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REVIEW: Justified, Season 2, Ep. 1 “The Moonshine War”

Air Date: Wednesday, Feb 9, 2011 10PM E/P on FX

RATING: ★★★★★

U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is back! Justified returns to FX with dynamite writing, clever wit, new and uniquely intriguing characters, and more drama sure to fill your 10 gallon Stetson and then some!

“The Moonshine War” opens where season one’s finale left off. Boyd Crowder (Walter Goggins) is gone while his father Bo Crowder (MC McGainey) lies dead. When Chief Deputy Art Mullen (Nick Searcy) and the U.S. Marshals come onto the scene, Raylan is nowhere to be found. He’s too busy following Boyd all the way to Miami.

Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens

We get some closure from the Miami drug cartel storyline from season one’s premiere episode. In a surprising turn of events, Raylan’s former Miami Chief Deputy Dan Grant (Matt Craven) swoops in, not only threatening to kill Gio Reyes (Jordi Caballero)but offers Raylan his old post again. Seems Art is trying to get rid of Raylan but did he really think it was going to be that easy? Raylan heads back to Kentucky because he still has work to do and there’s also Winona (Natalie Zea), his ex-wife with whom he’s been sleeping with again. Who can blame her though? Olyphant is the sexiest U.S. Marshal I’ve ever seen! His cool confidence and smooth Southern charm could make any gal want to check out the greener pastures. But, I think Raylan is asking for trouble with Winona – she’s still married. My question is – will Ava (Noelle Carter) and Raylan ever get back together?

Dan Grant (Matt Craven) and Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant)

“The Moonshine Wars” title is a bit misleading because it’s not all about moonshine, at least not in the sense of who’s got the better moonshine. Deputy Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel) asks Raylan to assist on a case involving a sexual offender named Jimmy Earl Dean (Billy Miller). The line Raylan says really cracks me up. The writing is always so clever. I think Tazel is under-utilized in this series. She really has potential to be a great character and I hope this season the writers let her shine.

Raylan: “Why did you ask me to go with ya?”

Rachel: “I’m not (pause) comfortable with these people?”

Raylan: “What people? Perverts?”

Rachel: “People in Harlan. Any time I’ve gone to coal country, everyone was all polite, ‘Yes, m’am. No, m’am.’; trying to keep in mind it’s the 21st century and what’s expected. When the cuffs come out, then I’m a black bitch.”

Raylan: “So, you want me to help you with my people. Throw’em a pork rind or some ding dongs?”

Rachel: (smiling) “If you wouldn’t mind.”

Raylan: “No, m’am.”

Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens and Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks

We have some new characters joining the series this season bringing a whole new dynamic to the show. I have to say, the new cast is quite fascinating. You may be asking, “Why are there new characters? What do they have to do with the show or Raylan?” Answer – the Bennett and Givens families have history.

Margo Martindale, who plays Mags Bennett, has been in everything from comedy to drama, both on television and the big screen. She’s even been on Broadway! For fans of ABC, Jeremy Davies, who played Daniel on Lost, returns to television as Dickie Bennett; and Brad William Henki, who played Owen Rowan on October Road, plays Coover Bennett. These two brothers may look like dumb rednecks, but don’t let that fool you; they are nothing short of dangerous. (Insider note: Dickie walks with a limp. One guess who gave it to him…Raylan.) I’m eager to see how this Bennett – Givens rivalry all unfolds.

Seems Jimmy has his eyes set on a local teenage girl, Loretta McCreedy (Kaitlyn Dever), who’s been helping her father Walt (Chris Mulkey) grow marijuana in their barn. Unfortunately, Jimmy is Dickie and Coover’s hired hand, which makes things even more complicated. Dever’s performance in this first episode really blew me away. She’s captivating and really sells her character  – a young teenage girl, whose father is too distraught to care for her since her mother died, doing what she can to survive in a rural southern town filled with outlaws, drug dealers, and now a sexual deviant set on getting his slimy hands on her.

With Bo Crowder out of the picture, the drug business is up for grabs in Harlan County and who better to take up the reigns than Mags Bennett. Although you may think she’s just a small town grocery store owner, don’t let that façade fool you. She and her boys are marijuana farmers. Mags is ornery and makes a mean batch of moonshine. If she can make moonshine taste like apple pie, you know she’s got some mad skills!

L-R: Timothy Olyphant. Margo Martindale and Erica Tazel in the season premiere of JUSTIFIED

I’m sure you thought Boyd might step up to the plate but it seems he’s trying to put his wicked ways behind him, even going back to the coal mines for work rather than scheme up another bank heist. Has he really changed his ways or is he just one step away from falling into old habits again?

Don’t miss Justified – all new season starts Wednesday, February 09, 2011 at 10PM E/P only on FX.

Photos: Prashant Gupta / FX © Copyright FX Networks.

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.