TV GUIDE: Roush Review: Hackers, Slackers, Chefs — And a Fantastic Justified
Apr 6, 2011
by Matt Roush
... And finally, saving the best for last: You can't do better than tonight's exceptionally eventful episode of FX's Justified (10/9c), which has never been better. So much happens in this hour, most of the activity percolating around Mags Bennett, the lethal mountain matriarch who's not about to roll over for the coal company trying to sully the patch of land she and her degenerate sons rule over. Margo Martindale is on everyone's "give her an Emmy" list for her tremendously entertaining and often chilling portrayal of this literally larger than life character, who last week took over a town meeting and invited her Kentucky community to her place for a "whoop-dee-doo."
That's where tonight's episode picks up and takes off, with Mags in her element as Martindale exhibits an awesome range. She is tender and loving with her precious ward Loretta (the impressive Kaitlin Dever), whose hapless father Mags had killed in the season opener. With her unruly boys, including the twitchy Dickie (Jeremy Davies) and the bear-like Coover (Brad William Henke), she is controlling to a potentially tragic fault. With everyone else, she is a fearsome force of nature to be reckoned and negotiated with. She drives a mean bargain, but we also learn she can also carry a mean tune.
These mountain folk are smarter and more cunning than they look, and an episode like this confirms Justified's standing as one of the smartest, most suspensefully surprising and gratifying series on TV. The Peabodys made a great call last week by honoring this show. Even Mags would approve.
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