Now this may just be one of the sappiest shows I have seen in a long, long time. Timothy Olyphant may be a fine actor for a television commercial, but dress him up in a cheesy cowboy hat at your own peril. While the premise of the show may be interesting, one should note that it's set in Nowhere, Kentucky, and how many people can he really shoot in a town of 57 habitants? I've seen ol' Tim play a bunch of terrible bad guys in movies and television before and I really wanted him to do well in this one. He doesn't seem like too bad of a guy and why not cheer for the Working Man's Hero, but the writing in this show is truly brutal. Why even attempt to turn this guy into some sort of mutant television character with Jack Bauer's mean streak, Dr House's wit and Don Draper's womanizing charm? I'd rather saw off my own foot with a rusty saw from 8th grade shop class than be forced to watch this tripe. After all, it's just like my old man used to say: you can't make chicken salad from chicken ****… Expand

Great show-- well acted, and has the balls to go in some directions you would not expect. Doesn't hurt that it is set very near where I grew up-- but I do remember most residents being slightly less armed than portrayed on the show...

The last episode of this second season has left me breathless and proves that the series has tremendous staying power and can get even better than it already is. What sets this series apart from everything else that's on TV right now (and frankly, has been for the past few years) is plot and character development. Not only is the central plot gripping and innovative, all the subplots thus far presented serve it amazingly well and are worthy in their own right. The same can be said about characters. As if characters as rich and multi-layered as Raylan and Boyd weren't enough, we still get marvelous supporting characters for them to play off of, such as the whole of the Bennett family. Elmore Leonard is a freaking genius!!!… Expand

Certainly starts well, but quickly degenerated into a confusion of crime thriller with teenage type comedy. Script lacked tightness and development, instead remaining lightweight and superficial. What a waste of Timothy Olyphant.

Timothy Olyphant is a treasure as Raylan Givens and the show, although erratic in its quality throughout the season, often achieved brilliance. The last two episodes were some of the best television in recent memory.

I decided to give this show a chance because FX has done a pretty good job with Sons of Anarchy. Not anything to write home about but definitely entertaining. Justified? One man living by one code under one hat? This guy is such a sap. The creators made this guy so over-badass when you can tell deeply by the sap seeping from his pours that he's simply lame. Plus (I've only watched the pilot, and I won't watch more) conservatives are like usual blowing weed out of proportion just because they're uneducated hicks! Who blows up a Church with a rocket launcher over some weed? How much weed can there possibly be in this little hick-ass town in Kentucky? I'm pretty sure the rocket launcher is worth a bit more than the $1000 pound of schwag. Why would the sap leave Miami (home of coke dealers and notoriously badass tv and movie crime scenes) to go fight Smoky the Bear in the sticks? Why the hell would there be a federal marshall's office in this tiny dirt hole? How many criminals are there for the sap to shoot in this tiny town? How about little miss filthy pants? Is that the town hottie? Is that the show's hottie? C'mon! These questions and any possible answers are ultimately what have made me decide to never watch this show again, and furthermore to throw rotten tomatoes at anyone that does!… Expand

Brilliant show, especially for fans of Elmore Leonard's writing. Timothy Olyphant inhabits the laconic character with ease, grace and wit. Episodes are unhurried, thoughtful, and amusing. Violence is addressed in an understated manner, and even minor characters appear interesting and well cast. Long may it last!

Has to be one of the best shows on TV at the moment. People who cannot pay attention to a continuing plot line need not watch. This is a TV show that tells a story in a sort of wild-west way, except this takes place in modern times and Kentucky. It is not reality TV. It's a great show with some really good writing behind it. Season two is even better. I don't understand how anyone can just give the show a 0 lol....they must have no taste in TV at all.… Expand

Here's a show that is unpredictable, funny, dark and entertaining all at once. Combining the procedural cop show with the Western is a great move, made even greater by the witty scripts and the great talent of the performers, Olyphant being the stand out. A show that embraces the Western but somehow manages to avoid most of the tired cop show cliches, this is brilliant stuff. Roll on Season 2!

