Should I Check This Out - Justified season 2

Several months ago I reviewed the first season to the fantastic Fox series Justified, the 21st Century western following US Marshal Raylan Givens, and now that it's in its fifth season which is currently airing in the US, here, as promised, is season two.

Now season two generally marks a transitional phase between wrapping up the conclusion of its predecessor and then taking the story forward for wherever the show wishes to go next. For Lost, the second season was certainly one of the stronger ones and, as I've recently just seen, season two of Breaking Bad was nothing short of amazing. And I'm pleased to say Justified certainly returns better and stronger than before, picking up right after last season's shootout that saw Boyd's father shot dead.

Unlike season one where the crime-of-the-week scenario was a regular occurrence - if done rather well - season two outs with that old thing and introduces Mags Bennett, played by the great Margo Martindale who won an Emmy for her performance. Running the Bennett family, old family disputes between them and Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) regarding a troublesome history start to erupt. Staying, as ever, clear of spoilers, season two boasts a great story and marks the moment when I really started to take notice of the show. The first season was really good, this is something else.

Of course the show wouldn't be what it is without Olyphant himself as Givens who continues to deliver performance after performance in a role other actors might have fallen over, mistaking depth for simplicity. Newcomer and former Lost star Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett is also great to watch in a role a world away from his character in Lost. And Walton Goggins returns again as the charismatic Boyd Crowder who is also fantastic as Givens' arch rival. And it is between those two where the script really shines. Other supporting cast members also shine within their roles but there are too many to mention. From Raylan's bitter father to Nick Searcy as Art Mullen, the vast range of characters is incredible, and the script never gets too far of itself to forget adding neat touches of humour here and there amongst the action.

Again this sounds like a lot of praise, any criticism? Well this is my favourite season of the show so far and season 3 certainly falls a little in quality but is still good nonetheless. At first the transition from the first season focusing almost entirely around Givens, to then go to Mags, who could have been another one-off villain for an episode or two, took a little getting used to as it was a slight change in direction, but by the end I'm glad the season took this approach as it really paid off.

All in all, Justified season two is a joy to watch, packing a great story and characters. While people might not always be talking about as it gets overshadowed by bigger shows, Justified is well worth checking out. If you've seen season one, don't stop there!