Raylan Givens is back.
It’s been eight years for the reason that neo-noir Western crime drama Justified” ended its six-season run on FX in 2015 with Timothy Olyphant as Givens, a modern-day cowboy along with his own unorthodox brand of justice enforced in his home stomping grounds of Harlan, Ky.
In the brand new limited series “Justified: City Primeval” (Tuesday at 10 p.m. on FX and Wednesdays on Hulu, there’s plenty for fans of the unique show to dig into.
But for those who missed the primary incarnation of “Justified,” “City Primeval” stands by itself without much confusion, because it’s an isolated story set outside of Kentucky with no obscure side characters or plotlines from the unique series.
The series begins with Raylan driving across Florida to bring his teen daughter Willa (Vivian Olyphant, Timothy’s real-life daughter) to a disciplinary summer camp.
His journey is straight away waylaid by two wannabe criminals, leading him to testify about what happened at a hearing in Detroit.
There, Judge Guy (Keith David) and lawyer Carolyn Wilder (Aunjanue Ellis) are unimpressed by Raylan’s attitude (and his tactics, which incorporates rough treatment of the thugs).
Nevertheless, Judge Guy ropes Raylan into sticking around Detroit for longer than planned, to work with the Detroit PD on a task force that’s investigating a recent murder attempt against the judge.
Soon, the case becomes more complicated, involving this show’s villain, Clement Mansell (Boyd Holbrook) — aka “The Oklahoma Wildman” — in addition to musician/bar owner/drug dealer Sweety (Vondie Curtis-Hall).
“Justified” fans who enjoyed Raylan’s interactions in the unique along with his nemesis Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) will miss their interplay in “City Primeval,” making it seem that there’s something missing from the sequel series.
That being said Clement Manshell (Holbrook) is an inspired addition to the “Justified” world and is a latest and worthy adversary who holds his own against Raylan.
There’s no replacing a personality actor like Goggins, but Holbrook – who’s played a bevy of bad guys in “Logan,” “The Sandman” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” — is a magnetic screen presence, and a professional at playing a certain brand of violent criminal who looks as if he was born in a dive bar.
“City Primeval” is the form of show that made you wonder, “Who asked for this?”
“Justified” had ending, and this latest limited series is actually Raylan in a completely latest setting populated by latest people. Nonetheless, it’s hard to disclaim that it’s enjoyable watching Raylan onscreen again. He’s a fun character to follow, and Olyphant infuses him with gruff charm, turning “City Primeval” right into a gritty and engrossing crime drama that delivers the products.