'Justified' captures the mood of Elmore Leonard better than any other previous adaptation of his works. Olyphant's Raylan Givens has enough swagger to fill any scene, but any time he is joined on screen by Walton Goggins' Boyd Crowder, the whole thing goes up a notch. Love me some Justified

I know Olyphant from Deadwood, one of the best shows ever made. While this isn't quite in that category of greatness, Justified is a well-written show with a handful (though small) of interesting characters. Especially interesting is the relationship between Olyphant and the character Boyd, who seemingly becomes a born-again Christian after being locked up by Olyphant's character. Of course, Olyphant isn't buying it one bit. Nice pacing with some genuinely funny moments, Justified is the only show I'm watching at the moment (other than Breaking Bad) where I don't have my expectations set in the toilet.… Expand

Since I canceled my subscriptions to premium channels, FX and AMC are the only channels keeping me from canceling my cable deal. Justified is a prime example of why. Admittedly, the show takes about half a season to really get off the ground, but the writing remains strong throughout and once it gets off the ground, it's propelled into the stratosphere. Walton Goggins is fantastic.

Good first season, had a few lulls, but got back to being a quality FX program. Acting is good, attachment to the characters is there, and understanding of each person's actions is solid. This show really helps to fill the void left after The Shield.

A great show with excellent dialogue, dry humor and quality actors. It has it's downfalls and poorly written episodes like every other show but overall it is a fun ride.

I missed season one, but added it to my Tivo wish list, and lo and behold I found three episodes this morning. My husband and I watched the first episode, then ended up watching all three. The Raylan Givens character played by Timothy Olyphant is a tough character and a bit of a rogue, but tough and charming make a nice mix. I like watching him. So far he is the only character the writers have developed to any degree. It is a violent show, but I'm not averse to violence. It also has a sense of humor, and I love that it's in KY (rather than LA, LV or NY, etc.), which makes for an interesting backdrop. Three more episodes will be on in the wee hours next week, and I am already anticipating them. (Anyone else recording them should add about ten minutes to the third show as each show, running consecutively, came up short and by the third, we had missed five or so minutes.)… Expand

Definitely one of the best newcomers on television, the characters may at first seem a little generic and used but as soon as the Kentucky background is seen for the first time everything takes on a life of its own and makes for a entertaining and nail biting show

This show rocks. Plenty of gunfights, awesome characters, especially Givens, Neo-Nazi turned evangelical preacher Boyd Crowder (who happens to be an old friend of Givens', and they continue to be friends, which is fascinating), and fatherly hardass boss Marshal Art Mullen, and a cable show not afraid of the FCC, which I appreciate. But you all know, from critic reviews, that this show is awesome. I want to respond to some of the truly idiotic comments, especially from 'poppacastro.' First, the Marshal's office is in Lexington, Kentucky, a city of three hundred and fifty thousand people. Much of the action takes place in Harlan County, Kentucky, where Givens grew up, population 33,000. Most of the bad guys are from his hometown, also called Harlan, because it's the county seat, but the principal bad guys, mostly childhood acquaintances or friends of Givens', draw their manpower from all over this county. And the rocket launcher used to destroy the black church/pot dealership was a Vietnam era-LAW (light antitank weapon), and I'd be willing to bet you could get those for about two hundred bucks, with a new unit cost of $1000, and this weapon was emphatically not new. Definitely worth it to take out the competition. As to everyone being uneducated hicks, this is coal country, home of the most productive coal mines in the US. And coal mining takes MANPOWER. Education tends to be subpar in places with large industrial apparatuses capable of consuming legions of barely-literate high school graduates (given the rate at which such professions use up its practitioners). Detroit was the same until American cars went belly-up. That said, he is kind of a sap at times, though I hardly think that he's anything like a combination of House, Jack Bauer, and Don Draper. He's more like a combination of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.… Expand

