The FX neo-Western Justified is receiving a limited series, but the revival’s story changes mean Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) shouldn’t return. Justified was critically acclaimed throughout its six-season run, highly regarded for its writing and performances. Local crime boss Boyd Crowder quickly became a fan favorite, but there’s no place for him in the sequel series.
Timothy Olyphant stars as renegade US Marshal Raylan Givens, who is sent from Miami to his native Kentucky as punishment for shooting a criminal in public. Begrudgingly returning to his roots, Raylan faces off against his childhood friend Boyd, who now runs his father’s criminal enterprise in Harlan County. Justified sees the pair reluctantly cross paths when dealing with the numerous gangsters and fugitives appearing each season.
Having resisted the urge to finally kill Boyd, Raylan left Kentucky at the end of Justified, while his enemy was imprisoned. Boyd’s survival means it’s always possible he could return in the Justified revival, but the show’s story changes make this rather difficult. Titled Justified: City Primeval and based on a book by Elmore Leonard, the revival will take place in a new city, with Raylan seemingly having moved on from his time in Harlan. Boyd’s return risks severely undermining both the original show’s perfect ending and the sequel’s new story.
The Justified finale defied expectations by having its three major characters all survive, admirably contradicting its song “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”. Following the death of gangster Avery Markham (Sam Elliott), Raylan stopped himself from shooting an unarmed Boyd. The pair’s ultimate showdown had been building since the first season, and their duality provided a captivating, and often humorous, dynamic. Walton Goggins had terrific chemistry with Timothy Olyphant and undoubtedly furthered Justified’s acclaim. The temptation to have Boyd return in the revival is, in equal terms, perfectly understandable and entirely unnecessary. Boyd’s story is finished. Justified: City Primeval takes place in Detroit, with Raylan tracking down Clement Mansell, known as “The Oklahoma Wildman”. Having Raylan visit Boyd in a Kentucky prison would just be forced fan service, and it’s hard to imagine a place for him in the Detroit storyline. The revival is also set several years after the Justified season 6 finale. Raylan has likely moved on, with no desire to revisit his tumultuous past.
Raylan Givens was never intended to receive a tremendous amount of growth. Overcoming his inherent anger and sparing Boyd’s life proved he wasn’t just a thug with a badge. Justified was based on Elmore Leonard’s novella Fire in the Hole, and the famed crime writer has plenty of material for the revival to adapt. Boyd was only meant to appear in the first episode but was too compelling to kill off. However, that doesn’t mean he should impact Raylan’s future. Boyd was distraught when his fiancé Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter) betrayed him, fully accepting his fate. The Justified finale jumped four years into the future, with Timothy Olyphant's Raylan visiting Boyd in prison to protect Ava and her young son by lying about her death. While Boyd could learn Ava is still alive, this would be a huge distraction from the revival’s plot. Believing she had died gave him closure and allowed Raylan to share a surprisingly touching moment with his one-time friend. Admitting they were bound by their difficult childhoods – “We dug coal together” – was the best way to end their rivalry, ultimately putting their differences aside.
Boyd has no reason to appear in Raylan Givens’ Detroit adventure, and any presence in the Justified revival could ruin the strained friendship that was concluded brilliantly in the original finale. Walton Goggins' Boyd claimed to be reformed, back to preaching in prison as in the first season. Although it was a fitting end for the silver-tongued opportunist, his future is best left open. He may be doomed to repeat himself but Justified shouldn’t be.
