TV Watch: Justified

Embed from Getty Images

Timothy Olyphant (plaid shirt) starred in "Justified" from 2010-15

It's been three and a half years since the last piece in my "TV Watch" series came out. That last article in February 2014 covered the action-packed Cinemax drama "Banshee" starring Antony Starr and Ivana Milicevic.

Since that time, more and more Americans have taken on the phenomenon of binge-watching television series. This involves watching all episodes of a show in a short period of time via an OnDemand service, or through a pay service such as Netflix or Amazon.

Many times, I have found myself in conversations regarding which series folks are currently binging. Some of these conversations have turned me on to some of my favorite television shows.

I have also passed along some of my own favorites as a recommendation to others. That is what I'll be doing now with 'TV Watch' over the next few months. As the series continues with occasional pieces, I'll be highlighting some of my favorite shows from the last decade or so that have concluded their original runs, but which are available for you to enjoy on those various OnDemand or pay networks.

Near the top of any recommendation list that I could make would be "Justified", which originally aired on the FX network from March 2010 through April 2015. It's 78 episodes over six seasons make up one of the best and most original cop dramas in television history.

Timothy Olyphant stars as deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, who battles the bad guys operating in and around his home turf of Harlan, Kentucky.

Harlan is a small town and county located in extreme southeastern Kentucky near the Cumberland River, bordered by mountains and ridges. The mountainous geography and warm, humid climate help set the stage for the series.

Olyphant is in some ways the typical smart aleck style law enforcement officer. His quick wit and superior intelligence often helps him disarm his opponents, both literally and figuratively.

One of my all-time favorite lines in TV history came out of the mouth of Raylan Givens:

"You run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. You run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."

And as with many a good ol' Cowboy hat-wearing southern boy, he can back up his mouth. Raylan is good with both a gun and with his fists when needed. But he's quick enough with both that wit and his gun that he rarely needs to actually use his fists.

A running thread throughout the series finds Raylan battling with the outlaw Crowder family, especially one whom he knew since childhood. Boyd Crowder, as played marvelously by Walton Goggins, proves to be Raylan's principle nemesis.

Raylan's personal life is complicated by ongoing flirtations with both his ex-wife Winona Hawkins (Natalie Zea) and Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter), Boyd's sister-in-law. Though Winona disappears for large stretches of the series, she will return and prove critical as it winds to a conclusion.

Both Raylan's personal and professional lives are also constantly complicated by his father, Arlo Givens (Raymond J. Barry), who is suffering from the early signs of dementia. Unlike Raylan, Arlo has spent much of his life on the wrong side of the law, often with Boyd's father Bo Crowder (M.C. Gainey) who is a key figure in the shows first season.

As the show progresses, Raylan is forced to battle newly emerging threats, some from locals such as the Bennett and Crowe families, others from out of town drug operatives.

That renegade Bennett clan includes family matriarch Mags Bennett, played by Margo Martindale, and her sometimes bumbling but always villainous son Dickie Bennett, played by familiar face Jeremy Davies. Both Martindale and Davies won Emmy Awards for their roles. The Crowe family is a bunch of alligator farmers, and is led by another familiar face in Michael Rapaport.

TV Watch: Banshee

Embed from Getty Images

Anthony Starr (upper right) leads "Banshee" cast on Cinemax

Fans of one of the best new programs on television will be happy to learn that Cinemax has renewed "Banshee" for a third season to begin airing early in 2015.

This means that our star-crossed hero, sheriff Lucas Hood, will return to continue sorting out the various nefarious elements in and around the fictional small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania.

There are a number of original, interesting story lines that have been developed by the producers, writers, and actors as the show moves through what is now it's second season. The most interesting of all is the very premise that the show is built upon, beginning with the developments in the very first episode of the first show aired in early 2013.

Lucas Hood is a new sheriff arriving from the Pacific Northwest, hired to take on the job as top cop in a rural Pennsylvania burg surrounded by a large Amish community. Unfortunately, the real Hood never gets to enjoy his new position, as he is murdered in a bar shootout on his way into town.