I give it a 10 out of 10, although not as good as Sons of Anarchy, the show does not deserve less than ten. Maybe Sons gets a 10.5. The show hardly ever gets cheesy, keeps me on my toes, and offers a great story to follow, without leaving any show boring. It should be watched from the beginning, S01E01, or you may miss much. But I love this show, and even after Season 3, it still is great, actually, it is better.… Expand

I heart Timothy Olyphant. I have ever since he starred in Deadwood and even as far back as Go. Not that I want to see him typecasted but this is the type of role that he was made to play. He excels as the tough but fair lawman with a sensitive and oh so dreamy underbelly. This show has excellent dialogue, writing, editing and the acting is perfect. I am hoping that season two is just as good and am excitedly awaiting it's release to DVD. I highly recommend this show to anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned ass kicking, hard loving, tough guy sort of show. Bravo FX!… Expand

It's as if they have two sets of writers for this show. One set for dialog and one for plot. The dialog is great the plots are ludicrous. The main character just happens to always be at the right place at the right time. Another thing, they're still showing white chalk marks for bodies at crime scenes. Everyone knows, by now (except the crappy writers on this show) that those aren't never actually used and are solely a Hollywood convention from the 1930's. The acting is fine, the dialog is great, but please get some better people to hash out the plot.… Collapse

This show is awesome. Every aspect of it. The stories are interesting, the characters well developed and Olyphant is very potent. The reviews are right, it takes time to get off the ground but it is worth being patient.

One of the only a few shows that I will watch as soon as an episode is available. The show doesn't take itself to seriously and helps keep the viewer interested with some wild story lines. I'm surprised how much the show has put these characters through in only two seasons. I would highly suggest to anyone looking for something to watch over the summer.

I'm learning a lot about another world from watching, "Justified", that I've only vaguely been aware of, most of it based on my own family's history in Arkansas and Tennessee. There are plenty of very real characters portrayed in this series that could very easily be members of my family. It feels a little weird to get acquainted this way but its a whole lot safer than in person. Winter's Bone is movie that I would highly recommend for those who find this program worth watching.… Expand

A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show. A perfect show.

The thing that makes this show Remarkable is the acting plain and simple the acting in this show is pure supremacy but, too bad that's the only thing this show has.Other things that are good include the unique filming, suprise twists that happen rarely, and very realistic look of the country southern american setting.

Mayberry vs The Hillbillies! This role was made for Timothy Olyphant so was Deadwood. Walking Tall lives.
Raylan nemesis Boyd Crowder makes the show his own and grows ratings. Everybody's cousins in town!

Justified is another cop drama, but with a fresh spin on the played out genre. A well-rounded cast and solid writing have kept me coming back every week since the pilot aired.

Initially, every episode resulted in Raylan solving every scenario with a well-timed shot, but the stories have been taking a different direction this season and have renewed my interest in the plot and where it's going. Well worth the watch.… Expand

It got off on a rather slow start but it definently picked up later on in the season. The cast is good and the plot is interesting. I would say the huge flaw of the show is that it just took soon long for it to get interesting, They definently gotta fix that for next season. Still, Its a good show that is well worth the watch.

Perfect on all counts writing, directing, casting and acting. One of the few shows of all time that I've been addicted to. I've seen all through season 3.

This show has a cool factor. Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder are the main guys, and everyone else will likely die in this or a future episode, and that's ok... Not a typical shoot em up law show. Usually some unexpected turns. Always give kudos to shows where they make you root for the good guys and the bad guys at the same time.

It's a fantastic series and I don't know how we are going to wait until the next season starts! It had me hanging on the edge of my seat and hankering for more when every episode was over. I love the laconic humor and unexpected twists. The only two criticisms I have are - there isn't a whole lot of intelligent police work happening (eg when Arlow confesses to the shooting at the end of the series- they just believe him without any evidence) Not that I want this show to turn into another CSI because I hate those shows, but it just seems a little silly that it's not a factor. The other criticism is that Timothy Olyphant doesn't take his shirt off enough! I don't know why he isn't cast in more movie roles because we love his work.… Expand

Hands down the best of the cop shows on TV. Timothy Olyphant is superb with hardly a missed beat by any of the support players. Well written, note perfect acting and a great balance in genre. There is solid action with romance that doesn't seem to be added 'just because we need the chick demographics'. Some well thought out drama tempered with great elements of comic relief (Damon Herriman as Dewey Crowe is brilliant). Can't rightly think why this would get anything less than 6. Matt Passmore from The Glades should take notes from Timothy Olyphant on how to play smart tough and cool.… Expand

Smart, funny, great complex and interesting characters excellent writing... I enjoy every episode and I can't t wait for next season. Olyphant is amazing in this show.

