"Fixer"

Aired March 30, 2010

 

This 3rd episode of Justified featured more of the winning "idiot criminal" formula which I've grown fond of since beginning the series not too long ago. The title "Fixer" refers to a new character that Raylan meets who is a bookie but also moonlights (or "daylights" at a cafe) as an informant to the Marshal Service. This episode's misfit criminals are brought together so they can pull a fast one over on Arnold the Fixer and steal his money when one guy can't pay off the debt he owes. I really liked one of the criminals named Curtis, who cracked me up with all of his wise ass remarks to his "partner in crime." It's too bad his obsession with drawing pistols in a shoot-out is what killed him, though its probably ironic justice. Raylan's description of him with another Marshal was funny, "When you were working with Pinter, you ever come across a guy who looks like a black Mr. Clean, dresses the like the janitor in a rap video?" Though I thought he looked more like a professional wrestler named JTG.

The idiot criminal story wasn't all that happened in this episode though. It's book-ended with more plot development in the way of Raylan's father and his new love interest named Ava. The episode began with a mention that Raylan's father has been charged with a DUI, while we also learn he's not as upstanding of a citizen as his son is. The other new development is that with his shooting being under investigation, Raylan is told to stay away from Ava. Now of course we all know that when someone is told not to do something, it makes them want to do it more.