Present during the killing is a recently released convict. The con kills the men who killed Hood, and in a twist that has to be seen to be fully understood, ends up taking Hood's badge and taking on his identity. This starts the roller coaster thrill ride of a show moving, and it never lets up.

TV Watch: "Shameless"

Embed from Getty Images
Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy star in "Shameless" on Showtime

The problem with cable television series is that they tend to show a lot of sex, especially among non-married individuals, drug and alcohol abuse, crime commission, and the entire array of man's worst and basest actions. "Shameless" has all of that.

The greatness of cable television series is that they don't hide from any of those very real elements of the struggles, tragedies, and triumphs of modern men and women. It would be nice if families were perfect, whatever that is, but as human beings we are imperfect. To ignore rather than explore that imperfection would be a disservice.

Showtime has become perhaps the leading television network for presenting quality series, and it's new creation "Shameless" gives it yet another hit. The Gallagher family is certainly shameless in their actions. They are willing to and do lie, cheat, and steal in an effort to keep their dysfunctional, lower-class "white trash" family afloat.

The family is also shameless in their love, affection, and dedication to one another individually and the entire family as a unit. In this regard they do what so many other cable television series have been able to do, they draw us in and get us to sympathize, empathize, and root for their efforts to overcome the great obstacles that are thrown in our life paths by both circumstance and our own poor decisions.

TV Watch: Breaking Bad

Embed from Getty Images

Bryan Cranston stars in TNT's hit drama"Breaking Bad"

The AMC network, home to the best drama show on television in the award-winning 'Mad Men', has another major hit on their hands, one that I was personally just introduced to this year.

'Breaking Bad' just began the run of it's 3rd season, and the quirky human-interest drug-dealing drama is well worth anyone's time.

The show is based around the life of high school science teacher Walter White, a man whose intellect is well above his current position and pay grade. As played wonderfully by Bryan Cranston, White suffers a serious setback when he learns that he has cancer and does not have long to live. His wife, Skyler, played smartly by the beautiful Anna Gunn, turns up pregnant with what will be their 2nd child. Timing is everything.

Walt then makes a dramatic decision that will change thier lives forever, and will setup the story line. He decides that he is going to become a drug manufacturer, and cooks up a new brand of meth that is extremely high-quality. He hopes to make enough money from the distribution of the drug before he dies to setup his family financially after he is gone.

To that end, Walt solicits the help of one of his former students, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. Pinkman has a talent for both the science end, where he helps out Walt as his assistant 'cook', and as a dealer as well.

TV Watch: LOST

Embed from Getty Images
"Lost" on ABC is as addictive as a TV series can get

For the past few years when I would watch something on the ABC television network I saw commercials for "LOST", a program that I had never watched.

Over time I would hear numerous friends and family members talk about this show, see and hear references to it in popular culture, and wonder what all the fascination was about.

Sometime late last spring I decided to do something about it. I signed up for the 'Netflix' service and began to receive DVD's of "LOST" beginning with the pilot episode. That first introduction to this new series was a revelation. The production value for a pilot episode of a TV program was equal to what you would normally expect to find at a movie theatre in a motion picture. I was hooked.

There is a very famous anonymous quote that goes: "For those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice." Suffice it to say this quote applies perfectly to the "LOST" experience. If you have never watched the show, I cannot recommend it more highly. You can catch up as I did through Netflix, or via any number of internet resources.

TV Watch: Sons of Anarchy

Embed from Getty Images
Charlie Hunnam, Katie Sagal, Ron Perlman star in "Sons of Anarchy" on FX

The best gang show on television this side of 'The Sopranos' has just concluded it's 2nd full season, and fans of this emerging masterpiece will be happy to learn that 'Sons of Anarchy' has just been renewed for a full third season that will begin airing in September 2010.

For the uninitiated, the show centers on the activities of a biker gang, also known as an outlaw motorcycle club (MC) called the 'Sons of Anarchy' which alternately is known by the nickname 'Samcro' or 'Sam Crow', a moniker loosely based on an anacronym for the official full name of the 'Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original' charter.

