Justified

What a great time to be a TV junkie. NBC’s “Community” is back in prime form with the return of Dan Harmon. HBO launches the incredible “True Detective” on Sunday and “Sherlock” returns stateside next weekend. There’s enough quality out there that FX’s “Justified” could get lost in the shuffle. Don’t let that happen.

I’ve avoided saying it outright for a few years as it seems like an overwritten headline but one thing is too clear to ignore when looking back at this past year in television — we are currently in the most creatively vital time in the history of the form.

CHICAGO – Elmore Leonard was so much a part of the entertainment landscape that many people don’t even realize the extent of his influence and reach on, of course, literature, but also film and television. The same man created the characters you love in “3:10 to Yuma,” “Get Shorty,” “Out of Sight,” and “Justified.”

CHICAGO – FX’s “Justified” is one of the best shows on TV and its cult of popularity continues to grow with each passing season. When the fourth season premiered earlier this week, it had half a million more viewers than for the third season premiere. People keep falling in love with Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder, two of the most fascinating characters on TV. Watch the recently released third season Blu-ray set to find out why.

CHICAGO – The third season of FX’s “Justified,” arguably the best drama on one of the most creatively vital networks on television (it’s this or “SoA”), had big shoes to fill. Mags (Emmy winner Margo Martindale) was such an amazing character that her shadow persisted over the entire next season.

CHICAGO – Zombies. Dragons. Gangsters. Meth dealers. David Lynch. It was a weird year for television. Was it a good year? Sorta. It was nowhere near the landmark year of 2011 but there was still a lot to like and it was easy to get to 30 shows worth mentioning.

CHICAGO – Last year represented a notable leap forward for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as they finally embraced a few critical darlings over popular favorites, finding room for major nominations for shows like “Louie,” “Justified,” “Game of Thrones,” and “Parks and Recreation.”

CHICAGO – So you’re an Academy voter who has put off filling out your ballot for the 2011-12 season. I understand. It’s been a ridiculously tough year for me to pick and choose my dream nominees for the major categories and my votes don’t even count. Maybe you want some help? We’re all about charity here. As someone who’s seen more TV in the last year than most people do in their lives, let me guide the way.

CHICAGO – With six episodes left to go in the third season, FX announced that their critical smash “Justified” would return for a fourth season in early 2013. Season three of Timothy Olyphant drama is averaging 4.3 million total viewers every week, an incredible number for cable, and last year’s run ended up on a number of top ten lists and won Margo Martindale an Emmy. By most measurements, it’s FX’s biggest hit.

CHICAGO – Fans of “Justified,” which should be all fans of TV drama, couldn’t possibly be disappointed with the season premiere of one of the best programs on television, tonight, January 17th, 2012 at 9pm CST.