Justified (2010–2015)

Justified is another fine entry into FX's stable of shows. As a fan of both crime fiction & serialized television, this has been on my radar for some time. First, the story is wonderfully structured & grounded in reality (It helps when you shoot on location & cast actors that actually feel like they belong there) The U.S. Marshalls & their multiple duties have always been a great source for story-telling, and this is no different. Second, the cast is perfect for this type of slow-burn law enforcement story. Timothy Olyphant once again nails the 'cowboy' role we've seen him in before(Deadwood, The Crazies). He runs the risk of being type-cast; but if he's always this good in these types of roles, who cares? The rest of the cast is rounded-out by some familiar & not-so-familiar faces, and the whole of them seem to bring their A-game to this project. The third reason this show is quality is the production value. Everything from the costumes(I love the cowboy hat) to the locations & the music have all been perfectly fitting with the story & the characters. This show also sneaks up on you a little bit, once you think Justified isn't 'edgy' enough for FX, something happens to change your mind. It's only similar to the other FX crime shows in that it centers around a really angry guy. I hope Justified & FX continue to pleasantly surprise me.