It was too disjointed for me to enjoy. I like good plotting and characterization, and although the latter was there, the lack of the former was evident until later in the season. The last few episodes managed to weave the whole story together somewhat but it wasn't enough. There are definitely better first seasons out there. This season was overrated and did not make me want to watch the next season.… Expand

LOVE this show! If I could rate it higher I would. The acting is great, Timothy O is absolutely amazing, the modern day Clint Eastwood! The writing is fantastic and the series flows from show to show. Each season has gotten better than the previous one and it keeps you on the end of your seat, no one and nothing is sacred or protected. I can't count the number of times I have said out loud, "ohh wow, holy crap!" (and I usually watch it alone!! It is the show you want to have a quiet household to watch with no interruptions or distractions. Phones off!! Bring on Marshal Givens!!!!… Expand

Justified is a solid character driven show that delivers in creating unique plots and season long story arcs. I enjoy that justified attempts to be unpredictable while still maintaining a consistent storyline that's compelling to follow. I also like how each season successfully delves into a unique dilemma that has to be solved or averted in cliffhanger fashion. Other strengths of the show center on the excellent villains, strong acting, and frequent sarcastic humor. However, I find that Justified typically lacks a positive vibe (a lot of backstabbing, betrayal), leaving me wondering if I even care whether the main character fails. Still though, the series is solid and I continue to look forward to each new season with anticipation.… Expand

Every man who watches this show wishes he was Raylan Givens. Handsome, quietly confident, wry sense of humor, and kills bad guys, but only when it's wait for it justified. Several great supporting characters. The screen crackles when Raylan and Boyd Crowder have a scene together. Gorgeous actresses. GREAT villians. Fun twisty unpredictable stories. Somebody finally figured out how to "do" Elmore Leonard. My favorite show on TV… Expand

I started out liking this show but I must have been confused thinking it was a western-type police show. Although I like the main character it seems it has morphed into nothing but a never ending soap opera as I haven't seen "the Marshall" do any investigating or arresting in the last three shows. I am old-fashioned in liking shows that the good guys win and the show has a conclusion after one hour. No longer on my list.… Expand

I have mixed feelings about this show. I love some of the characters Olyphant channels a good Clint Eastwood vibe. But the writing is splintered where is Natalie Zea (the ex-wife)? Why not involve other marshals more fully (which is usually done)? The actress who plays "Boyd's" fiance has the worst fake accent I think I have ever heard it's distracting and her character has lost a lot of strength. That character would have been more interesting by toeing the line between Crowder (bad) and Givens (good). The writing leads to obvious conclusions with dead-ends for continuance. And ugh, the editing. It's horrible. Discrepancies in almost every scene glasses are on a table, then gone in the next shot. The contrast even varies shot to shot. There are mountains in the background (Kentucky has green hills), and worse yet, our local Santa Clarita numbers on some signs in the background. Hey guys look me up lauramhealy1 at g mail. I work as a freelance editor and consultant. I bet I could do a better job for less money. The setting should be more authentic I grew up in the Midwest before coming out here. Kentucky has bluegrass (not sand), maples and elms (not desert scrub trees), huge expanses of green fields (not dusty desert roads/highways), songbirds (not many crows), black dirt (not sand), lots of horses and loose dogs (the only animals are dead hanging hogs), and a lot of people who smoke. It would be pretty inexpensive to actually film in Kentucky. A little more authenticity and sharper writing (and basic editing!) could make this show a blockbuster.… Expand