Justified: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Subtitles: English, French

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Release Date: December 2, 2014

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2017

Run Time: 607 minutes

 

        Based on the short story “Fire in the Hole” by crime novelist Elmore Leonard, “Justified” works as an adaptation with room for growth. Timothy Olyphant has a strong presence as the lead, and he has plenty of experience carrying a western-type show, though this FX seriesis far more similar to “Sons of Anarchy” than “Deadwood.” The premise had begun to run a little bit thin by the third season, though the inevitable final season in sight has increased the stakes of the drama. He is still a lawman who often operates outside of conventional law, and surrounded by corruption this is often a necessary approach.

 

I’m not sure how accurate the police work is in “Justified,” but it is certainly more compelling drama than most cop shows in recent history. In the opening sequence of the “Justified” pilot, Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) approaches a Miami drug cartel hit man that he has threatened to shoot if he doesn’t leave Miami. This promise is followed through, but only after the hit man pulls a weapon, making the shooting justified (get it?). Although the shooting was justified, Raylan is under investigation for his behavior, and he is sent back to his hometown as a punishment. With his personal knowledge of Harlan County, Kentucky, Raylan happens to also be the perfect candidate to take down a local crime family.

 

This location becomes the primary premise for the series, along with Raylan’s vendetta against local criminal legend, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins). The final season will inevitably deal with the resolution of this longstanding conflict, but season five takes another detour with guest villains and distant relatives of Dewey Crowe (Damon Herriman). Daryl Crowe (Michael Rapaport) arrives in Harlan County by way of Florida, giving Raylan a common enemy with Boyd. At the same time, Boyd is preoccupied with getting Ava (Joelle Carter) out of prison for protecting him.

 

        The fifth season’s thirteen episodes are included on three Blu-ray discs, along with special features and a digital HD copy of the season. The special features include commentary tracks on select episodes, along with deleted scenes and a featurette about this season’s emphasis on the Crowe crime family. There are also more than a few extras that are exclusive to the Blu-ray release of season five, ranging from humorous and irreverent to sincerely informative. There is a tour of the prison set, a featurette about the writing process, and the more humorous additions such as a eulogy for Elmore Leonard by “The Onion,” and a body count for season five.

 

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

Historical Significance:  7/10

Special Features: 8.5/10