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Justified: The Promise (2015)
I'll miss you, Justified.
It's always nice seeing things come full circle: Raylan standing at Ava's front door. In typical Boyd fashion, Boyd goes out like the pyromaniac we remember from season 1, flinging dynamite and running like crazy. And of course it's back to preaching for him in the end, back in prison. Even though his standoff with Raylan was filled with so much intensity, there was something so relieving about Raylan backing out of the shot. Maybe it's Boyd messing with my head but I was really beginning to believe that Raylan was too caught up in this personal vendetta to do the right thing. He didn't pull though - it wasn't justified.
It's amazing how real Boyd's stories are to us. We can vouch for everything he's saying because we've been living his incredible story for 6 years now. But with his preaching theatrics at their highest point, he looks more like the prison storyteller than anything else, shrugged off by a lackluster crowd of maybe 7 inmates and an unamused prison guard. There's no telling how much anyone's taking anything he says seriously, which makes it all the more amusing. Fusing his stories with talks about religion and the devil; it's like the ballad of Boyd Crowder being sung as a hymn.
Raylan has met his match and what a worthy adversary Boon was. It was like the climactic collision of two unstoppable forces, good vs. evil, as they both fell to the floor simultaneously with perfect symmetry. I can't help but remember what Boon said last episode about "going for the headshot". Maybe out of pride or honour or an inflated opinion of his marksmanship, but today it was his downfall, as he literally missed by a hair. Now Raylan wears his hat like a trophy, although his old hat will definitely be missed. On a desolate highway with "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" playing in the background, it really made for the perfect setup. To the writers' credit, this guy was written in almost halfway through the final season and yet still managed to rack up so much menace and charisma to make him the villain of choice in Raylan's final gunslinging encounter. He didn't disappoint. Raylan stepping up with his fatherly duty to protect Loretta really showed how ready he was to go back to Florida.I'm also thankful for the honourable mention of Wynn Duffy and Ellstin Limehouse, which was very cleverly written. They've both been elusive yet instrumental in the story and I'd like to believe that Duffy, as resourceful as he is, in the end managed to pull it off for the win. Art and Tim will be missed for their antics, especially after showing that they still have Raylan's back after all.
Finally, Raylan's face-to-face with Boyd wrapped things up perfectly. They walked opposite sides of the law and became arch-enemies but still remember what bonds them. They were once bound by community, brotherhood and hardship and the fact that they dug coal together can never be forgotten. They have this undying mutual respect that makes their epic rivalry beautiful.There's nothing like a show that's had such a strong run going out with a finale like this, one that both the audience deserves and the show deserves to be remembered by. Thank you, Justified.
Justified: Fugitive Number One (2015)
Everybody's on the run
One of the best episodes of 'Justified' to date. Let's start with the chills that were sent down my spine as a clean-shaven Art walked into the office strapped with his holster and gun, as though joining his comrades in the final stretch of battle. How awesome was that? The Wynn-Mikey storyline delivered some of the funniest and most heart-breaking moments of the show. Mikey, or should I say 'Mike', was always just this lovable meathead overshadowed by the always-entertaining Wynn. This time, he really shone and showed his refined taste for classical music as well as his relentless instinct to protect Wynn at all costs. He was a true fighter and man did he take some hits. It seemed all he ever wanted was Wynn's affection and seeing him asked to be held as he died by his side choked me up. On the flip side, their bickering like a married couple was priceless. Let's not forget the stand-off at the portal between Raylan and Markham had so much finesse and class, worthy of the level of criminal Markham is. It was this tense exchange of words and wits played out in true Wild West fashion. Loved it. I'm eagerly anticipating a Raylan-Boon showdown, Boon being a clearly dangerous yet intriguing character who's yet to really be let off the leash. We've seen him bark but here's waiting for the bite. Finally, seeing the ever obscure Grubes rotting on the floor of his cabin was chilling. From earlier on in the season, this man was just a name, an illusion signifying a hope of escape for Walker (supposedly) and now Ava. His corpse, lying there for what appear to have been months on end was just a blunt reminder in case they'd forgotten: There is no escape. In fact, there never really was.
The story has evolved into this beautifully twisted mess of betrayals and side-swapping in a brutal cage of clawing predators that you could only think up in the animal kingdom; everyone's scrambling to be the last standing. This final season delivers such complexity in a way I never could've imagined. Can't wait for the final episodes - God, I'm gonna miss this show.
Breaking Bad: Felina (2013)
"Riding alone in the dark. Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me."
I'll start off by talking about the song in the beginning of the episode, which, in typical 'Breaking Bad' fashion, was clearly foreshadowing Walt's eventual end. In fact, Walt never looked so alone as he did in this episode. His loneliness and his complete surrender to his fate were devastating to watch. They projected so clearly on his body language, the way he crouched and walked with such light, lifeless steps , made him look helpless. To see the change from how high this man had risen to how low he had crashed was brutal, but it was honest, and that's the beauty of this show. It doesn't shy away from showing things as they are, and I don't think anyone would have been satisfied with an ending that didn't involve Walt's death. He knew he was heading for his death. In fact, everything he did in this episode showed he was actively seeking it out, just wanting it to end on his terms without leaving any loose ends.
