Justified Season 3 Episode 4 recap

We begin with Devil meeting with Quarles, who offers Devil a job. The title of this scene is “Devil signs his death warrant”. And I am just now realizing that Quarles is also the guy in the bowler hat from Captain America, which is going to affect how I watch that movie from now on. Because if Justified is good at anything, it’s creating memorable villains that forever change how you look at an actor.

The sketchy prison nurse and the corrupt guard use a prison riot to put Dickie Bennett in the infirmary, from which he is supposed to escape. Unintended consequence: Dewey Crowe gets hurt and overhears the plan in the infirmary. So he’s along for the ride now, too. Getting stuck with Dewey Crowe is never a good sign. He’s like a human hot potato.

This is the “Deputy Brooks” episode for the season. All the second-level deputies get a feature episode each season.

The corrupt prison guard is using Dickie to get to Mags’ money. It’s not a bad plan, except that Dickie was always the least-stable of Mags’ sons, and as such, he has a pretty sizeable danger zone. He’s more likely to lead you into an ambush than he is to lead you to money.

Raylan checks in with Loretta to see if she knows about Mags’ money. Loretta is appropriately sneering for a teenager.

I really enjoy the dynamic between Rayland and Deputy Brooks. They give each other such a hard time, but there’s a foundation of mutual respect.

Raylan  meets Ellstin Limehouse face-to-face. There are hints of a shared, possibly violent, past. It’s not as overt as the subtext was with the Bennett family, but at some point, Raylan has had negative interactions with Limehouse.

Yep, Limehouse once beat his dad silly for hitting Raylan’s mother.

I find Boyd’s newest incarnation to be his most frightening. Without the showmanship of his “charismatic criminal” persona, he’s a particularly frightening criminal mastermind with less rough edges to hide it.

The look on Boyd’s face as he goes over possible hiding places for Dickie Bennett with Raylan is hilarious. Boyd is such a gossip hound!

Ooohhh, here comes Devil’s power play, attempting to sway Johnny Crowder to his side to mutiny against Boyd. Let’s imagine all the horrible things that could happen to Devil that would result in his death. I’ve been watching Justified long enough to recognize when a character’s about to get written out.

The sketchy prison guard is being sketchy. Raylan is suspicious. The guard fires his gun at Raylan, who runs the guard over with his car. Point to Raylan.

Is it awful that I laughed because the guard’s wrist is broken, resulting in him firing his gun in a particularly funny way? It just looked so awkward and the look on everyone else’s faces was priceless.

Dewey and Dickie attempt to escape their—kidnappers? Jail breakers? Needless to say, it doesn’t work. It does, however, lead to the best line of the episode: “Sh*t. Godd*mned if I don’t have to save Dickie Bennett.” That line has been two years in the making.

There’s a lot going on in this episode. So far, season 3 has done a good job of balancing the competing storylines but this episode is starting to feel like a bit much. There’s Quarles and Devil’s conversation, Devil confronting Boyd, Raylan tracking down Dickie and the prison escapees, and everyone trying to get to Mag’s money. Which, according to Dickie, the money will be in an old sweater locker.

Massive WTF—the two hicks who helped with Dickie’s escape shoot each other and one of Ellstin’s men arrives to help secure the scene. Why did those guys shoot each other? Why is Dewey Crowe duct-taped to a chair? Why does the creepy prison nurse want to torture him? What could Dewey possible know that’s worthwhile? QUESTIONS.

Ah, we return to Devil and Boyd and their confrontation. This is highly effective and shows just how scary Boyd really is. He gets the better of Devil because OF COURSE. In all universes Boyd Crowder > All other criminals. The final shot of a mortally wounded Devil crying as Boyd dispatches him is especially effective. It’s violent and dark and complex and yet another reason to love Justified.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Raylan’s body count so far: ½
Number of people Raylan has double-tapped with his car: 1