Justified – Season 3, Episode 7 – Achilles heels ← FREE KRAUT!

Justified – Season 3, Episode 7 – Achilles heels 2

It all seemed to click this week, for the first time this season. 

I have my qualms about the development with Gary – his ex-wife’s former husband – at the end, but that’s a potential problem for the next episode.  There was so much to like about this one.  First off, multiple characters had to deal with, or were confronted by, their own weaknesses.  Watching them squirm was a lot of fun and made for better drama.

— Raylan.  Left by his ex-wife, he’s living above a bar, is mocked about his age by some drunken college coeds, and has to keep asking his fellow marshal (who doesn’t much like him) for favors and information. That latter scenes with Tim makes me think that Tim is badly underused on the show.  He’s an interesting foil for Raylan, as he is modern guy who doesn’t really like Raylan’s old-school, shoot-em-up style.  His attempts to move on his own are thrown off by his adversaries’ ruthlessness and the government bureaucracy, even though he scores a temporary win against Quarles.

— Quarles.  We finally get confirmation that the evil man’s, er, proclivities, are what has put him in difficult spot in his criminal organization.  The boss’ son is afraid of him, and more than happy to cut him off at the knees.  And Quarles’ reckless efforts to recruit Raylan come to nothing, as his efforts to recruit Boyd had done.  (Boyd and Raylan still share ties, as Boyd rather easily explains to Raylan.)  So he ends up outsmarted, for the time being, by Raylan and the Detroit boss’ weakling son – who doesn’t take the adverse developments well and is ready to take drastic measures.

— Boyd.  He’s doesn’t have the muscle to do much of anything when Quarles buys off the local sheriff and can do nothing more than bluster at the plugged-in Limehouse.  We’ve known all this, but it was illustrated very clearly in this episode.  But Boyd is nothing if not creative, so he’s got a new plan of his own.  It remains to be seen whether it goes anywhere.

There was a lot of snappy dialogue, more of Quarles than usual, and no one-episode-only villains.  This time, it feels like the writers have moved onto the season’s main plot, so even the new developments – such as the crooked sheriff – felt connected to the rest of the storyline and not just something you could forget by next week.

2 thoughts on “Justified – Season 3, Episode 7 – Achilles heels

  1. FreeSeatUpgrade Feb 29,2012 8:45 am
    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  2. Bed Feb 29,2012 3:51 pm

    I thought it was a solid move the main story along episode. I’m enjoying the season quite a bit.

    But seriously, folks....

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