‘Justified’ ends third season on high note – and a dismembered arm

FX’s ‘Justified’ is one of those shows that is hard to pigeonhole.

It’s not an action show – even though there’s almost always a fistfight or gun battle.

It’s not a comedy – even though anyone watching a conversation involving Boyd, Arlo and Raylan can’t help but laugh out loud.

It’s not even a drama – even though there always seems to be a hint of malice when dealing with whatever bad guy is giving Raylan a headache at any given time.

The show actually defies definition.

The same came be said for Tuesday’s season three finale – which saw Raylan reeling from the death of Officer Tom, Ava panicking at the thought of Boyd going to prison, Arlo slipping further into dementia, Johnny being revealed as a turncoat and Limehouse unveiling his ‘piggy bank.’

I think that’s what makes ‘Justified’ so watchable.

It’s not just that Tim Olyphant and Walton Goggins pretty much ooze charisma – even if they’re just sitting in a room shooting the breeze (and not each other for a change). The supporting characters are a colorful cadre of hilarity and snark that help propel the show as well.

No one thought that ‘Justified’ could top its practically perfect second season – and it didn’t. Season three, however, was still better than 90 percent of the shows that are on television.

This season’s big bad, Neal McDonough’s quirky Quarles, wasn’t quite on par with last season’s Margo Martindale’s Mags, but he was no slouch either.

On Tuesday, Raylan went after Quarles because Johnny said he was the one who shot Officer Tom. Quarles, who was steadily becoming more and more unhinged as the season progressed, took a mother and her two teenage sons hostage. This wasn’t good news for the boys because, as viewers, we knew that Quarles had certain proclivities with young boys.

While the penultimate showdown in Limehouse’s slaughterhouse was tinged with the surreal – I don’t think anyone didn’t clap when Limehouse used the tools of his trade to chop off Quarles arm when he tried to fire on Raylan.

Before he expired, Quarles admitted he wasn’t the one who shot Officer Tom after all – in fact it was Raylan’s own father Arlo – who has been having some psychiatric problems himself this season. And, by psychiatric problems, I mean he’s been holding entire conversations with his dead wife.

While all of this in itself was entertaining, things took a decided turn when Arlo admitted not only to Officer Tom’s murder bur to the murder Boyd was being charged with as well – thus forcing Boyd’s release – and Raylan realized that Arlo didn’t realize he was actually shooting Officer Tom.

“He just knew he was shooting a cop in a hat,” Raylan explained to a pregnant Winona as he donned his own trademark hat and walked out of her sister’s house later that night.

Poor Raylan. He’s going to be a father – but Winona doesn’t appear to want to let him. He’s lost all of his family, especially since Arlo is more loyal to Boyd than he ever was to him. He’s living above a bar – which can’t be a good life. He just seems to be at a loss. Almost rootless.

That being said, I can’t wait until next season. I have a feeling that the ultimate showdown between Raylan and Boyd is going to be epic – and I don’t want to miss the ride until we get there.

What do you think? Did last night’s ‘Justified’ deliver?