Moment of Goodness: Raylan and Boyd Together Again, Justified “Kin” 

Any time Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins are in a scene together things get interesting. Not only do I love that they’ve each got so much baggage – on their own – but they’ve got a lot of great (and not so great) history with each other. I’m intrigued by the season-long arc the show’s got going with the diplomatic pouch, Drew Thompson, and Theo Tonin, but I’ve been missing seeing these two on screen together. So when they both end up in a heap of trouble with the hill people, I’m glad they have to go through it together.

So when Boyd greets Raylan from their hovel of captivity, it gave me a thrill. They commiserate about Josiah Cairn, who has sent them both to their death. Of course, it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly that their both still the same men – Boyd’s a squirrel looking for his nut and Raylan knows Boyd will screw anyone to get ahead (in this case, get in good with the Frankfurt boys) and he’ll do what he can to stop him. I’m not gonna lie, I love that Raylan’s always itching for a fight with Boyd. But I’m going to go with Boyd in this one case and say their bickering can wait. They need to make it out of this situation alive.

Raylan tries to parlay his connection to one of the hill people to get himself released. But the two guys guarding them think Raylan and Boyd are pulling a fast one and things deteriorate rapidly. Boyd takes a bit of a beating before mostly overtaking one of their captors and Raylan gets his hands on one of the guns. Too bad it’s inoperable. As much as Boyd’s way with words usually gets him out of a jam, his captors want none of it. I kind of liked seeing Boyd spin his wheels, but at least he doesn’t give up. As they’re being marched to their death Daniel finds Mary, the woman Raylan had claimed to be kin to, and she gets him released. For a moment it looks like Raylan is going to let them kill Boyd, but he eventually remembers he’s a man of the law and gets Boyd freed as well. Of course, Raylan has to have the last laugh. Raylan thinks it’s funny when he handcuffs Boyd to a tree and, quite frankly, so do I. I can’t wait to see how their next interaction goes.

Bottom line: Drew hasn’t been in the hills for years. Mary saw him maybe 10 years ago and he was rubbing shoulders with people in positions of power. They’re looking on the wrong hill.

I hope this case puts Boyd and Raylan back in each others orbit for the rest of the season. I really miss seeing them fight and antagonize each other at every turn. Their dynamic always makes this show that much more fun to watch.

Random

• I wasn’t sure if Ellen May was smart enough to catch on to what Boyd and Ava had planned for her or if was just a stroke of dumb luck that she got away. Dumb luck it is. Thank the heavens Jim Beaver‘s Shelby is looking out for her. Of course he wants to know what she’s got on Boyd so he can get out from under his thumb, but I think he’ll do right by her. I wasn’t sure where Shelby’s storyline was going when he was first introduced, but it turning out to be quite interesting now. I should’ve had faith.

• It was nice to see Natalie Zea‘s Winona, even though it was maybe for two minutes. I like that Raylan’s still messing that up. I don’t think he’ll ever change even with a baby on the way and I’m ok with it.

Justified airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on FX.