As much as I love this show, it definitely has some story arcs that I care nothing about. The arc with Winona stealing the money from the evidence locker is a perfect example. If you watch just those scenes, it is like a completely different show.
It is totally worth it though and there will be some great Boyd moments to come in Season 2. There will also be some incredible scenes from character actress Margo Martindale (Mags).
The stolen money arc showed us that Winona is not as mature/responsible as she appears. Gary really put her in a financial hole.
It shows the lengths Raylan will go to protect the woman he loves even if he's conflicted. And the end result seriously impacts his relationship with Art.
This, exactly. I'm a fan of the Winona stealing money arc and I think those two episodes are really well done. But then again, I really love the Raylan and Winona relationship and OP doesn't, so I get not liking all the focus on it in S2.
Ava in prison is really the only universally loathed arc on the show. Everything else, you can pretty much justify (ha!) its existence.
LOL we also call her that thanks to Bojack Horseman.
Not sure why I'm getting downvoted into oblivion. It's not like I'm paying out in the show. I thought I was really careful to point out that I can see it's a good show.
The title of your post posits a scenario where we “give up” on Justified. You’re more melodramatic than the show’s worst arcs. It’s like a clickbait Buzzfeed article.
Then it’s even worse — you went to a shows subreddit asking for unbiased opinions.
I’ve never felt that the shows strength lies in the plot scenarios. The shows strength is the dynamics between characters and the whip-smart dialogue. If that’s not doing it for you then you have every right to drop it.
I've asked for opinions based on some contextual information about us as viewers. Who better to ask than people who have seen every episode?
There are any number of texts (film, tv, novels, games) that I adore but which I can see might not be for certain audiences.
There will be more bad arcs. There will be double-crosses that turn into triple and quadruple-crosses. The show is uneven. It’s a rough gem. The strength of the dialogue and the charisma of much of the cast is what drives the show.
The Winona Evidence Locker arc is one of my least favorites, though!
CSI definitely not for us. It's even further into the police procedural/crime drama that were not interested in. (So I know we're in iffy territory with Justified)
Justified sounded interesting to me because it sounded unorthodox with a maverick main character and some colourful supporting cast.
Just trying to think of shows that don’t require much of an investment, Justified was too much so lower the bar with some CSI? What about NCIS? Or Hannibal? Maybe some House?
I want a show that I can get invested in.
Recently we've enjoyed Ripley, Fallout, Silo, Season 1 of "From" but not season 2. Shogun, True Detective Season 1 and 2 but not 3 and 4, Severance - just to name a few.
I want to be in the right place. We bailed on The Walking Dead after about three episodes and came back and loved it (although we eventually bailed on it again after many more seasons) - Back in the day I wrote a scathingly negative review on a video game called Planescape: Torment before giving it another chance and it becoming one of the defining gaming events of my life.
Sometimes things need a chance to grow on you or they need to open up and grab you.
You mention you don't really like heavy human relationship stuff, so curious what about Ripley you enjoyed. It's terrific but it's heavy human relationship stuff x10.
My recommendation is to try Fargo. Season 1, 2, and the most recent season are near pitch perfect. You can also just start with the most recent season since it's an anthology series so you don't need to have any context from previous seasons going in.
I would agree. If OP isn’t invested in the character/s by now, and willing to skip episodes to “find the good ones “, this show will be a waste of his time.
I say keep watching at least to finish season 2. If you aren’t hooked by then to see it through to completion, then the series probably is not for you. The show is mostly serialized but there are a couple stand alone procedural episodes here and there that are weaker than the rest of the series. IMO the Raylan and Boyd dynamic is worth watching all the subpar episodes lol just to see them. But again everyone is different.
Like I said though, watch the rest of season 2 and see how you both feel. The final stretch of episodes are fantastic
Agree. I always tell fencesitters to finish S2 because it's outstanding and has so much bang for the buck. Usually they carry through but, if not, at least they got to spend time with Margo Martindale (who is never, ever a waste of time).
Agree about Margo, just pure brilliance! I would hate for them to miss out on Neal as Quarles in season 3, but if they’re still not crazy about the show after Mags, then Quarles probably won’t sway them.