Speaking of loose ends, I have never seen a show give so much closure to its audience, because it was simply THAT good at making sure any and every storyline was wrapped up. Walt confronted the people responsible for the sense of shame and lack of self-fulfillment that he felt at the beginning of the show. He turned the tables on them, holding them by the throat with the false threat of death, finally empowering himself and showing how confident and accomplished he has come to feel. He secures his family's financial future. In perhaps the most tear-jerking scene of the show, he gifts his wife with an immense sense of inner peace, to finally reveal his true selfish motives for cooking meth, to own up to it and admit how much he loved it; how powerful and important it made him feel. Now she can sleep soundly knowing that it wasn't her and her kids that forced his hand, that made him become what he became. Watching him hand her the lottery ticket, seeing his daughter one last time and watching his son behind the window like a distant stranger was absolutely heart-breaking. At least I can rest knowing that Hank and Gomez, both immortalized as true heroes in the show, will get the decency of proper burial that they deserve. Jesse will live free, maybe pursuing his search for compassion, love and meaning that he's been looking for for a while now. He really deserves it, too. After everything he's been through, seeing him begin and end the journey with Walt from the start, it's only fitting to remember Jesse as someone hopefully embracing a brighter future, to see that he and Walt have come to peaceful terms and that Walt really does care about him in the end. Todd and the family were all slaughtered like they should be in an absolutely epic last stand by Walt. It's always amazing to see these elaborate science tricks that Walt can cook up, making him so much more than just a meth cook. It was pure poetic justice to see Jesse strangle Todd the way he did, almost translating the months of pain and suffering he held in into a slow and painful killing of Todd. Uncle Jack taking the bullet from Walt, avenging the near identical circumstances under which ASAC Schrader was killed. And the ricin that lay unused for seasons on end finally found its place. Everybody got what they deserved. The final scene was beautiful, seeing Walt where he belonged, touching and eying everything with so much passion and nostalgia, before lying on the ground as he peacefully fell into an eternal sleep to the sound of "Baby Blue", almost like a soothing lullaby. No matter how bad Walt had broke, nobody would have wished for him the shame of being caught and arrested, making it so fitting that he die on his own terms, just as the police stormed the lab.
On a side note, I was pleasantly surprised at the way the writers managed to fit in Badger and Skinny Pete. As always, they found a way for them to do some typical, hilarious, "no questions asked, do as you're told" dummy work that unknowingly serves to a much more genius plot in the grander scheme of things. It definitely lightened the mood and was refreshing to see them one last time before the show's end. Everybody is significant in this show, and it's nice to give credit to all those that had some kind of role in Walt's odyssey from even its earliest beginnings.
No words can begin to describe the mix of emotions any 'Breaking Bad' fan will feel after watching this finale. Sadness, relief, satisfaction, excitement, awe. Vince Gilligan did it perfectly, at a time when so many other series finales were a huge disappointment. This is a finale that speaks so true to the characters, the themes and the epic story that is 'Breaking Bad'. It was an absolutely flawless end to the best work of art ever to make it to the television screen. 'Breaking Bad' will forever be remembered.
Mad Men: In Care Of (2013)
"Going Down?..."
Yes he is, very much so. But the show isn't. A great finale to a great season. Although at times it felt like the episodes were losing some momentum and the same story lines were being explored, the finale does nicely to wrap up some overhanging issues and, as always, build up more expectations for the next season.
The move to California was played out by the writers to not only be an exciting new step for the firm, but also a promise of new beginnings for several of the characters that face their own demons and inner conflicts. I loved that, loved the way it created struggles and more office drama. Stan's ambition and yearning to be a self-made man, Ted's guilt and lust for Peggy, and of course Don's ever self-destructive behavior all intertwined in a struggle to get as far West from NYC as possible. Of course none of the women come out satisfied with the results of this dispute, feeling helpless to the whims of the men and their own damaged lives and mistakes, having no power to make any decisions for themselves, as Peggy put it. This speaks true to the male-dominated world of 1960s America that Mad Men has become so famous for portraying. As always, Bob Benson remains a mystery to me, and his complicity with Manolo in Pete's mother's death remains a big question mark. Did he know Manolo was up to this sort of stuff? Did he intentionally get Manolo involved to split the wealth of Pete's mother? I have to admit, though, I felt that the whole "married her at gun point" and "pushed her off the ship" storyline was done a little bit in poor taste.
Finally, HATS OFF to the most impressive scene of the episode and one of the best in the show: Don's unexpected confession during the Hershey's meeting. Great acting by Jon Hamm and beautiful writing. For the first time, Don is completely upfront about some of the most shameful aspects of his past, while trying to land a huge account in a room filled with clients and coworkers. He's embracing Dick Whitman. He is Dick Whitman. Even though it's not what Hershey's were expecting to hear, he still delivers it with profound and clever salesmanship, as always. This time, however, it feels real. It feels sincere. He's not just trying to seal a deal, he's actually speaking from the heart. He knows how to sell Hershey's, he has the idea, he knows what it means to himself and others and whether his story is masked in a beautiful lie or told in its bitter truth, the message is the same and equally convincing. I expect he'll have a lot to answer for next season.