The show airs on the 'FX' network with in-season first run episodes coming on Tuesday nights at 10pm. Prior episodes are available through the Comcast OnDemand service in the TV Entertainment section.

'Sons' centers largely around both the MC and family activities of three main characters. Charlie Hannum is a revelation as Jackson 'Jax' Teller, a young Vice-President of the MC and the son of deceased club founder John Teller.

Katey Sagal plays Jax' mother, Gemma Teller Morrow, the matriarch of the family and the MC. Widow of the founder, she is now married to the new President of the MC. That character is Clarence 'Clay' Morrow, played by veteran actor Ron Perlman.

TV Watch: The Tudors

Embed from Getty Images

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (C) leads the cast of Showtime's "The Tudors"


The folks at the Showtime cable network have proven that they are just as adept at creating entertaining, high-quality television programming as their HBO network rivals.

Sunday evenings now belong to 'The Tudors', an excellent historical period piece that tells the story of King Henry VIII of England.

Henry was the 2nd monarch of the 'House of Tudor', which drew its identity from the family surname of Henry's father, King Henry VII, whom Henry then succeeded to the throne.

The Tudors had originally gained power in the aftermath of the 'War of the Roses', and in the period of their rule from 1485 until 1603 the five monarchs of the ruling family succeeded in uniting England with Wales and Ireland as one kingdom.

Their reign also resulted in great social, legal, and political questions of marriage, divorce, and the succession rights of women raised, debated, and answered.

Henry VIII, whose reign began at the age of just 18 years and lasted until his death in 1547 at age 56, was a particularly flamboyant and controversial figure. This was due both to his personal and religious actions, views, and rulings.

In his personal life, Henry was married six times, with the first three of his wives each bearing him children who would each eventually accede to the throne.

Henry treated his wives cavalierly, moving from one relationship to another at his sexual whim, and these relationships and the events surrounding them form one large part of the Showtime series.

Henry also was noted for establishing the 'Church of England', which broke from the Catholic Church after Henry was excommunicated by the Pope following his divorce of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

TV Watch: American Idol

Embed from Getty Images

Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell judge the "American Idol" talent

On September 4th, 2002, Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson stood on-stage for the announcement of the winner of the first-ever "American Idol" television singing contest.

'Idol' was supposed to be a simple little summer 'replacement' series, something to fill the summer months when viewership and advertising revenues are lower due to the main network programs moving into reruns. The show proved a stunning success, and the finale drew over 50 million viewers for this final announcement.

The program's three recording industry judges: industry executive and manager Simon Cowell, producer and manager Randy Jackson, and former hit recording artist and choreographer Paula Abdul had selected the participants from a national casting call, but it was the public who voted via cellphone for the finalists. When their results were tabulated and announced on that early September evening, it was Kelly Clarkson who was crowned as the first-ever American Idol winner.

In the ensuing years, Clarkson has gone on to become a major pop star with nine Top-10 chart hits including 'A Moment Like This', 'Miss Independent' (for which she received a Grammy nomination), 'Breakaway', 'Never Again', and the Grammy-winning 'Since U Been Gone' among others. Her latest hit, 'My Life Would Suck Without You' is the #1 song in both the United States and Great Britain. Clarkson has proven to be a huge success story and beloved alumni for the show which is now in it's 8th season, but she is not the only one.

TV Watch: Taking Chance

Embed from Getty Images

Kevin Bacon stars in HBO Film's "Taking Chance"

Every other review that I've done in these 'TV Watch' items has been about a television series, and so HBO's "Taking Chance" is the first movie-length program that has made the grade.

An official selection of the Sundance Film Festival, this true story is one of the most moving and emotional war films of all-time, yet it contains no more than a couple minutes of actual combat action. Instead, "Taking Chance" tells the story of two men who never meet in life, but whose paths cross in a most unusual and pivotal manner.

Kevin Bacon plays the starring role of United States Marine Colonel Michael Strobl who served his country well in Operation Desert Storm back in the early 1990's and who then drifted later in his career into an office-type desk job position. Strobl is now an analyst with the Department of Defense, and he struggles with his desk job role, particularly when he passes over an opportunity to serve in Iraq in order to remain home and close to his wife and two young children.