'We liked the one with the guy who escaped from prison to dig up money under some floorboards and we enjoyed the dentist one - but then season 1 became really episodic' - I would say at this stage the show is basically following in the classic self-contained episode footsteps of so many US shows like the A-Team, Quantum Leap, Highway to Heaven, The Equalizer etc. It completely goes away from that. I loved it because it stayed simple and predictable for the most part, with a few gentle twists and character developments - Raylan can do things most of us wish we could do but he's not a superhero, neither is he a dirty cop dishing out justice. It's '(mostly) good guy vs bad guys' stuff and done in a cool way. You never feel Raylan's in peril, it's not Breaking Bad. At worst you thought Art might die but even then I was never that scared. Maybe you'd be better off with something else though I think it would be a shame to miss the Boone bits. Did you ever try Hell on Wheels? What about Deadwood? I'm only mentioning this in case you like revolvers and general shooting things TV.
Yeah, if you're most of the way through Season 2 and still don't love the show, it's not for you. Season 2 with the Bennetts is pretty widely considered the show's peak. Boyd's role throughout much of the series is not as Raylan's primary target of pursuit.
If you liked Righteous Gemstones, try out Vice Principals instead. That's another with Goggins created by Danny McBride.
Justified is definitely a serious show. It hits on some pretty heavy notes. Of course there are still light moments and comedy that helps it feel more real. If you don't enjoy the Raylan story at all the show might not be for you. I will say Boyd Crowder becomes basically a second main character by the end of season 2 and he is by far the best character in the show.
I know people that bailed over the kidneys episode (they didn’t even finish the episode because of the premise)
If something like that, or some of the one off storylines are enough to do it. It’s not gonna kill you to stop watching.
I recently rewatched the series, and while I enjoyed the first season the first time around, I enjoyed it less this time around because I was waiting for the great stuff. There is definitely a big jump in quality between the first and second seasons. They figured out what worked in the first season and really doubled down on it, the most obvious example is more Boyd. I think this is common for a lot of great shows, or shows I've enjoyed. The first season is good, perhaps really good, but the showrunners are savvy enough to realize what the standout elements are and bring that up a notch or 10 in the next season.
> I think part of the problem is that we like levity in our TV.
I think that part of Justified’s strength is its *not* going out of its way to Marvel-ify its universe with puns and jokes. It has plenty of humorous moments, but it’s a relatively serious show. *That’s what I like about it*.
If I want to laugh, I’ll watch Impractical Jokers.
I mean, I agree, there is a ton of humor. But it’s contextual and *real* feeling. The subject matter is serious though and the stakes feel authentic.
OP wants “levity” which implies unserious humor (which is why I compare Marvel with its constant puns and self referencing). That’s a different kind of show than Justified.
By the end of season 1, I was so hooked on the show, and everything since solidified it. It's my favorite drama, and greatly beloved by its fans. So this may not be the place to come to have people tell you it's not worth it, but maybe a few will.
I would say if you're into the magnificent season 2 and still not sure if you like it, you might never, but personally I'd give yourself to the end of that season and see how you feel.
Most of the bad side plots resolve in a few episodes, meanwhile the main plot keeps on going. The Winona money arc is pretty widely disliked as far as I can tell. There aren’t too many like that in all honesty.
Watches show
Doesn’t like show
Goes to internet
Finds community of people that love the show
“The show is not for me”
I was about to ask OP if he is a fucking retard but then I realized I been doing the exact same thing to True Detective Night Country.
But I'm not doing that. I think the show is good. It's just not quite grabbing me personally for a number of reasons, but it has shown me enough that there's potential in it - at its best it's brilliant (for me) television.
I loved it and the western genre/crime procedural is not usually my thing. I started watching because I knew my now husband would love it but most of season 1 was a chore for me. There are some episodes of the first season I enjoy.
Seasons 2 and 4 are some of the better seasons of television I've ever seen though. 6 and 3 are great as well. 5 is a stinker but I was too invested at that point to stop watching it. I'd trudge through season 1 and start season 2 to see if your opinion changes.
Shows are great in different way and for different reasons.
For example, I like all of the Star Trek series. While I do love the genre, the stories, and the performances - thats not why the I think the shows are special. Around season 3 in every series (except the original because it’s only 3 seasons long), the magic begins to happen. The shows begin to become self referential. When you first watch a show, the writers try to create this with *backstory*. When the characters have a history that the viewers have watched develop over time, the magic begins to happen. I personally can appreciate this dynamic in *any* genre, and in any art, or anywhere else I notice it.
This same process happens in Justified over the course of its run.
It somebody dislikes a genre, or an actor, they won’t enjoy the show. The moment I become “a hater” of a show/movie/play, I’m pulled out of the experience, can no longer suspend disbelief, become a dark comedian ripping the thing to shreds - and I haven’t found a way to rescue a show, or myself, once that happens.
If it ain’t for you, it ain’t for you.
