Ep 13. Bulletville

After the tense and action-packed events of the previous episode, Justified's season one finale, "Bulletville," takes things in a different direction. Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) heads back to his hometown of Kentucky to investigate a case that hits close to home.

The episode opens with Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) being released from prison, with the stipulation that he cannot leave Kentucky. As he steps out of the jail, he is met by Raylan, who tells him that he needs Boyd's help to take down the Colton family, who have been involved in a string of bank robberies. Boyd begrudgingly agrees to help Raylan, pointing out that he could easily leave Kentucky and escape his parole if it weren't for his sister-in-law and nephew still living in town.

As they dig deeper into the Colton family's operations, they discover that the patriarch, Bo Crowder (M.C. Gainey), is behind the robberies and has been pulling the strings from behind bars. Raylan and Boyd work to infiltrate the Colton compound and put a stop to Bo's plans, while also dealing with a vengeful ex-jailmate of Boyd's who has a personal grudge against him.

Throughout the episode, we see characters from earlier in the season return, including Raylan's ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea) and his old friend and colleague Art (Nick Searcy). Their presence in the episode serves to remind us of Raylan's complicated past and the emotional stakes involved in his work as a U.S. Marshal. Meanwhile, Boyd struggles with his own personal demons and his loyalty to his criminal family versus his desire to make a new life for himself.

As the episode builds to its climactic moments, we see a shootout between Raylan, Boyd, and the Colton family that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. Justified has always been a show that balances its action with its character moments, and "Bulletville" is no exception. It's a satisfying conclusion to an excellent first season, one that sets the stage for even more complex and thrilling stories to come.