Justified: Premiere on FX Tonight

Loved loved loved that ending.
It seems like they've been superficially setting up this inevitable old timey Western climax of Raylan vs Boyd, but Boyd's meanest, most defining relationship is Ava not Raylan. She basically called him out on being more like his abusive brother than he understood and she saw that coming to a head. Certainly seeing him serve up his henchmen to the authorities was another reminder of how, ultimately, he uses people, even her.

 

Man, if they stick the landing, 6 may overtake 2 as the best season of this show. Granted, it's hard to top Mags Bennett, but there haven't been any of the lows of early season 2 (Rachel's brother-in-law, Winona and the stolen money.)

I just finished this season of House of Cards and man, they could use some lessons in plotting, characterization, and overall writing from this show. At its best, Justified is like a beautiful hillbilly opera.

 

Please translate.
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Reference to landing a plane- a successful trip.

 

Agree.
It's a bit ironic to me that so many (most?) shows end poorly. You'd think it would be the opposite- after building up a back story, character arcs and having conflicts to resolve, there is plenty of material to use. But most shows end up turning in to a mess. I gave up on House of Cards.

Yesterday having lunch with coworkers talking about this stuff I used Justified as the example on how to end shows right, and how I think it's a model for TV story-telling craft. I was the only Justified watcher at the table.

We were in that restaurant and talking about this stuff because some NYC restaurants are doing a Mad Men themed lunch offer. That is another show that could use a lesson in pacing, restraint and story resolution.

 

Try this: here

 

Thank you Gentlemen, a first for me in 56 years of being alive.
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If you ever watch gymastics, like say uneven bars, when they dismount they land if their feet stay put, they stick the landing. If they move a foot, then they are penalized.

Chad

 

I love this show...

 

Might have been more suspenseful if the preview didn't immediately give it away.

 

Never watched gymnastics in my life, no interest.
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Loved this show ,up till this season, just can't get into it ,

 

Watching the balance beam is scarier than watching the luge.

 

Sorry to ignite all the gymnastics talk, gang. Carry on...

 

I'm a huge fan of Mad Men and think, at it's best, it's the most compelling, literary drama that's ever been on television. Wasn't as thrilled with the last couple of seasons though but went back and re-watched the first seven episodes of the final. With some distance now, I have to say I think they're really nailing this and expect the final seven to be sensational.

 

It's over !

 

I liked it.

Thought they'd end with a big "shoot 'em up" and they opted for something more ... graceful.

Who's the papa of Ava's son, tho?

 

Boyd. That's why she didn't want him to know the kid existed. They even picked a kid with a sorta bulbous head like Boyd, to make it more obvious.

I was pretty happy with the finale. I always wanted Raylan to end up with Ava, and wouldn't have minded if somehow he and her had made off with the $9 mil, but then he did have his kid in Florida who they'd already had him neglect enough.

Boon always going for the head saved Raylan.

Can't believe Wynn Duffy made it out of this show alive!

Here's and interview with Graham Yost about the finale. (has spoilers, so don't read if you haven't watched!)
http://www.tvguide.com/news/justified-series-finale-postmortem-graham-yost/

 

Hey, there's no accounting for taste, and after watching the entire final season, I felt this show's acting far exceeded it's writing. Walton Goggins deserves a lot of the credit here -- his scenes were the most riveting, and he extremely enhanced any scenes with Timothy Olyphant.

The pacing of the finale was completely off -- it felt as though the writers were racing toward the end with a desperate need to tie up every loose end. The "four years later" segment could have been interesting, but it came across as just a device for deadline-missing writers with the most soap opera-like plot moves.

That old-style showdown/gunfight between Raylan and Boone came across as so forced to me -- As soon as it started, the viewer knew the scene would strictly serve to wrap up and finish the Boon character.There was no way Raylan wasn't going to walk away alive from that one. I looked at the clock at the beginning of this scene and said: "Boone'll be dead and Raylan will end up with a shot in the arm or something."

Of course, opinions may differ, and no one is "right," here, but I feel this whole show relied way too much on the colorful and rich acting of Walton Goggins.

 

I think the ending was perfect. Well written, well acted and well shot. It gave us a natural ending point without feeling forced. Normally I'm not in favor of the "four years later" thing or whatever. It can be a hack device. However in this case it was necessary. Those of us who have been watching the show for 7 seasons needed to find out what becomes of Raylan and his relationship with Wynona and their child. It was also fitting that he would once again save Ava. After all, isn't that kinda how the whole thing started?

 

"We dug coal together." Maybe the best final line of dialogue from any series finale ever. In fact, I'll say without question it is.

 

Excellent and appropriate ending to a great series. Perfect casting, excellent stories, great dialogue and actors. Might be my favorite show ever.

 

I was grinning throughout the whole episode (except for my gasp at Markum's bullet eye) because I recognized that it was VERY fan servicy, but I actually think that's fine for a series finale (because, you know, it's the last episode, so why not).

I was thinking a lot about Raylan and Wynona not making it work in the end... I suppose it was the proposition that the reason they couldn't stay together before was because of his split devotion to "duty" and family, and his family baggage, and whatever chip he had on his shoulders. But the last season was about his excising all of that stuff but STILL they can't make it work, so they're just not right for each other no matter what, ha-ha.
And for them to realize that and for her to find and live with another man in only 4 years implies they would have been at each other's throats shortly have Raylan moved to Florida.

Wynn Duffy- I never had a doubt he'd survive. The ultimate roach. I just wonder how far back his conspiracy with Ava was going (like was he already in cahoots with her when he was ordering his dog grooming van?)

I totally forgot the details that Boone aims for the head because he worries his opponent wears a bullet-proof vest. That is typical Elmore Leonard style villain idiocy. I mean, the vest doesn't make one invincible, it just prevents death- you still get knocked about if you get shot.

 

That was a really good series finale. I had no idea what direction they were going to go - who was going to live, who was going to die - with the exception of Boon getting his due via Raylan's gun.

The "four years later" part was a great way to end things. Like mindblanking said above, it was necessary for us to see where these characters ended up. Eva really did deserve a chance to have a life with no Boyd Crowder in the mix.

The chemistry between Walton Goggins and Timothy Olyphant is why I tuned in week after week for 6 seasons. Both of those guys did stellar work in Justified, and were just a joy to watch. That final scene between them is EXACTLY the payoff I was hoping for, because even though Raylan and Boyd are enemies, they "dug coal together." 'Nuff said!