Things We Learned:

This week’s round-up is going to be pretty much the same as any week’s except I’ll be highlighting the various narrative seeds that flowered in this fantastic finale. Or, to use the parlance of Harlan County, let’s count all them pah-tick-u-luh chickens that came home to roost. And let me say, right off the bat, that this was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a season I have ever enjoyed and that all the quibbles of the previous episodes wash away in the face of its awesomeness.

Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks and Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson Line Count : Probably one of the biggest disappointments of the season. I really hope they find a better use for these two next year.

Favorite Lines: My favorite interaction was, of course, one of those classic Boyd/Raylan conversations. We’ve had them in every season finale. The layers in the dialogue and the subtle affection/tension between the two characters is just pure magic. Raylan’s smile at Boyd wriggling free once again was a favorite moment.

-“One bad apple spoils the barrel.”

“Well Raylan even in a little town like Harlan I think the apple barrel is obsolete.”

“But the expression ain’t because of the truth contained therein.”

“You trying to tell me we ain’t talking about apples?”

-“That’s the apple, the barrel and the tree.”

The Gist: I think that this particular season of “Justified,” more than any other, showed us how brilliant the writers are. Every complaint I had, every doubt and niggling concern paid off in a way I never expected. We knew Arlo would play a role, we didn’t know how huge it would be. Essentially, the writers planted a million of Chekov’s guns (and cleavers) throughout the season and set them all off at once in this finale. In retrospect, the theme of family flavors damn near every interaction we’ve seen, including Dickie’s search for his Momma’s money (and, by extension, proof of her affection for him). And, just as Loretta replaced Dickie, Boyd replaced Raylan. Arlo’s approval is never something Raylan has sought during his adult life (though he protests a bit much on that front), but his betrayal this time cuts deeper than ever before. I’m going to copy something I wrote a few episodes back not because I’m lazy, but because it shows how well the writers built this season:

“We’ve been talking a lot this season about power moves and brokering. (The plot actually bears a pretty close resemblance to the upcoming season of “Game Of Thrones.” We can call this “The War Of Five Kingpins” instead.) But behind the ever shuffling players lies the deeper connective tissue that make “Justified” such an unforgettable show. From the shared experience (everyone knows Limehouse doesn’t keep his money under the church!) to the families that we build when we don’t like the ones we’re born into, the characters on this show are linked by more than circumstance and weekly plots. Art’s presence this episode was extremely welcome. Both his parental demeanor and his sarcastic reminder to Raylan that, in his effort to be the smartest ass in the room he missed the point about Theo Tonin’s men, help humanize and humble Raylan in a way the Winona character never could. Similarly, the Crowder crew are their own little family, Arlo, Ava and Johnny each vying for attention and prominence in their own way. But the sticky web of this universe is tenuous at best and the writers have been planting bombs all season. Someone’s about to set it off, and his initials might just be Boyd Crowder.”

I was wrong. For all the Boyds and Quarleses…Dickies and Limehouses. This show is and always will be about that man in a hat.



