I’m coming very late to this series and have only seen the first two eps of this season, but it’s fairly addictive. Were the first seasons worth watching? Is anybody still watching this?
Yes, absolutely yes to both questions. There’s a current season Justified thread, but it doesn’t always get bumped after every episode.
Run sir, do not walk, to get the episodes you’ve missed.
They do a pretty good job of reminding new viewers who the players are, but I’ve still got a bit of the ‘being lost’ thing going on with some of the relationships, so may have to try to find the previous seasons. It’s a bit over the top with the violence, but it’s very entertaining, much along the lines of “Breaking Bad” in its intensity. And the acting doesn’t exactly suck, either.
I agree that you should watch the first two seasons of the show. Doing so will explain some of the backstory to the current episodes, and it’s also a very good show. Plus you’ll get to see the performance that won Margo Martindale an Emmy for the second season.
Wow. I did not know she’d won. We’re three episodes from the end of Season 2, and I cannot imagine a more deserving Emmy. I don’t know that she’s my all-time favorite TV villain–Al Swearengen owns my heart for that award–but she’s definitely up there.
So yeah, watch the first two seasons. They’re excellent TV.
My current favorite show on TV, until Breaking Bad returns. Elmore Leonard has never been done better.
Elmore Leonard’s books leave me cold. I try one every couple of years, thinking maybe this time I’ll like it, but I never do. He’s serviceable, but far too pleased with his patois, and I never find myself caring about the plot, the characters, or the rhythm.
So Justified’s managed to make me like Elmore Leonard–no small feat.
Justified is the only show on TV I am willing to sit thru commercials to watch live.
The First Season had more “standalone” type eps., featuring the “Bad Guy of the Week,” but still had good acting and snappy dialogue. If there was an arc, it was the demise of the Crowder Clan, the OC “kingpins” of Harlan County.
Season Two went for the long arc detailing the Bennet Clan, and the Givens-Bennet Clan Feud History, with only a few stand-alone eps (S2E6 “Blaze of Glory” is possibly my favorite “standalone,” as Scott Wilson turns in a heckuva performance as an aging bank robber). Margo Martindale turned in a season-long powerhouse performance as “Mags Bennet,” the Bennet clan matriarch. She could go from “sweet, kind grandmother” to “scaring the pants off of Tony Soprano” in the blink of an eye.
Season Three seems to have picked up where S2 left off, dealing with the fallout of the Bennet Clan’s demise (the OC power vacuum in Harlan County) and now not only is the “Dixie Mafia” moving in, but Boyd Crowder (The Shield alum Walton Goggins) is trying to recapture the OC crown for the diminished Crowders as well. Neal McDonough is gleefully wicked as the enigmatic “Robert Quarles,” the front-man for the Dixie Mafia.
Justified has a much different tone than Breaking Bad, but is, IMO, every bit as praiseworthy. Timothy Olyphant is the front-man for the show, but is strongly supported by an outstanding ensemble cast (we could see a bit more of his co-workers in action) of regulars and semi-regulars, and seasonal “stars” like Margo Martindale.
ETA: And in case it wasn’t clear from my post, then yes, I am “still watching this.” 
Isn’t he the front man for people from Detroit and not the Dixie Mafia?
And as for Mags (Margo Martindale’s character from the second season), perhaps her best performance was her speech in the town meeting.
Quarles’ organization is moving in to take over from the homegrown local Dixie Mafia.
Not sure if that guy Quarles killed the other week was the top overall “Dixie Mafia” boss or just a boss of the organization local to Harlan County.
he was based in Frankfort - he was the head of the dixie mafia - I think that was established last season
I may be wrong (it’s not like we have an organizational flowchart to work from), but I thought Quarles and Emmit Arnett were in the same organization, and Quarles was just higher up the food chain. Granted, Detroit is not exactly the city you think of when you say “Dixie Mafia.”
I tend to think (without any real evidence) of the “Dixie Mafia” more as a syndicate, a “business organization” type structure that happens to specialize in OC (think of the Mel Gibson flick Payback), as opposed to Italian Mafia style “families.”
The first season is very, very good. The second season is outstanding.
It’s a little frustrating for me, though, since I live in eastern KY and also consider Lexington home, and the show is set in those places but clearly not filmed there. They fudge a lot of geography, too; for instance, they seem to nip back and forth from Lexington to Harlan like it’s nothing when it’s a good three-hour drive. But on the other hand, the accents, clothes, and overall look and feel are remarkably dead on.
Excellent. I just put the first two seasons on hold at our local library.
Buy the first 2 seasons on DVD, and allow a lot of time. The series grabs you from the first scene and doesn’t let go.
Seeing some scenes, like when Ava was kidnapped and being hauled in the van, that are clearly filmed in Southern California’s beautiful San Fernando Valley.
I’m getting names confused - let me try to summarize - spoiler boxed for those that are being careful -
Detroit loaned the dixie mafia guy money -he loaned the money to Winona’s husband (real estate guy) - Emmit then bought/took land from Wynona’s husband in a trade to get him ‘square’ with them - the land became worthless - Detroit sent “dude with fancy gun” to collect on the money - Dixie mafia guy couldn’t pay, is now dead - Detroit guy is now running the Dixie mafia - Emmett now works for Detroit dude.
Emmet (dude from motor home) was a middle man between dude in frankfort and others - he was the one that set up the deal with Winona’s husband
My single biggest nitpick with the show is from the first season -
Care to explain what the problem is with “East of the Ky river on Tates Creek Road - on a bridge” for those of us not familiar with the area, or should I remain confused?