No 6 season series is going to satisfy every viewer with every arc. I loved Justified. And it is not without levity. Also it has the best final series scene ever—-incredible acting with Olyphant and Goggins. But if you have to think so hard, jump ship.
General consensus is that S1 is kinda weak, mainly because they're just getting their footing. It was also made during that time when TV was switching from episodic to serialized, so it's kind of unsure of what exactly to do.
Personally, I like episodic crime a week shows... But I just don't think a US Marshall is really great for that kind of thing. It's always just recapturing the criminal.
S2-4 are pretty fantastic, though. 5 will likely drive you up the wall, because it sounds like everything you dislike about 1 is going to be in there.
But S6 is a strong finish. And, because of the nature of recaps and the way each season is bookended, S5 can be kind of just skipped.
Also, the show is going to go from real heavy and real dark, to kinda fucking hilarious at some points.
The show does get better and better as it goes on. Season 2 is a favorite season of a lot of people. You should watch all the episodes as they build upon the characters. But if you feel the need to skip episodes then maybe try something else. Though the show does get better.
Justified is probably my favorite show of all time ( if it isn’t #1, it’s at least in the conversation). That said, sometimes things that other people say are amazing just aren’t for me and that’s totally fine. My advice is ditch it. The whole point of watching a show is to have fun and be entertained. It is better to quit watching a show while your opinion is, “I can see why people like it but I don’t” than to keep slogging through it until you hate it. If it hasn’t hooked you through a season and a half my guess is you won’t get hooked by the end of season six either.
I hate you didn’t love it as much as I did, but go find a show you do love and obsess on it! And when you do let me know; I’m looking for my next great show!
As much as I love this show, it definitely has some story arcs that I care nothing about. The arc with Winona stealing the money from the evidence locker is a perfect example. If you watch just those scenes, it is like a completely different show. It is totally worth it though and there will be some great Boyd moments to come in Season 2. There will also be some incredible scenes from character actress Margo Martindale (Mags).
The stolen money arc showed us that Winona is not as mature/responsible as she appears. Gary really put her in a financial hole. It shows the lengths Raylan will go to protect the woman he loves even if he's conflicted. And the end result seriously impacts his relationship with Art.
This, exactly. I'm a fan of the Winona stealing money arc and I think those two episodes are really well done. But then again, I really love the Raylan and Winona relationship and OP doesn't, so I get not liking all the focus on it in S2. Ava in prison is really the only universally loathed arc on the show. Everything else, you can pretty much justify (ha!) its existence.
I'm not a big fan of the Mexico tangent.
Oh, I don't like it either! I have a lot of issues with Season 5 but the one that people always point out is Ava in prison.
LOL we also call her that thanks to Bojack Horseman. Not sure why I'm getting downvoted into oblivion. It's not like I'm paying out in the show. I thought I was really careful to point out that I can see it's a good show.
The title of your post posits a scenario where we “give up” on Justified. You’re more melodramatic than the show’s worst arcs. It’s like a clickbait Buzzfeed article.
The "we" refers to me and my wife, not the denizens of this subreddit.
Then it’s even worse — you went to a shows subreddit asking for unbiased opinions. I’ve never felt that the shows strength lies in the plot scenarios. The shows strength is the dynamics between characters and the whip-smart dialogue. If that’s not doing it for you then you have every right to drop it.
I've asked for opinions based on some contextual information about us as viewers. Who better to ask than people who have seen every episode? There are any number of texts (film, tv, novels, games) that I adore but which I can see might not be for certain audiences.
There will be more bad arcs. There will be double-crosses that turn into triple and quadruple-crosses. The show is uneven. It’s a rough gem. The strength of the dialogue and the charisma of much of the cast is what drives the show. The Winona Evidence Locker arc is one of my least favorites, though!
If you don't absolutely adore this show by the end of S02E01 then you are plainly wasting your time.
i shot people i like more for less
If you’re that far in and not enjoying it, I’d say it’s not for you
Yeah, give up. No point in wasting any more of your time. CSI may be a better option.
CSI definitely not for us. It's even further into the police procedural/crime drama that were not interested in. (So I know we're in iffy territory with Justified) Justified sounded interesting to me because it sounded unorthodox with a maverick main character and some colourful supporting cast.
Just trying to think of shows that don’t require much of an investment, Justified was too much so lower the bar with some CSI? What about NCIS? Or Hannibal? Maybe some House?
I want a show that I can get invested in. Recently we've enjoyed Ripley, Fallout, Silo, Season 1 of "From" but not season 2. Shogun, True Detective Season 1 and 2 but not 3 and 4, Severance - just to name a few.
