A ‘Justified’ Ending To A Great TV Show [Video]

One of my top three, if not thee top, favorite television shows of all time came to a end last night. If you missed this well written gem, I will offer to you that FX Network's 'Justified' is more than just binge-worthy. It will leave you wanting more. NO SPOILERS here, but this is my tribute to a great show.

NOTE: Some links in this post may contain SPOILERS

After six season and 78 episodes, FX Network's 'Justified' aired its finale episode, and it left me happy that I fell in love with it right from the very beginning. Underneath the great story lines and entertaining banter is a great plot that follows the ties that bond people together despite their different paths in life.

Although subtle at times, the audience learns several things that demonstrate a bond between the main character and his two supporting characters throughout the first 77 episodes. In the final minutes of episode 78 (The Promise), the writers & producers showed that bond never dies, regardless of the path they are following.

The show follows the life of the main character, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (played by Timothy Olyphant). Raylan is a modern day 19th century-style lawman, enforcing his brand of justice in a way that puts a target on his back with criminals and places him at odds with his bosses in the Marshal service (FX Publicity).

But it also adds in Boyd Crowder (played by Walton Goggins) and Ava Crowder (played by Joelle Carter). Raylan and Boyd dug coal together in Harlan when they were young men. Twenty years later, Raylan and Boyd find themselves on opposite sides of the law. As far as Ava, she finds herself romantically involved with both Raylan and Boyd at different points during the series. Eventually she finds herself playing both sides in order to survive (FX Publicity).

As I said, it was the first three minutes of the very first episode (Fire in the Hole) that hooked me. It was a big risk for a start up show, but it was those three minutes that hooked me. I instantly fell in love with the character Raylan Givens.

Watch it now and see for yourself.

The risk, the main character killing off another character in the opening scene of the series. This is a person we are supposed to fall in love with. Although dark, it set the tone for the mental demons dancing in Raylan's mind - the past that still haunts him as the show's story line begins.

The other thing I loved about those three minutes, and the entire series for that matter, was the quick wit dialogue between the characters. A style that was adapted from author Elmore Leonard and his short story 'Fire in the Hole' which is what spurred this modern-day-like western TV show. Leonard also featured the Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in 'Pronto' and 'Riding the Rap'.

I loved the subtle homage they paid to the late Elmore Leonard (1925-2013) in the closing stages of the grand finale. Raylan is cleaning out his desk, and he finds a book written by George V. Higgins entitled 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle'. Elmore credited Higgins for teaching him to not to be so rigid in trying to make the prose sound like writing. That is also something the producers of the show did very well when crafting the great dialogue between each of the characters. There were several other tributes, but that was my favorite.

Whether you are just learning about Justified or want to relive this gem, it is binge-worthy. So block off some time and start watching back-to-back episodes. Look for it at your favorite streaming services our get the DVD/Blu-Ray season sets.