Justified: City Primeval

I really wanted to like this series. But three episodes in, it feels like our modern-day Matt Dillon has been worm-holed into an alternate universe of lackluster writing, uninteresting supporting characters, and stodgy direction. No Elmore Leonard vibe this time... just the sort of flaccid storytelling more typical of network cop dramas. And, as a dad with three daughters and my fair share of parental challenges, I feel the whole father-daughter thread is unconvincing. Check out Bosch for some really good writing in that vein. Most of all, this new outing needs an intriguing and likable villain. Give me Boyd Crowder!

I love all things Timothy Olyphant, the original Justified and I love the Raylan Givens character. What I can do without is the Willa character. I find her to be annoying and unnecessary. I know it's only 2 episodes in, but she's added nothing to the show at all, except teenage disobedience. This character is an obvious ploy and someone we're supposed to care about when she's abducted or otherwise harmed. Maybe the impetus for Raylan to break a law, become angrier, show vulnerability, etc. Either way she's irritating and the least the writers could've done was make her character likable. I'm still gonna watch because of Mr. Olyphant and the rest of the cast, but I really hope her character has less screen time.

Sometimes you come across a show that's just perfect, and while it must be tempting to capitalize on its success, it would probably be better to let it be. Because how do you compete with perfection ?

I never bothered to watch "El Camino", because I didn't feel that "Breaking bad" needed a sequel, so maybe it was good or maybe not. I don't know and I'm never gonna find out.

But here we are. A new chapter in the Raylan Givens story.

As expected it doesn't in any way come close to the original. The strenght of "Justified" was grounded in the multitude of great characters surrounding Oliphant and Goggins, and that it took a cop show and turned it into an epic rural saga.

Goggins made his villain a man you despised and loved at the same time. A bad guy with a multilayered personality.

Sadly Damsell is no Boyd Crowder. He's just a bad guy to the bone, and "City Primeval" is just another regular " catch a killer" cop show.

That being said it's not bad. Raylan is still a cool guy and I actually couldn't help myself enjoying it.

But while I rated the original 10, this deserves only a 7.

Worth a watch though.

Raylan Givens is back and he's as awesome as ever, but the show still falls down when it comes to the other characters and the overall plot.

The lack of complexity within the plot is the biggest problem. The main villain just wanders about with no real plan or central goals, and honestly he would be better as the chief henchman of a much smarter, more ambitious villain. That lack of powerful central villain, makes the lesser bad guys far less impactful then they should have been.

Carolyn and Sweety are interesting characters on their own, but their personal struggles take up screen time and don't add much to the plot. (The original Justified was great because everything connected back to Raylan, Harlan or the US Marshall service in one way or another.)

The corrupt cop storyline is also a big let down. The cop is not corrupt enough to bring any real tension to the story.

The plot needed a corrupt cop acting against the investigation throughout. I wanted to see them actively tampering with evidence, silencing witnesses through murder or threats, I wanted to see them in secret meetings with other bad guys, passing along information and taking bribes from them. Instead we see the cop clumsily trying to pin the crimes of the villain on an innocent person, and they're so bad at it, that all their colleagues instantly know what they've done.

Willa (Raylan's daughter) is another disappointment. Her "little girl voice" is grating, and she seems very naive for a 15 year old, and especially for a law enforcement officers daughter. We see her exploring the secluded graffiti laden back streets of Detroit, all by herself with zero thought for her own safety. A strange man shows up at her hotel, claiming to know her dad, and she instantly believes him. Honestly if they recast the character as a 10 year old I wouldn't know the difference.

This series is a spinoff of the 2010 television show Justified, and follows titular character, U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens, who has been living in Florida, but after a road incident, he is reassigned to Detroit and while there must fight against corruption, take care of his rebellious 15 year-old daughter, build relationships, and hunt down a new dangerous serial killer. Overall due, to its signature comedy, action- packed shootouts/fights, and nostalgic moments, this show was a great return to this character and a good way to add to the story and even though there are sometimes too many side plots or characters that can take away from the main plot, it was an enjoyable experience that fans of the original show will love and hopefully eventually another full length feature can continue to build upon this short but sweet return.