Season One – Episode 10
What an interesting story. Raylan has been off duty because of his involvement with Ava Crowder. Because of this Boyd Crowder is out of prison causing a ruckus. In addition, Raylan arrested the Harlan Police Chief, so now Bo Crowder is out of prison as well. Bo is back to running his empire of drug runners and Boyd is choosing to follow his new religious pursuits. Boyd seems genuine in his faith, but there is an underlying evil presence in him. Walton Goggins may deserve an Emmy nomination for his supporting role as Boyd Crowder.
This episode deals the majority of the time with Raylan played by Timothy Olyphant protecting a sitting Judge named Mike Reardon, played with zeal by the wonderful Stephen Root. Mr. Root brings the same interesting character acting to this person he did to his character in True Blood. Judge Reardon is a funny one. He wears a Speedo type bathing suit under his robes, has a gun most of the time, likes to have a good time, and really likes the ladies. He requests Raylan as a bodyguard when his life is threatened after someone throws a rattlesnake into his bed when he is otherwise occupied.
There seems to be a host of possible suspects in Judge Reardon’s case as he has been sending one criminal after another to jail for years. He is not a kind soul in doing his job to say the least. He does at least sound like he has been fair, but most criminals don’t think they’ve been treated fairly no matter the circumstances. I personally know one three time loser who got sent up for 25 years for armed robbery and thought that he was railroaded, even though there were witnesses and camera identification of him in the act!
Raylan is Judge Reardon’s kind of man. He figures that Marshall Givens gun slinging reputation is just what he needs to keep him safe. Unfortunately he keeps trying to give everyone the slip so he can do a little hanky panky.
(Timothy Olyphant as US Marshall Raylan Givens)
While the main focus is occurring we have Boyd Crowder doing his thing. He is threatening the local Meth lab runners with destruction by God’s hand if they don’t stop the error of their ways. Raylan is convinced that Boyd is backing his father Bo’s play to resume his drug empire. So Raylan is out for blood when it comes to Boyd. Boyd does end up destroying one Meth lab, but he inadvertently kills a State Police criminal informant, who was asleep in the back of the trailer working undercover. The Kentucky State Police and the US Marshall’s Service are pretty sure they know who was behind all of this mayhem. Now they need to prove it.
This was a little better episode than the last one. Raylan still seems a little subdued versus the earlier episodes. He is staying away from Ava and to be honest this is putting a crimp in the storyline. He has chosen not to follow that relationship because of the harm it caused his case against Boyd Crowder. In a way we get to see a little into his mind and begin to understand why Winona left him eventually. Raylan does seem a little single minded at the least.
I am really enjoying this character and the surrounding supporting cast. I look forward to the stories each week and the different adventures Marshall Givens is going to have. This is another excellent look into the US Marshall’s Service along with In Plain Sight on USA. Thanks for reading…
Jeffery Yarter
