Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Justified

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    9,256

    Default Justified

    We finally got around to watching every episode of this series (the wife cakes loves it by the way.)

    The characters are extremely well drawn and many are very complex as you would expect from any project created and worked on by Elmore Leonard. The title comes from the main character's (Raylon Givens) practice of putting bad guys in a position where he is "justified" in killing them. This practice actually does occur with some cops. I can think of some cops in Houston who considered themselves in the two legged vermin extermination business. One was actually sacked for the killing of an old boy who it turned out was not a thug. The Chief when asked why he fired this fellow who had not been charged with a crime said the shooting may have been "justified" but it was also unnecessary. Givens is suspended more than once for insubordination and violations of policy and as the series goes his co workers start to distance themselves from him because he's a problem.,,,yup, that happens too. The main plot twist is Givens transfer from Florida, which he loves, to Harlan County Kentucky, where he was born and raised but definately doesn't love, because of the fallout from the "justified" but problematic killing of a top mob enforcer.

    Givens is an emotional wreck though you'd never know it superficially, he is attractive and glib but a seething cauldron underneath. His ex wife calls him "the angriest man I ever met." Not only does he drink too much and have the love life of a Hollywood star but his taste in women is questionable on his good days. He, for example, defies the advice of his boss to stay away from the widow of deceased criminal (she killed him) and winds up in an affair with her, his other sexual liasons are also show questionable judgement.

    Except for the excessive amount of killing, the interplay between the criminals is pretty well depicted. They betray each other with amazing regularity both to each other and the law. They sometimes manage to be really bad, complex and even sympathetic at the same time; especially Boyd Crowder, a local small time gang leader, who Givens once had a friendly relationship with (they "dug coal and drank beer together") but is now his bete noir.

    The firearms chosen by people, especially the bad guys are often interesting and reflect their pasts.

    The violence is graphic and there is a lot of it.

    Deputy US Marshalls are indeed the feds most likely to shoot you and as in the series they do announce their intent to "shoot to kill" in conflicts.

    This series, to me, is worth watching just for the number of fascinating, complex and incredibly well drawn characters (my favorite is Givens long suffering boss Art Mullen) that inhabit it. I recommend it highly.
    Last edited by Art; 04-07-2023 at 09:59. Reason: Typos, clarity

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Beach Va, not Va Beach
    Posts
    10,947
    Blog Entries
    5

    Default

    I have that in my Que , but have not watched, yet

  3. #3

    Default

    i watched it all and enjoyed it. There is a 2nd season that started recently where he has ended up in Chicago. I'm a number of episodes into the season and he has not shot anyone yet. Good so far.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    the thumb of michigan
    Posts
    587

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Art View Post
    We finally got around to watching every episode of this series (the wife cakes loves it by the way.)

    The characters are extremely well drawn and many are very complex as you would expect from any project created and worked on by Elmore Leonard. The title comes from the main character's (Raylon Givens) practice of putting bad guys in a position where he is "justified" in killing them. This practice actually does occur with some cops. I can think of some cops in Houston who considered themselves in the two legged vermin extermination business. One was actually sacked for the killing of an old boy who it turned out was not a thug. The Chief when asked why he fired this fellow who had not been charged with a crime said the shooting may have been "justified" but it was also unnecessary. Givens is suspended more than once for insubordination and violations of policy and as the series goes his co workers start to distance themselves from him because he's a problem.,,,yup, that happens too. The main plot twist is Givens transfer from Florida, which he loves, to Harlan County Kentucky, where he was born and raised but definately doesn't love, because of the fallout from the "justified" but problematic killing of a top mob enforcer.

    Givens is an emotional wreck though you'd never know it superficially, he is attractive and glib but a seething cauldron underneath. His ex wife calls him "the angriest man I ever met." Not only does he drink too much and have the love life of a Hollywood star but his taste in women is questionable on his good days. He, for example, defies the advice of his boss to stay away from the widow of deceased criminal (she killed him) and winds up in an affair with her, his other sexual liasons are also show questionable judgement.

    Except for the excessive amount of killing, the interplay between the criminals is pretty well depicted. They betray each other with amazing regularity both to each other and the law. They sometimes manage to be really bad, complex and even sympathetic at the same time; especially Boyd Crowder, a local small time gang leader, who Givens once had a friendly relationship with (they "dug coal and drank beer together") but is now his bete noir.

    The firearms chosen by people, especially the bad guys are often interesting and reflect their pasts.

    The violence is graphic and there is a lot of it.

    Deputy US Marshalls are indeed the feds most likely to shoot you and as in the series they do announce their intent to "shoot to kill" in conflicts.

    This series, to me, is worth watching just for the number of fascinating, complex and incredibly well drawn characters (my favorite is Givens long suffering boss Art Mullen) that inhabit it. I recommend it highly.
    we watched when it first came out, then ive watched it again on Netflix (i think thats the service) at least once again, maybe twice

    Quote Originally Posted by lyman View Post
    I have that in my Que , but have not watched, yet
    it is really a great show

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan in NH View Post
    i watched it all and enjoyed it. There is a 2nd season that started recently where he has ended up in Chicago. I'm a number of episodes into the season and he has not shot anyone yet. Good so far.
    he ends up in Detroit but about the only thing i recognize in the city is the occasional shot of the Renaissance Center (now GM World Headquarters) on E. Jefferson where Brush St "kinda sorta" ends.


    to everyone, if you liked the first rendition, youll find City Primeval a bit different but there is a GREAT plot twist in it...

  5. #5

    Default

    Elmore died while the first season was shooting. I think the producers found writers who could take up where he left off. Yeah, the characters are great! Mags is terrifying!

    jn

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Phoenix AZ area
    Posts
    1,217
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Won't watch netflix its owned by Obama

  7. #7

    Default

    Art, I second everything you say about the show. I loved it and my wife loved it even more. Boyd Crowder is an amazingly well-drawn character, especially for a bad guy.

    Another Elmore Leonard series of stories are the "Hot Kid" stories and "Cuba Libre," a story about said hot kid's father during the Spanish-American War. Includes a fair amount of Krag rifle shootistry. It's not a movie/series (yet)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •