Justified wraps up season number three this week and Quarles isn’t the only one with something up his sleeve. Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) discovers a harsh truth that will leave one relationship broken beyond repair. “Slaughterhouse” — After the murder of his friend, Raylan is a man on fire as he after any – and everyone he holds responsible on the way to a bloody final showdown.
Trooper Tom Bergen (Peter Murnik) was shot last week and the quest to find out who actually pulled the trigger is on. Any guesses? If you don’t know don’t worry about it, it will be drilled into you repeatedly. You’ll know the answer before you even know that you know, trust me. That is exactly what cleaver storytelling is all about.
Raylan pays a visit to Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns) and it’s the best scene between the two of them all season. Magic happens when those two come together and play a game that they are familiar with. Wynn Duffy says it best, “Jesus Christ!”
Boyd (Walton Goggins) picks up on something that was said in a conversation that makes him question who he can trust and that is confirmed by a phone call from Shelby (Jim Beaver).
Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson) says something really insensitive to Raylan and honestly the conversation should have ended at “donkey squat.” Raylan also doesn’t take kindly to confusion. Limehouse is my least favorite character this season but that may be because his teeth freak me out. Am I the only one that is disturbed by this?
Cathy Cahlin Ryan (The Shield) guest stars as the mother of two boys that has an unfortunate run-in with a madman. As if you needed another reason not to attend a Christian rock festival, Justified helps you check another box off. I knew I loved this show. Please think about this episode before you plaster your car full of stickers because you never know who is watching you. I’m giving that more significance because I am not a fan of bumper/car stickers unless they are covering up a rust spot because hell, we have all been there. Cathy is fantastic, as always.
Quarles (Neal McDonough) reaches out and tries to touch someone but the price is steep. Theo Tonin (Adam Arkin) discusses cinema and disgust.
Arlo (Raymond J. Barry) has been losing it all season and Boyd makes sure that he watches him take his medicine. The one good thing about Arlo not taking his medication is that we got to see Helen (Linda Gehringer) several times this season.
Ava (Joelle Carter) has really come into her own this season and the finale shows a side of her that you’ve seen before but never quite like this. Joelle is spectacular. I can’t say enough good things about her. I love watching actors really grow into their parts. In season one Joelle was fantastic as Ava but now she is show stopping.
The moment that you have all been waiting for all season finally happens, Raylan and Quarles meet again. How do you think this is going to play out? I’m not going to spoil it but it’s very interesting and well done. You think you know exactly how it is going to go down but it gets spiced up a bit. There are even a few corny jokes thrown out that surprisingly Rachel isn’t on the receiving end of. I do love when Raylan tries to be funny around Rachel and she just looks at him like, “sure buddy.”
This season has been fantastic but it had some disappointing aspects that can certainly be remedied next season. I would like to learn more about some of the other main characters like Tim Gutterson (Jacob Pitts), Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel), and Art Mullen (Nick Searcy). Those are some resources that have, for the most part, been untapped. You know there are some amazing stories about their characters just waiting to be told.
Justified always goes above and beyond in casting guest stars; Jere Burns, Neal McDonough, Maggie Lawson, Adam Arkin, and Ezra Buzzington were some of my favorites this season.
As much as this was a fantastic season, I missed the unique tension that Margo Martindale, as Mags Bennett, brought to the table last season. She had the whole package. That being said, I think it would be impossible for them to beat the season two finale in my book. What has been your favorite season so far?
Don’t miss the season finale of Justified, Tuesday night on FX. I can’t wait to see where they are going to take this series next season.
JUSTIFIED
Season 3 Finale Advance Review
“Slaughterhouse”
Airs Tuesday Night, April 10 at 10 EST on FX
April 9, 2012
By Lena Lamoray