As a heartbroken fan of Nip/Tuck, which just ended its 6 season run, I was keeping an eye out for another FX show I could enjoy. With FX, original series can be either hit (Nip/Tuck, Dirt) or miss (The Riches). Justified is a show I normally wouldn't have looked at even once. Being a city girl at heart, I'm not a fan of westerns or anything country. One thing I am a fan of is Timothy Olyphant. When I saw one of my favorite actors (brilliant in "Hitman") was going to be in a new show, I of course had to watch. A pleasant surprise awaited me.

It's as if Timothy Olyphant was born to be US Marshal Raylan Givens, a good ol' country boy with personal issues. After shooting a man in Miami old west style ("It was justified"), Raylan is punished by being sent back to his old home town in Kentucky to work the local cases, many involving people he knows. His estranged father, former best-friend-turned-criminal, an old flame and a complicated ex wife round out the engaging cast of colorful characters. Raylan has a reputation for being a bit trigger-happy, a branding he hardly thinks is fair ("only if it's justified"). He is never without his 10 gallon hat (unless someone steals it), he can talk down a hostage situation with whiskey and a bucket of fried chicken, or shoot a guy for "taking one more step". It's all in a day's work for Raylan.

Justified is one of those shows that makes you forget you're watching a show being acted by actors. It's as though you are observing actual people live their lives. I feel like I'm in the scene, watching everything unfold before me. The dialogue is fresh, gritty, real and absolutely hilarious. The characters bounce between utterly ridiculous and completely relatable. And the actors, everyone from the main stars to the day players are right on the money.

If you haven't yet seen Justified, do yourself a favor and catch it when it re-airs on FX. Watch it On Demand. Or wait for the DVD's to come out. If you don't give this show a chance, well, that ain't civilized.

Never saw Timothy Olyphant until the promos for Justified and he was just an actor. Until the pilot episode and then I was hooked. He is a gem and becomes Raylan Givens. I have now taken time to see other movies and shows he has been in and I say again, he steps into the boots and puts on the hat...and Raylan Givens is alive and well. The humor on this show is subtle but wonderful. FX likes their shows edgy and this is edgy but great. We are now about to see episode 5 and if you have not given it a chance, please do. You will have no regrets. The supporting cast blends like good cheese to his fine wine. Again give this show a look-see and be amazed.

Well, it is set in Eastern Kentucky, rather then in Sparta, Mississippi; still, Justified is bound to resonate with any fan of the groundbreaking In the Heat of the Night series: small-town-in-a-big-World problems being solved creatively in 60 minutes or less, but without the annoyingly preachy tone that In the Heat of the Night would sometimes assume. A definite positive! You'll have fun making character comparisons between the two shows (can you find a "Bubba"? how about a "Luanne"?).

Let me first note that Justified is a very new show; so far, only six episodes have been aired. However, the episodes carry such an unusually high degree of promise, I feel confident rating the series, even at this early stage, with the top score.

The story is simple: deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) brings too much negative attention to himself by killing one Miami thug too many... He is therefore relegated to a remote post to cool his heels. Unfortunately for Raylan, the post happens to be the sleepy Eastern Kentucky, where he grew up and hoped never to come back... Estranged petty criminal father, an ex-wife, an ex-flame, an ex-friend... Well... they do say you can never go back home... Or, was it: you SHOULD NEVER go back home?... Anyway, upon this background, the writers skillfully project a series of surprisingly engaging, multidimensional stories that go beyond catching "the baddy of the week." Yes, there is the usual parade of rednecks (and I hope we'll get to see more eccentric types as time progresses), but often "the baddies" are portrayed as flawed human beings, making some very poor choices, all while doing their best to survive in this World. And that does have the effect of bringing them into conflict with the law.

Also satisfying is the way the writers choose to characterize Raylan: he is NOT some cartoon super hero using secret kung fu moves to dispatch his enemies. Instead, he is a humble man, still dealing with emotional ramifications of his divorce, and still conflicted in his relationship with his father. Occasionally, he allows his foes to gain the upper hand (and rob him of his car, badge, and gun), further proving he is a real person, which makes him very relatable... Kudos to Timothy Olyphant for his portrayal of Givens. Both he and the writers have the character spot on from the first minute of the pilot!

To those who like action though, worry NOT. The stories never get sappy and there is plenty of creative a** kicking (somehow, even a bazooka makes it into the script!). If I were forced to find a pet peeve regarding Justified, it would probably be the unrealistically high number of good looking people with porcelain veneers and slim waistlines the authors have inhabiting the area. From my personal experience involving a five week stay in Lexington, Kentucky, the reality has fewer teeth and a much higher BMI (no offence to the locals intended ;o) ).

And so, keep this show on your radar. I don't watch TV anymore (I have cancelled my cable as it seems to stream nothing more then vile reality shows), but am so enthused by Justified, that I actually pay to watch it on Amazon On Demand... Go figure...