His struggle is that of a former warrior who still feels the call of the battlefield, and the responsibility that only those who have warn the uniform can know. That responsibility is not only for your country or municipality, as those in the military or in other uniformed service such as police officers know, but also to your fellow men and women in uniform.

TV Watch: '24'

Embed from Getty Images
The Fox drama "24" stars Keifer Sutherland as 'Jack Bauer'

After an extended delay that cost we fans of the Fox television series '24' almost the entire year of 2008, Jack is finally back.

Intrepid U.S. counter-terrorist Jack Bauer that is, and he's on a mission to stop yet another crazed terrorist from laying waste to the land of the free and home of the brave.

This time around there are many new challenges facing Bauer and the series producers have also decided to bring some of today's top public issues into the discussion.

These early episodes of the shows seventh season have brought the issues of coercive interrogation, torture and communications interception into play, and future episodes will be exploring these issues even more closely.

Taking on modern issues and putting them firmly into play is nothing new for the folks at '24', who this year have cast actress Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor, the first female President of the United States. She follows on the heels of the early years of the show which featured regular character David Palmer as the first African-American U.S. President.

For those who have not followed closely, the basic plot of '24' surrounds Keifer Sutherland in a career-defining role as a U.S. undercover operative named Jack Bauer. Bauer has spent most of his adult life in highly sensitive, dangerous, and at times violent deep undercover operations for the government.

TV Watch: Big Love

Embed from Getty Images
The cast leads ready for another season of HBO's "Big Love"

The 3rd season of the outstanding HBO drama 'Big Love' from Executive Producer Tom Hanks kicks off tomorrow (Sunday) night at 9pm. For those who have access to a service, such as Comcast's OnDemand product, that allows you to catch up on the first two seasons, now is the time to catch up on the interesting and well-acted story line.

The basic premise of "Big Love" is a polygamist Utah family trying to emerge from the shadowy cult-like past and into mainstream society. As a Catholic, there is no way that I will ever advocate the family lifestyle of the featured Henderson clan. As a Christian, however, there is much to take from their struggles.

There is a basic recognition, love, and respect for God here, albeit with a number of misguided principles and interpretations inherent in some of Mormon teaching and in the polygamist community in particular. "Big Love" also draws strength from its extremely talented cast who you will mostly know from their motion picture work.

The show is set in the suburban town of Sandy, Utah. Family head Bill Henderson, played by veteran actor Bill Paxton, was born and raised in a polygamist cult community, but escaped as a teenager and eventually blended into normal society. But after establishing himself with a normal family, fate brought drastic change to the Henderson clan.

In the show, he has set up three single homes in a row. From the outside they appear to be three different families. But a shared rear yard shows the true story. In each home lives one of Bill's three wives, and with each wife lives the children that they have conceived with him.

TV Watch: The Journey Home

Marcus Groti leads folks on "The Journey Home"

There is a regular weekly television program on EWTN called 'The Journey Home', and during this program various individuals are highlighted who each have made that 'journey home' to the Catholic Church from some other religious denomination.

The program is inspirational both for Catholics and for those of other Christian faiths, as well as for complete non-Christians.

It is an evangelical program in that the guests speak to their own individual, personal experiences in coming to the Church, or back to the Church after being away.

The regular host is Marcus Grodi, a former Protestant minister who himself returned to the Church a number of years ago. Grodi is the founder and head of the Coming Home Network, which is a group that helps folks on this journey towards a fuller, more complete relationship with Jesus Christ.

It is so very important to remember that Christ Himself founded just one Church, not many. He did not make Peter the head of His Church, and then tell his followers that if something came up while Peter and his successors were spreading and refining the Word, they should take a walk and start their own church.

TV Watch: Faith & Culture

Colleen Carroll Campbell leads the "Faith & Culture" discussions

'Faith & Culture' is the 2nd show in recent weeks that I am recommending from the EWTN Catholic network, following my previous recommendation of "Crossing the Goal" (which airs a new episode tonight at 9pm.)

The program generally airs on Wednesday nights at 11pm eastern time, and if that is too late for you or conflicts with your local newscast, it is well worth recording on your DVR or other device to watch at a more convenient time.