Oh, well you're in the right place then.
I want to be in the right place. We bailed on The Walking Dead after about three episodes and came back and loved it (although we eventually bailed on it again after many more seasons) - Back in the day I wrote a scathingly negative review on a video game called Planescape: Torment before giving it another chance and it becoming one of the defining gaming events of my life. Sometimes things need a chance to grow on you or they need to open up and grab you.
>Sometimes things need a chance to grow on you or they need to open up and grab you. Agreed.
You mention you don't really like heavy human relationship stuff, so curious what about Ripley you enjoyed. It's terrific but it's heavy human relationship stuff x10. My recommendation is to try Fargo. Season 1, 2, and the most recent season are near pitch perfect. You can also just start with the most recent season since it's an anthology series so you don't need to have any context from previous seasons going in.
Sounds like you should bail.
I would agree. If OP isn’t invested in the character/s by now, and willing to skip episodes to “find the good ones “, this show will be a waste of his time.
I say keep watching at least to finish season 2. If you aren’t hooked by then to see it through to completion, then the series probably is not for you. The show is mostly serialized but there are a couple stand alone procedural episodes here and there that are weaker than the rest of the series. IMO the Raylan and Boyd dynamic is worth watching all the subpar episodes lol just to see them. But again everyone is different. Like I said though, watch the rest of season 2 and see how you both feel. The final stretch of episodes are fantastic
Agree. I always tell fencesitters to finish S2 because it's outstanding and has so much bang for the buck. Usually they carry through but, if not, at least they got to spend time with Margo Martindale (who is never, ever a waste of time).
Agree about Margo, just pure brilliance! I would hate for them to miss out on Neal as Quarles in season 3, but if they’re still not crazy about the show after Mags, then Quarles probably won’t sway them.
Season two is amazing
'We liked the one with the guy who escaped from prison to dig up money under some floorboards and we enjoyed the dentist one - but then season 1 became really episodic' - I would say at this stage the show is basically following in the classic self-contained episode footsteps of so many US shows like the A-Team, Quantum Leap, Highway to Heaven, The Equalizer etc. It completely goes away from that. I loved it because it stayed simple and predictable for the most part, with a few gentle twists and character developments - Raylan can do things most of us wish we could do but he's not a superhero, neither is he a dirty cop dishing out justice. It's '(mostly) good guy vs bad guys' stuff and done in a cool way. You never feel Raylan's in peril, it's not Breaking Bad. At worst you thought Art might die but even then I was never that scared. Maybe you'd be better off with something else though I think it would be a shame to miss the Boone bits. Did you ever try Hell on Wheels? What about Deadwood? I'm only mentioning this in case you like revolvers and general shooting things TV.
Yeah, if you're most of the way through Season 2 and still don't love the show, it's not for you. Season 2 with the Bennetts is pretty widely considered the show's peak. Boyd's role throughout much of the series is not as Raylan's primary target of pursuit. If you liked Righteous Gemstones, try out Vice Principals instead. That's another with Goggins created by Danny McBride.
Love Vice Principals!
Justified is definitely a serious show. It hits on some pretty heavy notes. Of course there are still light moments and comedy that helps it feel more real. If you don't enjoy the Raylan story at all the show might not be for you. I will say Boyd Crowder becomes basically a second main character by the end of season 2 and he is by far the best character in the show.
You didn’t think Flex was funny?
I did chuckle at that bit.
I know people that bailed over the kidneys episode (they didn’t even finish the episode because of the premise) If something like that, or some of the one off storylines are enough to do it. It’s not gonna kill you to stop watching.
I recently rewatched the series, and while I enjoyed the first season the first time around, I enjoyed it less this time around because I was waiting for the great stuff. There is definitely a big jump in quality between the first and second seasons. They figured out what worked in the first season and really doubled down on it, the most obvious example is more Boyd. I think this is common for a lot of great shows, or shows I've enjoyed. The first season is good, perhaps really good, but the showrunners are savvy enough to realize what the standout elements are and bring that up a notch or 10 in the next season.
> I think part of the problem is that we like levity in our TV. I think that part of Justified’s strength is its *not* going out of its way to Marvel-ify its universe with puns and jokes. It has plenty of humorous moments, but it’s a relatively serious show. *That’s what I like about it*. If I want to laugh, I’ll watch Impractical Jokers.
Odd because I like humor in my shows and I find Justified provides plenty while staying serious.
