‘Justified: City Primeval’ Is a Shrewd Extension of the Original and a Slick Story All Its Own
The original “Justified,” developed by Graham Yost from Elmore Leonard’s book, “Fire in the Hole,” stands the test of time for several reasons. Its case-per-season approach makes each new investigation as accessible as it is arresting. Its star, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), is a classic cowboy in a modern world, not always bucking against the trends but still stubbornly adhering to his own sense of right and wrong. Olyphant’s soft drawl and charming fortitude — peppered with terse quips and curt advice — go a long way on their own, though any assessment of “Justified” must give equal weight to Boyd Crowder, embodied with iconic verbosity and verve by the great Walton Goggins.
For six seasons, “Justified” thrived as a two-hander; it wasn’t that Raylan and Boyd were always on opposite sides, so much as their lives ran in such consistent parallel to one another that their distinctions were all but erased. In the end, whatever kept them apart boiled down to the thin blue line the justice system — or whatever’s left of it. Raylan has to believe he’s preventing the world from descending into Boyd’s enamoring brand of chaos, which grows gnarlier as their similarities mount, their actions and desires align, and the U.S. Marshal can’t help but question whether what he’s doing is really… justified.
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Call it foresight, call it clarity, call it whatever you want: “Justified” was a fitting successor to its network’s groundbreaking cop show, “The Shield,” when it came to scrutinizing American law enforcement. (The series’ nagging flaw might be in liking its lead character too much, but who wouldn’t forgive that sin?) In an enticing expansion, the sequel series, “Justified: City Primeval,” carries the same inquisitive perspective to Detroit. Thankfully, the new season doesn’t overemphasize socio-political buzzwords about police brutality or systemic racism in its winding, cliché-defying mystery, instead imbuing its perpetually overcast Michigan setting with a beleaguered acceptance of a broken system — one that’s about to be ruptured anew. The beats often feel like classic “Justified,” but the end result is still jarring — a personal assessment of the current system through the unflinching blue gaze of Raylan Givens.
That Mr. Crowder is absent from the proceedings goes largely unremarked upon, despite the introduction of a new enemy with very similar vibes. But let’s not jump ahead. “Justified: City Primeval” picks up close to where the original series began: with Raylan stationed in Florida. Only this time, instead of sitting down for a fateful brunch with a bad guy, he’s escorting his daughter, Willa (Vivian Olyphant, Tim’s real-life kiddo), to camp. Apparently the teenager takes after her father — she recently broke another girl’s nose — and her trip out of town is a form of punishment. But before they can make their rendezvous to the Everglades, fate intervenes.
Soon, Raylan finds himself hopping over his home state of Kentucky to the lakeside city destined to rise from the ashes — only the Detroit P.D. doesn’t exactly roll out the red carpet. His ride-along partner, Wendell (Victor Williams), is largely over it. He doesn’t bother getting up to meet Raylan, and he isn’t eager to lift more than the requisite finger when it comes to their case. Norbert (Norbert Leo Butz) is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The lead officer is a little too hot under the collar, and his readiness to bust down doors lends even routine trips an uncomfortable edge. Maureen (Marin Ireland) lands somewhere in the middle, wrangling the crew with ease or indifference, but Raylan is watching all of them, because Raylan is always watching.
That goes double for their prime suspect, Clement Mansell (Boyd Holbrook). Nicknamed “The Oklahoma Wildman,” Mansell is introduced like a bat out of hell — cruising into town in a charger he casually jacked from the gas station, blasting a rock-n-roll tape at top volume, and walking into a casino he already considers his own. There, he meets Sandy (Adelaide Clemens), a server who befriended a high-roller who’s made the mistake of leaving his penthouse unattended. Clement and Sandy move in, Clement and Sandy make plans, Clement and Sandy start trouble.
Despite their early partnership, the waiter is not on the same level as the Wildman. She’s looking to escape her dull, diminished life through good sex and better drugs. He’s looking for a fight with anyone and everyone he sees. That doesn’t sit well with Raylan, especially since his daughter has tagged along to Detroit, and the men quickly embark on a game of chicken. Can Raylan wait to put Clement away by the letter of the law? And is the law really an adequate deterrent for a certified Wildman? Is it enough to ensure his brand of violence, unfettered by conscience yet not so blind as to leave him unprotected, ceases to ruin innocent lives?
“Justified: City Primeval” continues the series’ grand tradition of introducing exciting new characters who feel like they’ve been part of the story since the beginning. Holbrook lends Clement a haunting awareness; he’s never surprised by how far he’s willing to go, and rarely are his actions beyond his own control. Clemens, a “Rectify” favorite, does right by her conflicted blonde (hitting dramatic and comedic beats with grounded gusto), and Vondie Curtis Hall — as a bartender who goes back a ways with Clement — positions his expressive visage to endearing and intimidating ends.
Yet the standout of “City Primeval’s” new cast is Aunjanue Ellis as Carolyn Wilder. A defense attorney with a tough exterior and exhausted spirit, Carolyn enters the picture representing Clement. She’s seen it all over the years, so she doesn’t bat an eye about defending the Wildman. Initially, this puts her at odds with Raylan — or so it would seem. Showrunners Dave Andron and Michael Dinner (both “Justified” veterans) are wise to position the two not as opponents, but stewards. Raylan’s job is to bring people before the court, and Carolyn’s job is to see those people are given the best defense possible. They may be presenting different arguments when it comes to Clement, but once they sort out one another’s moral character, they can see they want the same thing: justice, in whatever form that may take.
Well, almost any form. “City Primeval” uses Clement as a wrecking ball, smashing through Raylan, Carolyn, and Detroit at large, forcing each to reconsider their roles. Raylan has long wrestled with the merits of his job. His ex-wife wanted him to give up chasing bad guys to be with her, and Raylan couldn’t quite let go. He spent the following years exploring why, and his convictions are again tested here, albeit in a new city, with new people to protect, and a new way of doing things that may be better, worse, or the same as what he was part of in Harlan County.
While I’d be lying if I said there’s not a Goggins-sized gap in “City Primeval,” Olyphant remains reason enough to watch. Able to convey a flood of emotions with a single squint, the gray in his stubble suits him, as does the moody noir he finds in Motown. Set under skies so black and blue they may as well be moonlit 24/7, “City Primeval” uses its color palette to better distinguish itself from the original series, as well as to box Raylan in — not only is he kept from finding solace in Florida’s sunny skies, but he’s running out of ideas as to how this case should be handled. Little glimmers of light surface here and there, on barroom tables and candlelit homes, but they never last. As complications stack up and the case gets its hooks in him, Raylan’s old methods may finally meet their limit. Can an old cowboy learn new tricks — and, perhaps of greater import, should he?
Grade: B+
“Justified: City Primeval” premieres Tuesday, July 18 at 10 p.m. ET on FX with two episodes. Episodes air the next day on Hulu, and new episodes will be released weekly.
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