Take Three: Justified

Justified: Season 1, Episode 3 “Fixer” (B+)

I’m loving the assortment of criminals who prowl around Kentucky wreaking havoc. They’re so vile and so depraved, yet they think so much of themselves. It’s great that Raylan’s reputation precedes him and that he can be so easily identified by what happened in Miami. But back to the criminals, we first have a seedy informant who I was sure was going to be played by Richard Kind, who fits that bill perfectly after playing the medical equivalent of a frequent flyer on “Scrubs.” Instead, we get a nice surprise in the form of David Eigenberg, famous for playing Miranda’s main squeeze Steve on “Sex and the City.” As a far more villainous double-crosser, we also have Page Kennedy who played U-Turn on “Weeds,” playing a very different character who’s less crazy but still as intimidating. I like all of the comparisons to Westerns and Raylan as a cowboy, and the show makes excellent use of them. The conversation between Raylan and Ava about how Raylan first met Winona was wonderful, particularly Ava questioning Raylan after he said that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he corrected it with “up until that point.” I was certain that he was knocking on Winona’s door at the end of episode, but it’s so glorious to see him giving it to his feelings and finally deciding to see what happens with Ava. I hope it goes somewhere good, because I absolutely adore seeing actress Joelle Carter and her character Ava around.