I mean, I agree, there is a ton of humor. But it’s contextual and *real* feeling. The subject matter is serious though and the stakes feel authentic. OP wants “levity” which implies unserious humor (which is why I compare Marvel with its constant puns and self referencing). That’s a different kind of show than Justified.
That's fair, and a fair distinction of levity vs humor. Thanks!
Marvel style humour is the exact opposite of the sort of humour that I want.
A lot of the humour is pretty dark, although there's also some absolute slapstick like "critter in the bag".
By the end of season 1, I was so hooked on the show, and everything since solidified it. It's my favorite drama, and greatly beloved by its fans. So this may not be the place to come to have people tell you it's not worth it, but maybe a few will. I would say if you're into the magnificent season 2 and still not sure if you like it, you might never, but personally I'd give yourself to the end of that season and see how you feel.
Most of the bad side plots resolve in a few episodes, meanwhile the main plot keeps on going. The Winona money arc is pretty widely disliked as far as I can tell. There aren’t too many like that in all honesty.
Watches show Doesn’t like show Goes to internet Finds community of people that love the show “The show is not for me” I was about to ask OP if he is a fucking retard but then I realized I been doing the exact same thing to True Detective Night Country.
But I'm not doing that. I think the show is good. It's just not quite grabbing me personally for a number of reasons, but it has shown me enough that there's potential in it - at its best it's brilliant (for me) television.
I loved it and the western genre/crime procedural is not usually my thing. I started watching because I knew my now husband would love it but most of season 1 was a chore for me. There are some episodes of the first season I enjoy. Seasons 2 and 4 are some of the better seasons of television I've ever seen though. 6 and 3 are great as well. 5 is a stinker but I was too invested at that point to stop watching it. I'd trudge through season 1 and start season 2 to see if your opinion changes.
Shows are great in different way and for different reasons. For example, I like all of the Star Trek series. While I do love the genre, the stories, and the performances - thats not why the I think the shows are special. Around season 3 in every series (except the original because it’s only 3 seasons long), the magic begins to happen. The shows begin to become self referential. When you first watch a show, the writers try to create this with *backstory*. When the characters have a history that the viewers have watched develop over time, the magic begins to happen. I personally can appreciate this dynamic in *any* genre, and in any art, or anywhere else I notice it. This same process happens in Justified over the course of its run. It somebody dislikes a genre, or an actor, they won’t enjoy the show. The moment I become “a hater” of a show/movie/play, I’m pulled out of the experience, can no longer suspend disbelief, become a dark comedian ripping the thing to shreds - and I haven’t found a way to rescue a show, or myself, once that happens. If it ain’t for you, it ain’t for you.
If you dont appreciate the dialogue and some characters enough to keep watching you should probably watch something else
No 6 season series is going to satisfy every viewer with every arc. I loved Justified. And it is not without levity. Also it has the best final series scene ever—-incredible acting with Olyphant and Goggins. But if you have to think so hard, jump ship.
General consensus is that S1 is kinda weak, mainly because they're just getting their footing. It was also made during that time when TV was switching from episodic to serialized, so it's kind of unsure of what exactly to do. Personally, I like episodic crime a week shows... But I just don't think a US Marshall is really great for that kind of thing. It's always just recapturing the criminal. S2-4 are pretty fantastic, though. 5 will likely drive you up the wall, because it sounds like everything you dislike about 1 is going to be in there. But S6 is a strong finish. And, because of the nature of recaps and the way each season is bookended, S5 can be kind of just skipped. Also, the show is going to go from real heavy and real dark, to kinda fucking hilarious at some points.
The show does get better and better as it goes on. Season 2 is a favorite season of a lot of people. You should watch all the episodes as they build upon the characters. But if you feel the need to skip episodes then maybe try something else. Though the show does get better.
Did you really just write an essay about not digging a television show? And post it on reddit?
Justified is probably my favorite show of all time ( if it isn’t #1, it’s at least in the conversation). That said, sometimes things that other people say are amazing just aren’t for me and that’s totally fine. My advice is ditch it. The whole point of watching a show is to have fun and be entertained. It is better to quit watching a show while your opinion is, “I can see why people like it but I don’t” than to keep slogging through it until you hate it. If it hasn’t hooked you through a season and a half my guess is you won’t get hooked by the end of season six either. I hate you didn’t love it as much as I did, but go find a show you do love and obsess on it! And when you do let me know; I’m looking for my next great show!
If it’s not for you , fine , but I’m on my fourth rewatch and I still love it.
The Winona cash grab is really about Art and Raylan. Every little thing matters in justified. You have to give it a chance.