Justified – Recap & Review – Hatless

photo: fx

Justified
Hatless

Original Air Date: May 11, 2010

Tom R. – Sr. Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com

“You’re a good man.”
“Not good enough.”

Yes, the title is correct. Raylan Givens loses his hat. And a fight. Welcome to a hero’s life on FX, where feet of clay are standard issue.

On a recommended “vacation”, Raylan waits for Winona in a seedy bar, where two men sit jawing about their women. Raylan takes issue, and the three head outside.

Drunk and outmatched, Raylan is easy prey, and one of the men walks away with Raylan’s hat. Winona arrives just after the beatdown, nursing him back to health and telling him about her cryptic visit from Wynne Duffy.

In one of the few arcs that Justified has established, Winona’s husband Gary has been involved in some shady dealings with a number of people, and Duffy’s name was on that list. It turns out that Duffy and his cohort, former boxer Billy Mac, are working for Emmett Arnett, part of the “Dixie Mafia”. Winona’s new husband Gary has borrowed some money from them for a real estate deal, and Duffy’s patience is wearing thin.

Gary figures he can bring in former NFL champion Toby “T-Bone” Griffin to scare off Duffy. There are plenty of Get Shorty echoes in the scene, where Toby plays the Chili Palmer role of enforcer, laying down the law for Duffy. Unfortunately, Gary is all too close to Harry Zimm, blurting out information and compromises that cut off Toby at the knees. Duffy and Billy Mac arrive at Toby’s house, and Billy Mac leaves the NFL great on crutches.

Raylan has paid a visit to Pinter (the local fixer from an earlier episode). Pinter lets him know about the three criminals, and Raylan catches up with Billy Mac. After failing to warn him away from Gary, the lawman tracks Gary to the field he was planning to develop. Gary is about to commit suicide, but Raylan stops him. The following day, Raylan accompanies Gary to Duffy’s office. Gary offers the land in compensation for the money he cannot deliver. The savvy Arnett is quick to accept, but Duffy flies off the handle. A three-way standoff leaves Gary and Raylan standing. Raylan delivers him back to Winona, as we hear “Stand by Your Man”. Ah, Southern irony…

After a call from the bartender, Raylan returns for his hat, which he describes as “a ten gallon hat on a twenty gallon head”. Slightly more menacing when he is sober, Raylan stares down the hick, who gives back the Stetson. Hero status reclaimed, arc concluded. Maybe another subtle nod to Get Shorty, since the plot was set in motion by Ray Bones taking Chili Palmer’s coat.

Not to say that these references are unwelcome or distracting. There is a subtlety to the references, which may or may not be deliberate. The episode is handled well.

Shot count: 5. Raylan fires one at Billy, and four are shot by the three men in the climax. Did you enjoy the episode? Were you happy to hear that there will be a season two? Drop in your comments or send me a note at: tom@thetwocents.com .

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