Season two of the pseudo Western series Justified, which is based on an Elmore Leonard short story, builds upon what it did in its debut season. Everything is a little better. The stories are tighter, the characters are developing, the acting is more consistent, and the action sequences are more involved. It really leaves you at the end of the season wanting more and being invested in these characters.

Everyone on the show is really beginning to show their true colours. Main guy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (played by Timothy Olyphant) is relying less on his skills with a pistol and more on his street smarts. Plus he is showing more of his softer side now that he and ex-wife Winona (played by Natalie Zea) are back together. Winona herself is going through a turbulent time what with divorcing her husband (played by William Ragsdale) and going through tough economic times. Because of something Winona does due to her financial straits and how Raylan handles it, his boss Art (played by Nick Searcy) does not seem to trust his newest Marshal anymore.

Besides all this the criminal element in Harlan County is misbehaving more than usual. Raylan’s father Arlo (played by Raymond J. Barry) is causing his usual trouble. Boyd Crowder (played by Walter Groggins) is living with Ava (played by Joelle Carter), but staying on the straight and narrow is proving to be too much for him. The cherry on the top of all this is the Bennett clan. They, led by mom Mags (played by Margo Martindale) and sons Dickie (played by Jeremy Davies), Coover (played by Brad William Henke) and Doyle (played by Joseph Lyle Taylor), seem to be involved in bigger things than their usual weed distribution operation.

The acting of Timothy Olyphant and special guest Margo Martindale are reason enough to watch this show. Scenes they do together are heaven. Martindale turns in another guest performance in a long line of them that will leave an impression upon you. That is not even going into the intense work done by Walter Groggins.

We have pretty much had our fill of typical procedural crime shows. I can tell you that there is nothing typical about Justified. It stands out in a crowd. With its mix of neo-Western themes, dry humour, great dialogue, and one of the best casts at the time on television, it announces itself in its second season as a must watch.

Special Features:

-Deleted Scenes

-Clans, Feuds & Apple Pie

-Outtakes

-On the Set of Justified