FX is bringing Justified back for a limited revival series starring Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens. But can the reboot live up to the hype without the infamous Walton Goggins’ Boyd Crowder?
Fans of the original Justified are beyond stoked for the limited series based on Elmore Leonard’s novel, City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit. Variety exclusively announced the revival series in March 2021. Likewise, Leonard confirms Timothy Olyphant will reprise the role of U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens in 2023.
So, what about Justified‘s unforgettable antaognist, Boyd Crowder? The storyline may be severely lacking without the return of career criminal Boyd Crowder played by Walton Goggins. The Harlan County, Kentucky-born Crowder begins the series as a bank-robbing racist. Eventually, Boyd ends up going to jail in the aftermath of him sustaining a bullet wound. Many would argue Walton Goggins’ performance as Boyd Crowder is one of the strongest parts of the crime drama.
Dave Andron (Snowfall) and Michael Dinner (Sneaky Pete) will join the limited series as writers, showrunners, and executive producers. In honor of the late Elmore Leonard, the new series will adopt the official title of Justified: City Primeval.
What we know about Justified: City Primeval so far
Justified: City Primeval picks up with Raylan living in Miami trying to be a good father to his 14-year-old daughter. Conflict arises when a criminal known as The Oklahoma Wildman shows up threatening to upset the peace.
The FX description reads: “Having left the hollers of Kentucky eight years ago, Raylan Givens now lives in Miami, a walking anachronism balancing his life as a U.S. Marshall and part-time father of a 14-year-old girl. His hair is grayer, his hat is dirtier, and the road in front of him is suddenly a lot shorter than the road behind.”
“A chance encounter on a desolate Florida highway sends him to Detroit. There he crosses paths with Clement Mansell, aka The Oklahoma Wildman, a violent, sociopathic desperado who’s already slipped through the fingers of Detroit’s finest once and aims to do so again. Mansell’s lawyer, formidable Motor City native Carolyn Wilder, has every intention of representing her client, even as she finds herself caught in between cop and criminal, with her own game afoot as well. These three characters set out on a collision course in classic Elmore Leonard fashion, to see who makes it out of the City Primeval alive.”
Will the new series bring back Boyd Crowder?
With all the excitement surrounding Olyphant’s reprise of Givens, it seems in poor taste not bring Goggins’ Boyd Crowder back with him. After all, Given’s and Goggins’ narratives align so closely it’s almost like the two could be brothers in another life. The pair share a rich history dating back to when they worked in the coal mines of Harlan County, Kentucky. Over the course of the original Justified’s five-year run, Raylan and Boyd formed a unique relationship that balanced between friends and enemies.
Although plot details surrounding Justified: City Primeval have been scarce, is it possible that Boyd Crowder could return perhaps to team up with Givens against this new threat? Sadly, there’s no word on Goggins’ return to the show to date. However, only time will tell if Goggins’ will join Givens in the new series.