'F&C' is hosted by Colleen Carroll Campbell, a former speechwriter to President George W. Bush as well as a noted columnist, author, commentator, and a fellow at the respected Ethics & Public Policy Center.

Campbell is attractive, articulate, bright, and incredibly effusive in the expression of her faith. As she discusses issues, you can both feel and see the sincerity and the excitement for her Catholic Christian faith in her eyes and voice.

The format for 'F&C' is similar to what you may have been exposed to with PBS' 'Charlie Rose', a one-on-one interview program between Campbell and a featured guest. This guest is gleaned from the ranks of politicians, authors, activists, artists and others who discuss with her the most important issues of the day.

TV Watch: Crossing the Goal

"Crossing the Goal" features former NFL star Danny Abramowicz (lower left)

EWTN, the 'Eternal Word Television Network', is the American television network which broadcasts Catholic-themed television programming.

The network has come under some attacks and criticisms since Mother Angelica, the pithy nun who founded the network in 1981 and grew it into the most recognizable world wide media voice of the Catholic Church, left the network in 2000 due to health concerns.

These attacks have generally been from that ultra-conservative wing of the Church that sees Vatican II as a form of blasphemy and its modernization as a bastardization of the faith.

The facts are, of course, far from what these radicals would have you believe. God inspired not only the early Church leaders in the time of Christ, but also many holy men and women prior to His arrival here on earth, and many more since He died for our sins, rose from the grave, and moved on to His kingdom in Heaven.

The very modern EWTN mixes rebroadcasts of traditional Catholic elements, such as a taped version of Mother Angelica herself leading a saying of the rosary, with more modern stylized programming. The goal of course is to not only grow the Church, but reinforce its teachings and its principles to today's Catholic community.

One particularly insightful and well done show that highlights this combination of modernity with tradition is the Friday night "Crossing the Goal". The show uses a sports talk show inspired styling and theme to direct spiritual teaching particularly towards today's men.

TV Watch: Brotherhood

Embed from Getty Images

Jason Patrick (L) plays 'Tommy Caffee' in Showtime's drama "Brotherhood"

The bad boys of Boston are back for a 2nd season on the Showtime cable network. 'Brotherhood' is all about Irish-American family life, politics, and organized crime, and is set in the modern day in Boston, Mass.

It is the story of two brothers, Tommy and Michael Caffee, one supposedly a 'good guy' and one the proverbial 'bad boy', but sometimes it becomes hard to tell which is which.

The actors who portray these characters are asked to carry the load for the show, and they do it incredibly well. Tommy is played by Jason Clarke. He is a billed as an old-school ward politician who lives by the credo 'loyalty = votes, votes = power'. Tommy will do anything for his family and his constituents, as well as to further his own career, and is extremely loyal on the home front.

Michael is played by Jason Isaacs. The show began last year with his return after seven years from an Irish mob-imposed exile. He quickly exhibits what are billed as 'bull in the china shop' ways of operating in trying to re-establish his mob affiliations and power.

Needless to say, having a criminal like Michael as a brother is never a good thing for an ambitious politician like Tommy, and it causes frequent friction between the brothers.

TV Watch: True Blood

Embed from Getty Images
Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin lead HBO's stylish horror drama "True Blood"

The newest product introduced for this season by the award-winning HBO television folks is one of the farthest-fetched ideas to date, and yet once again proves to be a winner for the cable network that has taken television series development to an art.

Cable series such as HBO's cultural icon 'The Sopranos', Showtime's controversial 'Dexter', and AMC's middle-age homage 'Mad Men' have used the loosened cable TV industry ratings restrictions to leave the old networks in their creative dust. They do this in large part by supplying more adult language, sex, violence, and other mature material that, while perhaps morally questionable, all absolutely add to increased realism.

The latest entry by HBO is the vampire-inspired "True Blood" starring Anna Paquin, famous from her excellent film roles in "The Piano", "Finding Forester", "X-Men", "Almost Famous" and more.

