7) Outlaw (Season 4, Episode 8)
The increasingly complicated plot machinery powering Justified would be a boon and burden to the show in the back half of its run, as keeping tabs on every character motivation and conspiracy could sometimes make your head spin. Where it never failed was in telling the personal stories of its two leads, Raylan and Boyd. Season 4 was a more densely plotted year of Justified than any that had come before it, but the character arcs of Raylan and Boyd where also never more important.
“Outlaw” is just as busy as many late period Justified episodes, but is a phenomenal hour for Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins. The off-hand mention of Arlo’s passing by Raylan is a masterfully delivered sucker punch by Olyphant, his final scenes with Raymond J. Barry fittingly slamming the book on Raylan and Arlo’s hate-filled relationship.
And Goggins might never be better than in the episode’s biggest scene, in which Boyd dramatically announces to his new business partners that they’re living in his world now. “Outlaw” proves that the only thing nearly as criminal as the events of the hour is that neither Olyphant nor Goggins has been appropriately recognized for their tremendous work on the series.
Best Scene: Did I mention Boyd’s gesticulating speechifying to end all gesticulating speechifying?
Memorable Line: “Jesus, I hope I got that right.” A session of whip-smart banter between Raylan, Boyd, and Ava is interrupted by Raylan shooting a fake sheriff.
