Although Timothy Olyphant has starred in many incredible shows, one of his crime thrillers, with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, is a must-watch for all fans of the genre. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Timothy Olyphant started his professional acting career sometime in the mid-90s before eventually landing parts in movies like Scream 2, which paved the way for him to land bigger roles.
In the years that followed, Olyphant played many iconic roles in movies and shows like Fargo, Go, Snowden, The Girl Next Door, Santa Clarita Diet, and The Book of Boba Fett. Considering his incredible line of work, it is hard to pinpoint one movie or show his fans should watch to truly appreciate his acting range.
However, there is one highly acclaimed series that stands as one of his most career-defining projects. Boasting an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, the Timothy Olyphant show is a must-watch for all viewers who love watching crime thrillers and admire the actor’s screen presence.
Justified Remains One Of The Best Neo-Western TV Shows Ever Made
From its opening moments itself, Justified draws viewers in with its opening theme, Gangstagrass’ “Long Hard Times to Come,” which combines bluegrass melodies with hip hop. This perfectly sets up the unique tone of the show by giving viewers a glimpse of how Justified merges classic Western storytelling with the grit and charm of modern crime thrillers.
Graham Yost is now more recognizable as the showrunner of Apple TV+’s Silo. However, long before he brought the sci-fi series to the small screen, he served as the showrunner for Justified. He did an amazing job of bringing together a team of very talented writers for the series who had previously worked on shows like The Good Wife, Empire, and S.W.A.T.
What makes Justified a truly unique addition to the crime thriller genre is that it does not try to portray its criminal characters as one-dimensional villains. Instead, it highlights how they, too, are full of flaws and are only trying to seek a better life for themselves. Justified also does a brilliant job of making a whole character out of its Harlan, Kentucky, setting, which further immerses viewers in its drama.
Timothy Olyphant Is Brilliant As Raylan Givens In Justified
Timothy Olyphant seems to be perfectly cast for the role of a lawman, Raylan Givens, in Justified. Seemingly drawing from his experience of portraying Seth Bullock in HBO’s Deadwood, the actor captures Givens’ deep-seated anger and contempt in Justified with ease. With a calm and composed demeanor, Olyphant also delivers the character’s sardonic sense of humor while bringing some of his own charm to the screen.
Did You Know: Justified is among the few shows and movies where Sam Elliot does not have his iconic mustache.
While the show makes it evident that Raylan Givens has an unhealthy obsession with wiping out criminals in his jurisdiction, Olyphant puts his acting skills on display when he subtly shows how Givens is projecting his own struggles with past strained familial relationships.
From a storytelling standpoint alone, Justified has a lot to offer to fans of crime thrillers. However, it is Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins’ performances that make it an exceptional series viewers should not miss out on.
