3. A Unique Setting
One of the best things about the first season of True Detective was no doubt the fact that it took place in such a unique setting. The divisive second run of episodes on other other hand were set in a far more familiar setting, something which robbed that HBO series of some of its magic.
Justified on the other hand kept the action set in Kentucky (with the odd visit to Miami) for its entire run, and whether we were spending time in the modern city of Lexington or out in the middle of nowhere, the show continuously looked both different to anything else on TV and visually stunning.
The fact that it took place in such a unique setting meant that we also spent time with a lot of very unique characters…who could forget Dewey Crowe?
2. Graham Yost Created It
While it’s easy to forget this, any TV series having a great showrunner at the helm is essential for it to succeed. This is particularly important in an adaptation like Justified, and it fell on Graham Yost’s (Band of Brothers) shoulders to both faithfully adapt the author’s work while also expanding that world in a major way and making it work not as a movie, but as a story playing out over thirteen episodes of television on a weekly basis.
Of course, the fact that he and his fellow writers would wear bracelets saying “WWED” (What Would Elmore Do?) to remind them to pay attention to the source of their inspiration says a lot about why he was definitely the right man to bring Raylan Givens to life on the small screen in Justified.
1. It’s Stylish, Funny, And Full Of Action
As should be clear by now, Justified is a truly great series. While it would have been nice to see it continue past six seasons, it was likely better for it to go out on a high rather than outstaying its welcome and no longer being as must-watch as it was since day one.
In many respects, Justified was a modern Western, but it’s vital to note that it was also a series about family at its heart. Even though the first season was a crime procedural, there was still an overarching story playing out in the background and a long list of characters to elevate it beyond anything similar on TV.
With top notch performances and great stories, Justified is a high quality series which never received the kind of attention it deserved. So, watch it!
