Let Me Hear Your Body Talk! Review: Justified – “Money Trap”

Season 4, Episode 7

Air date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 10PM E/P on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

“You’re about as welcome here as a case of the clap.” – Tillman Napier (David Andrews)

Jody loathes Raylan and does his semi-best to get revenge.

Jody loathes Raylan and tries to get revenge.

Body language speaks volumes in “Money Trap” and, for Raylan (Timothy Olyphant), it seems to be working for him in more ways than one. That’s not to say it’s a good or bad thing…just a thing. As Raylan deals with an escape convict, Jody (guest star Chris Chalk), who’s holding a grudge against him, Boyd (Walton Goggins) and Ava (Joelle Carter) get themselves all gussied up to attend former Sheriff Napier’s swingers party. Ava says it best: “Lord, we’re goin’ to a rich folks’ sex party; who woulda thought?”

There are many elements that I enjoyed in “Money Trap,” but there were a few that really fell flat. The most interesting plot points involved Raylan chasing after Jody, who’s killed two more people; Raylan meeting up with a beautiful young college student, Jackie Nevada (guest star Shelley Hennig), who happens to be sorority sisters with Jody’s ex-wife; and Boyd getting more action at Napier’s party than he anticipated.

Jackie Nevada (Shelley Hennig) is just the pretty distraction Raylan DOESN'T need right now.

Jackie Nevada is just the pretty distraction Raylan DOESN’T need right now.

Sometimes, I think there are great episodes and then there are others that have potential to be great but somehow aren’t. “Money Trap” is a filler episode. First, why are the writers giving Raylan such a young romantic interest? She’s over legal age, but still young. I liked Hennig as Jackie. She irritated me in The Secret Circle, but as the poker playing, drifter type, Hennig really captures my interest, making me wonder about Jackie’s back story. I mean, with a stepfather named Reno (yes, his name is Reno Nevada), there has to be some juicy tidbits there. But, the question remains – why are the writers giving Raylan another romantic interest so soon? Will she make him step up his game? Will Jackie give Raylan his edge back? If anything, she’s a very pretty distraction. I mean, he had a clear shot of a severely wounded Jody riding away on the hood of a car, but Raylan hesitates to shoot. Why? Did getting dumped by the bartender really screw with his head?

Secondly, why does Johnny (David Meunier) need to know who slapped Teri (Cathy Baron) around? I think he had his suspicions it was Colton (Ron Eldard) but the whole ‘in bed with Teri’ scene seemed a bit unnecessary. Was it to show Johnny’s softer side; that he can actually care about a woman? I don’t care if he cares. I want to see Johnny angry and vengeful. I think the most important aspect of this scene is Teri revealing Colton is “looking for Ellen May (Abby Miller).” It’s plain to see Colton is on edge since Ellen May gave him the slip, not to mention his serious heroin addiction. I am ready to see him snap!

Will this father/son duo ever see eye to eye? Don’t hold your breath.

There’s no shortage of interesting conversations and, as I mentioned, body language is a key factor throughout this episode. Raylan sees a “no hope” look on Art’s (Nick Searcy) face, Jackie reads Raylan like a book when he makes a pit stop, and Raylan gets a hint of something from the stoic look on Arlo’s (Raymond Barry) face during his visit to him in prison. And if the writers were hoping to fill this episode with sexual innuendos, ding-ding-ding, they win!

Funny/Memorable lines:

Sharon talking about Raylan: “That man is an emotional disaster.”

***

Ava to Boyd before they go to Napier’s party: “If it comes down to it, what’s a few hand jobs, give or take?”

***

Art to Raylan about the FBI manifest: “Oh well, that’s not just bullshit, Raylan; that is rare, vintage FBI bullshit; that’s a whole different bouquet.”

***

Raylan: “You’re charming. Jury’s out if you’re sincere.”

Jackie: “You think I’m workin’ you?”

Raylan: “I don’t know. My track record, as of late, don’t suppose I could tell.”

***

Jackie: “I might as well let you know now ‘cause I know I will later – I got a serious crush on you.”

Raylan: “Before my heart starts racin’ and we bang into someone’s rear end, I wanna make a stop.”

Jackie: “Where?”

Raylan: “High Note bar, for a minute; stick my head in.”

***

If anything, “Money Trap” will get you hot under the collar. I would give my left pinky to be that ice cream cone Raylan was licking on. While the episode overall wasn’t rapturous, some parts, ahem, were. But I’m ready to see Raylan be the kick-ass lawman he once was. We know he’s a bit of a wild card; I just want to see more of the wild.

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Tune in to Justified, Tuesdays at 10PM E/P, only on FX.

For more on the show, go to http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/justified/.

Follow FX on Twitter and use hashtag #JustifiedFX.

Follow cast members Joelle Carter @Joelle_Carter and Jim Beavers @jumblejim on Twitter.

For fans of Walton Goggins, follow @WaltonGFan.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.