FX’s Justified adapted Elmore Leonard’s Western crime stories into a television series that lasted for six seasons. Timothy Olyphant took on the role of Raylan Givens. Walton Goggins, fresh off his star-turning role in The Shield, portrayed his nemesis Boyd Crowder, a career criminal sharing a past with Raylan.
The Western crime drama was violent, with the hero starting the series believing any murder’s justified if the victim is a criminal. However, Justified is also a morality tale with a wicked sense of humor, making it one of FX’s most popular shows. For those craving more Justified, here are seven shows that fall into a similar genre, while sharing the FX series’ style, humor and subject matter.
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Deadwood
Olyphant is also a key player in the HBO Western crime series Deadwood. Set in the titular Old West town, the series focuses on a colorful cast of characters hoping to make their fortune by any means possible. The show also brings in real-life characters, including Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. A highlight of this series is Olyphant’s Seth Bullock’s relationship with Ian McShane’s Al Swearengen. It doesn’t quite reach the level of Olyphant and Goggins’ chemistry, but Deadwood remains one of HBO’s best shows, especially for crime show fans.
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy isn’t a Western, but the themes are largely similar to Justified‘s. There is more under the hood with Sons of Anarchy than people might think from a show about motorcycle gangs. Kurt Sutter places several Shakespearean moments into Sons of Anarchy, with Jax Teller and his stepfather Clay playing out the Hamlet storyline. These bandits aren’t riding horses, but they are outlaws all the same. There is no one in this series quite like Raylan Givens, but the tone is something Justified fans should love.
Longmire
Longmire isn’t anywhere near the level of Justified with writing and plot, but it is a good Western crime series, albeit a procedural. The series was also hit, with Netflix picking it up for more seasons after A&E canceled it. Robert Taylor stars as Walt Longmire, a Wyoming sheriff who heads back home after his wife dies. Based on the Walt Longmire Mysteries novel series by Craig Johnson, Longmire lasted for six seasons. The show also has a great supporting cast to carry the load, with geek-favorite Katee Sackhoff as Deputy Moretti and Lou Diamond Phillips as Walt’s best friend Henry Standing Bear.
The Shield
The Shield ran on FX for seven seasons. It also launched Walton Goggins to superstardom. Premiering in 2002 by showrunner Shawn Ryan, The Shield loosely retells the Rampart Division police scandal. This includes rampant police corruption in the LAPD, resulting in several officers losing their jobs and over 100 criminal convictions overturned. Michael Chiklis stars as Vic Mackey, the head of a Strike Team, and Walton Goggins as Shane Vendrell, his close second on the team. Distrust and deception cause the team’s destruction, and Mackey’s fall from grace is a memorable moment.
Luther
Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder’s relationship as former friends turned hero and villain carried Justified through to its ultimate moments. The British detective series Luther also features a similar relationship. Luther’s first season saw Idris Elba’s John Luther, a Detective Chief Inspector, develop a close relationship with Alice Morgan, a murderer. The two become so close that he helped her escape after her eventual capture. However, they ultimately faced off in the end. For anyone who loved Raylan struggling to address his feelings toward Boyd, this is a perfect series in that aspect.
Banshee
Banshee is a lesser-known crime drama because of its home on Cinemax. The series takes place in a small Amish town in Banshee, Pennsylvania, giving it a similar feel to Justified in location setting. Antony Starr stars as an ex-convict who assumes the identity of Sheriff Lucas Hood, after the lawman’s death. He is hiding from a crime lord. Hood then has to balance his life as a law enforcement officer and his criminal activities. Banshee lasted for four seasons.
Terriers
Terriers is another FX series. While it only lasted for one season and 13 episodes, it remains a cult favorite over a decade after its release. Donal Logue, who played Lee Toric in Sons of Anarchy, stars as an alcoholic former police officer named Hank Dolworth. He joins up with his best friend, a former criminal named Britt Pollack to start an unlicensed private investigator agency. He works in the town where he formerly was a cop, making things tougher than they need to be. Terriers features the same humor permeating through Justified and is a great show to discover for those who missed it.
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