Justified is a crime drama on FX. It follows US Marshal Raylan Givens in Harlan County, Kentucky. He deals with all sorts of criminals. Based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, it mixes action, suspense and dark humor. Viewers can’t get enough. Strong writing, great performances. A must-see for genre lovers.

Meet the characters from Justified

Raylan Givens

Raylan is that cool, slow-burning kind of lawman who walks into a room like he owns a chair he doesn’t sit in — long pause, hat tilt, matter-of-fact jab with a cigarette or a joke. He’s steady and overly polite until he isn’t; loves order but has a real talent for bending rules when it suits him (and he’ll tell you why, in one-liners). There’s this weird mix of cowboy romanticism and tired dad energy — he’ll fix a porch light and then point a gun at you, but in a very calm way. He talks soft, stares long, and somehow makes a stretched-out nickname feel like an accusation; also, he probably knows the lyrics to an old country song you never heard and will hum it at the worst possible moment.

Art Mullen

Art is the grumpy-but-kind center of the office, the boss who sighs a lot and then somehow shows up with soup when something’s gone sideways. He runs a tight ship but is also the kind of chief who remembers birthdays and yells softer when he’s worried — paternal, annoyed, exhausted, proud. He’s bureaucratic enough to hate paperwork and honest enough to call you out on your nonsense; sometimes he’s stodgy, sometimes real soft, and occasionally he threatens retirement like it’s a weapon. Also, he smells faintly of coffee and regret, which sounds grim but in reality just means he cares.

Ava Crowder

Ava is quietly lethal emotional code: small-town grit, a survivalist’s instincts, and a knack for doing the right wrong thing at just the right time. She started out hurt and angry and slowly became this cunning, practical force who can bake a pie and make a deal that ruins a man’s week — also very pretty and very dangerous, which is confusing in the best way. There’s tenderness under all the armor (yes, really), a loyalty that’s kind of terrifying if you cross her, and she’s one of those characters who seems like she might cry at a church hymn and then light your cigarette with a look. Random detail: she probably keeps a secret cookbook and a list of grudges.

Tim Gutterson

Tim is the silent muscle with a poet’s brain — ex-military, sniper calm, but also really into boringly meticulous hobbies (needlework? coin-sorting? whatever helps him breathe). He doesn’t speak much but what he does say lands like a hammer; strangely funny in a dry, almost accidental way. He’s brilliant at reading a scene and then quietly fixing it, usually while carrying snacks no one asked for; also kind of sentimental about small rituals, which makes him unexpectedly human. He moves like a shadow and treats jokes like precious contraband.

Rachel Brooks

Rachel is the wry, no-nonsense marshal who keeps the office running and the bad guys mildly annoyed — she’s efficient, cool-headed, and laughs at things you shouldn’t laugh at. She’s sharp, professional, and has this way of cutting through posturing with a single eyebrow raise; plus she loves a good spreadsheet and will file your nonsense under “trash.” Don’t mistake her civility for softness; she’s seen it all and has opinions, and she’ll serve them with coffee and a look. Oddly, she’s also the kind of person who brings band-aids to meetings, like she’s prepared for both paperwork and apocalypse.

Boyd Crowder

Boyd is the magnetic, slippery mastermind who looks like he should be at a revival meeting and in a backroom counting cash at the exact same time. Charismatic, philosophical, and utterly untrustworthy (in the best storytelling sense), he can give a sermon and a threat in one breath, and you’ll hang on every word even when you should run. He loves theatrics — flares, suits, old scripture quotes — but also keeps a weird sentimental streak (odd family keepsakes, a dusty poem, maybe a lighter with initials). He’s violent but hoodwinks you into rooting for him, then betrays you with a grin; honestly, he’s the beautiful mess who makes the show impossible to forget.