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Review: Justified – S3 Finale “Slaughterhouse” (Sometimes blood isn’t thicker) #JustifiedFX

Review: Justified, Season 3 Finale, Episode 313 – “Slaughterhouse”

Air date: Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 10PM E/P on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

The scene is chaotic after last week’s explosion. Duffy (Jere Burns) blew up the car Quarles (Neal McDonough) was driving and the unfortunate thing is Quarles survives while State Trooper Tom Bergen (Peter Murnik) doesn’t. The silver lining – Boyd is alive, which makes me extra happy. Boyd is such a complex character and this season, he’s added a few more intricacies to the mix. One oddity being how he’s latched onto Raylan’s father Arlo (Raymond J. Barry), even going so far as to call him “family.”

L-R: Arlo (Raymond J. Barry) and Raylan (Timothy Olyphant)

 

When Arlo  walks in unexpectedly while Raylan questions Boyd about the night’s events, I naturally think it’s because of the chatter about a lawman being shot; however, that is not the case. While I don’t think Raylan cares too much about the lack of paternal doting from Arlo, I think Raylan is very curious about the growing closeness between his father and Boyd. Wasn’t there a time when Arlo wanted to kill Boyd?

 

Raylan: “What the hell are you doing here?”

Arlo: “Heard that a cop in a hat got shot, guess it wasn’t you.”

Raylan (looking confused): “No, I’m fine.”

Arlo (looking peeved ): “I can see that.”

Boyd (Walton Goggins, L) confronts Arlo (Raymond J. Barry, R) about locking Ava in the cellar while Johnny (David Meunier) listens

With Quarles on the run, Raylan only has the word of Boyd’s cousin Johnny (David Meunier) about who shot Tom. Raylan’s determination for getting answers sparks an excitement within me, especially when he confronts Duffy. Raylan plays a game of Russian roulette with Duffy which has Duffy shaking in his boots, gushing like a geyser! I’m glad Duffy doesn’t bite the proverbial bullet. I like his character – it brings a bit of flavor that you  don’t expect. It’s like finding a chocolate covered Craisin in your chocolate chip cookie. It’s unexpected but you like it. Burns does a great job of playing the Devil’s advocate whenever the situation calls for it. Sometimes he helps Raylan and then again, sometimes he helps in trying to kill Raylan.

Did Quarles shoot Tom? If you re-watch the last scene from “Coalition,” it’s plausible that Quarles could have shot Tom, but did he? Both Johnny and Boyd were packing heat so who’s to say one of them didn’t do it. Or could it be someone else who was lying in wait to kill Quarles, or any law enforcement officer who got in the way, for that matter. So who really killed Tom? The answer will surprise you – it shocked the hell out of me!

Quarles tries to negotiate a trade with Limehouse by using Raylan as collateral.

Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson) has had his hands in a little bit of everything this season. His goal was to make sure Noble’s Hollar remained unscathed in the feud among Quarles, Boyd, and Raylan. But we know Earl (Demetrius Grosse) almost messed things up for him a few times, so it’s no surprise when Limehouse tells Earl to leave and never return. Although, Earl seems very surprised by Limehouse’s reaction, but how could he possibly think Limehouse would continue to trust him after all is said and done? Earl asks a lot of questions which Limehouse takes as threatening. Despite his gathered demeanor, I know Limehouse is beginning to feel many eyes burning a hole in him – watching how he handles the outsiders. I wonder though, by sending Earl away, whether he’s gaining a new enemy. Hmm…

Quarles (Neal McDonough) is a desperate man

There are many moments of exciting tension throughout “Slaughterhouse,” but something is missing. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is as it’s a combination of things. The war I was hoping for among Boyd, Quarles, and Raylan fizzles out with only a little bang. Yes, Quarles was hurt in the explosion, but that albino monster pops up like the Energizer bunny and just keeps going. It surprises me when Quarles calls Theo Tonin (guest star Adam Arkin) asking if he can “come home.” But there is a price to getting there. I must say, Quarles is a ballsy guy. Asking Limehouse for the $500K by using two unlikely hostages clearly shows his utter desperation. And wait until you see Limehouse’s “piggy bank.” Does Quarles really think he’ll be allowed back into Detroit? Once he gives Theo that money, he’s a dead man.

Towards the end, you hear Raylan relating this story to someone but instead of it being someone like his new female friend Lindsey (Jenn Lyon), or perhaps a fellow Marshal, Raylan is talking to Winona (Natalie Zea). Raylan asks, again, how this whole split parenting is going to work – will Winona stay with her sister until the baby is born…blah, blah, blah. I’m still mad at Winona but I can’t help finding it adorably endearing when Raylan puts his hand on her growing belly. For her sake, that baby better be his and not her late husband Gary’s (William Ragsdale).

As Raylan tells the tale, he talks about how everyone is saying he “disarmed” Quarles. But Limehouse is the one who disarms Quarles, literally! Admittedly, I enjoyed the dark comedic aspect of the ultimate showdown in Limehouse’s slaughterhouse. But it’s Arlo’s confession that sends me reeling. Arlo tells the authorities he’s the one who shot Tom and the one who killed Devil (Kevin Rankin). With this confession, Boyd goes free. Well, I guess Arlo is taking being “family” quite seriously.

Observations:

Quarles mentions to the family he kidnaps that he has a son, too. It’s been a long time since Quarles has mentioned his son. It’s also been a long time since we’ve heard from his son. Will this mysterious son appear next season? Even with one arm, I’m sure Quarles will continue to be a force of nature to be reckoned with.

With Boyd no longer bound for prison, will he seek out Limehouse to settle the score? And who tipped off Limehouse about Devil being dead? I am surprised when I learn the answer to this one – it isn’t who I thought. Maybe old wounds never heal…family or not, sometimes blood isn’t thicker.

***

This season finale doesn’t end with much of a cliffhanger. Sure there will be a reckoning between Boyd and Limehouse but I’m more interested in seeing the new developments as Johnny’s revenge unfolds. And even though we know Arlo and Raylan are estranged, I’m sure Raylan is a bit hurt by his father’s actions, but moreover, I think Raylan will be much more cautious around Arlo going forward.

Despite the somewhat inconsistent episodes this season, I am definitely looking forward to season four. FX has already confirmed Justified will be back so I hope the writers are putting their thinking caps on!

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

Follow FX on Twitter and use hashtag #JustifiedFX.

Follow cast member Joelle Carter on Twitter: @Joelle_Carter.

For fans of Walton Goggins, follow @WaltonGFan.

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Photos © 2012 FX Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

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.

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.