Last spring I blogged a lot about how much I loved the new series on FX called ‘Justified’ starring Timothy Olyphant as a US Marshall who is quick on the draw. I think it’s one of television’s best new drama, not only because Raylan–the character Olyphant plays–is utterly riveting, but also because of the shows ex-convict, turned born again Christian Boyd Crowder, played by the incredible Walter Goggins.
Boyd–the confused, remorseful, often misguided and God-talking man with a propensity for blowing things up–is one of my favorite new characters on tv. Goggins’ charisma, the way he plays Boyd with such emotion and vulnerability, the way he spins Boyd’s tortured new faith into his complicated decisions and the way he deals with his makeshift church and ex-con followers, is unparalleled in terms of other born again characters I’ve seen on tv and film. Perhaps the best comparison I can make is this: Boyd Crowder’s character reminds me of Robert Duvall’s preacher-man in ‘The Apostle’–which is one of my favorite movies of all-time.
Really, Goggins as Boyd is that good.
Season two premiered on FX just last Wednesday, with the second episode airing on Wednesday night. Boyd’s character got so much love during season one from viewers that his role on the show got more and more central so that now he’s a major, regular character every week. This makes me happy and I’m not alone–EW loves Boyd, too. I can’t wait to see where Boyd goes next.