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Forbes - Is 'Justified's' Boyd Crowder The New Walter White? (spoilers)

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Ripclawe

Banned
If you haven't seen Breaking Bad or catching up on Justified, article will spoil stuff.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2014/02/05/is-justifieds-boyd-crowder-the-new-walter-white/

Why are we on his side? That’s because over the course of four seasons, Boyd Crowder, as played by the brilliant Walton Goggins, has become perhaps the most multifaceted—and appealing—antihero on television this side of Breaking Bad’s Walter White. On a good week, like this one, Justified is one of television’s best dramas, and one of the most flat-out entertaining ways to spend 47 minutes with your clothes on. And Boyd Crowder is the main reason for that.

Indeed, last season’s best episode of Justified, “Decoy,” was largely a love letter to Boyd. Throughout the episode, Detroit gangster Nicky Augustine, played with charming detachment by Mike O’Malley, plays emcee and reminds us what we love about Harlan’s most infamous outlaw.

“You’re a well dressed man,” Nicky begins, “you’ve got a sense of style.” And that alone goes a long way on television. With his ultra-pearly whites, perpetually untamed hair and a pocket watch sometimes dangling from his vest pocket, Boyd looks sharp, especially by Harlan County standards. But he talks even sharper.

“I love the way you talk, using 40 words when four will do,” Augustine marvels. “I’m gonna need a Google translator on my phone if I’m gonna keep talking to you.”

boydpull.gif
 

lamaroo

Unconfirmed Member
Any article bringing more attention to Boyd's awesomeness, and therefore Justified, is good in my books.
 

ZeroRay

Member
Goggins is one of the most underrated actors of the last 12 years. Awesome he's getting more recognition.
 
I'd argue that Boyd is much more layered than Walter White. Breaking Bad at times felt like they were making Walter do horrible shit just to show the audience how antagonistic he was becoming, like
letting an OD'ing character die or poisoning a child
. Despite proclaiming himself to be an outlaw, Boyd has always straddled that fine line between villainy and self-preservation. Walt's descent as a character has always been more noticeable and thus less believable to me.
 

Sheroking

Member
Is it possible to love something AND find it overrated at the same time?

Goggins is awesome. Boyd is awesome. But the love-in also feels misplaced to me, because there are only so many articulate, drawl-filled monologues (almost all of them Boyd presenting his prey with hypothetical situations) that I can take without getting a mite tired. That bar conversation between him and Rappaport was... off somehow. Too familiar, too circular.

Also, Boyd is not an Anti-Hero. He's a straight villain. This is probably going to end with Raylan (the actual anti-hero) killing him.
 

lamaroo

Unconfirmed Member
I'd argue that Boyd is much more layered than Walter White. Breaking Bad at times felt like they were making Walter do horrible shit just to show the audience how antagonistic he was becoming, like
letting an OD'ing character die or poisoning a child
. Despite proclaiming himself to be an outlaw, Boyd has always straddled that fine line between villainy and self-preservation. Walt's descent as a character has always been more noticeable and thus less believable to me.

That first Breaking Bad example you gave is a perfect character defining moment, and makes perfect sense in the show, and for the character. The second one requires more leaps of logic, but still works.
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
If the headline ends in a question mark, the answer is "no."

Crowder wasn't a meek school teacher who when blindsided with cancer put aside societal morality for the sake of his family, then was seduced by power and money.

Crowder is a neo-Nazi ex-con who likes blowing shit up.
 
He's a hell of an actor. Check him out in The Shield if you want more.
Everytime I see him in something I can't help but think, "that dirty ass racist cop from The Shield.." He really did a phenomenal job with that character, I've still got to checkout Justified.
 

Cerberus

Member
There's a big spoiler in the article for Boardwalk Empire Season 2.


Boyd is cool as ice in that gif. I could listen to him talk about anything.
 

Zero315

Banned
For me, on a character level, Boyd wins. I love Breaking Bad, but at some point over the course of the show Walter White became a comic book character, whereas Boyd still feels like a real person. He definitely walks the line a lot better than WW did.

More people need to watch Justified, especially season 2. First season is merely okay, second elevated it to top tier television for me.
 
What the flying fuck is this? Do you even watch Justified? This has to be the most half assed character description I've seen.

It's an accurate description of his character... from maybe the first episode, haha

But seriously, his character does have a pretty dramatic arc over what I've seen of Justified (season 1+2, some of 3 I think). It's more like: Former neonazi who likes to blow shit up, tries to reform but is continually forced or seduced back into his former life while still trying to do the right thing on occasion.

No he's not a one-to-one clone of Walter White, but he's been a fantastic character to see on the show from what I've watched, and I can only imagine a lot more shit has happened since the last episodes I've seen. (seriously need to get back into it, I really like that show)
 
Can't believe they made a show about Harlan Country. I need to see this!

Before this, I only knew Harlan County as home to the craziest weed I had ever smoked.
 

dLMN8R

Member
After watching The Shield, why is there a Goggins show that I haven't watched yet? WTF??

I know I know, Justified is amazing...I'll watch it soon....
 
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