Paquin is all grown up here, and stars as quintessential small-town girl Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a waitress, and the story revolves around her life, family, friends, the bar/restaurant at which she waits tables, and the small town in which she resides.

The quirks in this particular drama? Sookie can read your mind. She is constantly bombarded by the thoughts emanating from the minds of everyone around her, often to her dismay. She is fairly up front about this ability, so most in her little town of Bon Temps, Louisiana either know of her 'gift' or suspect it, having heard rumors.

Perhaps enough of an interesting plot line on it's own, especially with the right actors involved. But that's not the real kicker. The real story behind "True Blood" is that it is set in today's modern world, with a twist: vampires are indeed real. After centuries in the shadows of myth, legend, and fantasy, vampires have finally 'come out of the closet' thanks to the Japanese invention of a synthetic blood product.

TV Watch: Entourage

Embed from Getty Images
HBO's "Entourage" boys are back for another go at Hollywood

Last Sunday marked the debut episode for the 5th season of the HBO hit series 'Entourage', a show that has sometimes been tabbed as a male 'Sex & the City'.

The show focuses on the life and career of Vincent Chase, a hot rising young actor played by Adrian Grenier.

Vinnie is a kid from Queens with great looks and some acting chops who goes to Hollywood and quickly makes it big.

He is helped by the three guys in his 'entourage': Eric 'E' Murphy is played by Kevin Connolly and is Vinnie's best friend since childhood who takes on the role of managing Vinnie's career; another longtime friend known only as 'Turtle' is played by Jerry Ferrara and is the gopher of the group; and finally there is Vinnie's older brother, Johnny 'Drama' Chase played by Kevin Dillon.

'Drama' had some limited fame from a TV series in which he starred years ago, and is always trying to get back into the acting game and out from under the considerable shadow cast by his kid brother.

The 5th wheel in this dramedy is Vinnie's agent, Ari Gold, one of the great characters in television history as played by Jeremy Piven.

These five largely stick together through the thick and thin of Vinnie's turbulent acting career.

TV Watch: Mad Men

Embed from Getty Images
AMC brings first-class drama to television with "Mad Men"


The Showtime and HBO networks have become masters over this decade in developing and producing great television series, the best that TV has to offer.

HBO has led the way with the granddaddy of them all, "The Sopranos", and they have also given us "Entourage", "Sex & the City", "The Wire", "Big Love", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Rome", "Deadwood", "Carnivale" and more.

Showtime has given us programs like "Dexter", "Brotherhood", "The Tudors", "Sleeper Cell", "Weeds", "Californication", and "The L Word" among others.

AMC has now gotten into the action, and their new drama "Mad Men" takes a back seat to none of the HBO/Showtime offerings. The first season is set in 1960, and follows the lives of the office staff at the mid-level 'Sterling Cooper' Madison Avenue advertising agency. Jon Hamm stars as Donald Draper, an emerging superstar in the ad industry and the firm's star employee.

The plot line largely revolves around Draper in his work and home lives, with January Jones as his wife Betty. Hamm and Jones do an outstanding job portraying a married couple with children at a crossroads in their own lives and in American history.

TV Watch: "Dexter"

Embed from Getty Images
Anthony Michael Hall is the title character "Dexter" in a dark

I tried to start watching this show when it first came out a couple of years ago, and I just couldn't stay with it after about 2-3 episodes. I don't mind something "dark", but this one was just too dark for me.

But my daughters talked about it and liked it, and historically I have really enjoyed the production of cable series such as "The Sopranos", "Deadwood", "The Tudors", "Entourage", "Brotherhood", and "Carnivale" just to name a few. So I decided to give the show another shot, catching up on this Showtime drama using my cable TV "OnDemand" feature, and I'm glad that I did.

An incredible acting turn by star Michael C. Hall as the title character serial killer Dexter Morgan. He is a serial killer with a twist: he only kills other serial killers.

The exposure to Dexter's current personal life, the emotional forces behind his own familial development, and this fact that he only kills truly evil individuals actually make a serial killer sympathetic, if you can imagine that.

Not only is Dexter a serial killer, but he is also by day a civilian blood splatter analyst for the Miami police.