Duffy’s goal is. The evolution of that character from season two has been great!
To be honest I kept thinking the footage was going to turn out to be Constable Bob. Up until he showed up that is.
@Paul That crossed my mind, but he’s too oblivious.
Am I the only one that thinks Shelby is waaaaay out of his depth going after Boyd?
Well, if this is anything like Deadwood, he has more to fear from Josiah…