Wednesday, March 24, 2010
THE OLYPHANT IN THE ROOM: Just a quick note to say, hey, Justified is bad-ass. I was going to post last week that it was one of those perfect pilots, brisk and efficient as an Elmore Leonard novel. Then I thought I'd give it a week to get musty as it departs from the source material. The scene with Boyd felt a little monologue-y and tacked on. That's my only complaint, though. I love how the principal villains both weeks have been both intelligent and amiable, and how Olyphant's givens seems exasperated to realize how much he has in common with them. Also, he's bad-ass.
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Boyd's white supremcist, intelligent and amiable? I think you're watching a different show.
ReplyDeleteGranted, Boyd was intellectually superior to all of his dim-bulb comrades (esp. Dewey), but that doesn't make him intelligent. He certainly is twisted.
I love how unflappable Givens is, though. Great character, and perfectly cast in Olyphant.
Glad to hear Olyphant works in this role. 18 minutes of "Hitman" found their way onto our teevee last night and we were wondering aloud after worthy things he's done other than Deadwood. The only other thing that came to mind was the tepid villian in Die Hardererer(er?). I assume he's back to some species of hard-bitten and brooding everyman here?
ReplyDeleteJoan -- he was intelligent, using white supremacy just as a cover for his more remunerative activities. And "amiable" doesn't mean we have to like him -- his attitude toward Givens was friendly, playful, and not charged with any personal dislike, even if it turned threatening.
ReplyDeleteI will be very bitter if Ian McShane is not cast as Raylan's convict dad.
ReplyDeleteLisaJunior -- me too!
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen last night's ep yet, but my husband and I loved last week. Great writing, great acting, great stuff.
Isaac, I'll grant you, Boyd has a kind of intelligence, but nowhere near the level of Givens'. And his amiability, to me, was much like a cat's towards a mouse. My reading is that he really does believe that white supremecy crap, he's just smart enough to leverage his illegal activities.
ReplyDeleteI didn't particularly care for the sermon Boyd gave from his hospital bed -- it went on too long, for one thing. But it was extremely effective in creeping me out. The longer that sincere "I have seen the light, and I thank you for it" drone went on, the more uncomfortable I became. I was waiting for his "tell", the reveal that he was really just bullshitting. He knew it, Givens knew it, the audience knew it.
I loved that there was no tell. I loved that Givens didn't respond to it, that he just accepted it, as he does pretty much anything that doesn't physically threaten him, and went about his business. It plants just enough of a seed of doubt -- maybe he really will reform. But if he does, it will be on his own, and not because Givens saves him.
I'd read a few things that spoke disappointingly about the necessity of keeping Boyd alive for the series (in the story, I guess, he dies). The way they played that scene, I think it was an interesting choice. Now we'll have to see what they do with it.
Av Club and Sepinwall both seemed a little let down by this episode, but I finished it feeling as enthusiastic as I was after the pilot. Isaac, you nailed it - I love the way everyone is so damned amiable, and the way the writers manage to take the characters to that place without draining away any of the tension. I loved this week's low rent DB Cooper, and thought that the conversation in the convenience store was funny, charming and priceless. Olyphant has charisma to spare, but I'm thrilled that I'm enjoying all of the supporting characters - Givens' boss, the sniper, the loopy temptress, etc. - just as much.
ReplyDeleteTimothy Olyphant was in Scream 2 as Mickey, the film student who (SPOILER ALERT) ended up being the killer (paired up with Billy Loomis' mother, played by Laurie Metcalf). Loved him in that. Scream 2 was a lesser movie than the original, but far and away better than 3.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I constantly get Olyphant confused with Josh Duhamel, for some reason.
I haven't seen last night's yet, but agree based on the pilot the show and Olyphant are bad-ass. Great adaptation of Elmore Leonard. And, I know my fellow Thing Throwers will appreciate that yesterday I got a handwritten letter from Leonard (he had to cancel an event with us, and went old-school in sending his regrets), but which then went on to talk for a good half-page about working on Justified, and he's writing material for a second season which they are apparently confident of. Elmore Leonard = Total Bad-Ass.
ReplyDeleteIf I wanted to read some Elmore Leonard, where should I start? It seems like "When The Women Come Out To Dance" would be a solid choice, but beyond that, suggestions?
ReplyDelete