Justified - 4.11 Decoy - Recap/Review (SPOILERS)

Previously on Justified: Everyone wants Drew Thompson (Jim Beaver) and the marshals have to figure out how to get out of Harlan alive.

Art (Nick Searcy) asks local PD if they have a rocket launcher and instructs that if the helicopter gets any closer to the ground for Deputy Tim (Jacob Pitts) to shoot the thing out of the sky. Meanwhile Nicky (Mike O'Malley) from Detroit is not happy with a certain Mr. Crowder (Walton Goggins) despite his being a well dressed man and his ability to use “forty words in the place of four.” He threatens to put some nice bullet holes in Boyd’s nice vest. One of Nicky’s men hits Boyd hard across the face and he instructs again which causes a tooth to be knocked loose from our favorite criminal’s mouth. Nicky then tells the story of Abraham and how “God in the old testament was kind of a dick.” This is after Boyd says he does not believe in god. The point being when god/the most powerful man in the universe tells you to do something you do it. But “If you want Drew Thompson, you’re going to need Raylan Givens and if you want Raylan, you’ll need me. And if you want me, I’m still going to need the 500 thousand dollars.” Nicky then hits Boyd exceedingly hard causing his head to snap back and tells him he’s lucky he didn’t ask for 2 million.

Art asks Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) how long the money was in the wall and as far as Raylan or anyone can figure, it’s been there since they moved in. As for why Waldo Truth’s ID being in the bag, well, Drew couldn’t throw it out and he couldn’t keep it so he put it in the bag and gave it to Arlo who promised to burn the bag. As Raylan notes, that’s ironic that Drew put the ID in the bag so that he wouldn’t be found out. They have another 45 minutes to wait until the marshals can leave Harlan and Raylan replies that they can’t wait that long. One of the former sheriff’s men comes in telling them that if they shut down the highways, they can make it to Lexington in two hours. That’s be a trick from what I understand of Kentucky geography.

Boyd plots out for Nicky Augustine where Raylan is likely to be holed up and what plan of attack Nicky should use if he wants to get Drew Thompson back. Option one is to hit Raylan there at the house but even after some recent bad decision making, Boyd knows this isn’t a good idea. Colton (Ron Eldard) attempts to help, Nicky is happy. The tow truck that has been brought into Harlan means that the marshals can push cars out of the way ergo; they are driving Drew Thompson back. Option two is to hit the marshals as they drive Drew thru the pass. Nicky introduces Colt to his man and Ava says “Here we go.” Boyd remarks that he’s not going to die that day but from that opening it might be a little optimistic.

After the credits, the marshals are driving along when Tim stops suddenly stating that “something’s not right.” There’s two trucks parked, stopped, a little further up the road. “That’s Kentucky.” And if you add a third? That becomes weird; triggering an episode of PTSD in Tim. Another guy on their side radios to ask what they’re doing and Tim tells him to stay off the radio.

Back at the house, Raylan, Rachel (Erica Tazel) and Drew get page that the marshal’s helicopter has taken off and should be there within half an hour. Playing this close to real time is an interesting concept especially for a show that takes it’s time building a story. Drew asks if he can take a shower and maybe change knowing he’s going to be killed soon. Raylan replies “you ain’t gonna shower, you ain’t gonna change, and you ain’t gonna die.” Drew is not so certain saying he’d rather look at the view. As a child Raylan read a lot of books. “There’s no frigate like a book.” Drew tells Raylan that he met Arlo (from whom the quote is from) outside a whore house on active duty and Drew thought to himself “who the hell stands in front of a whore house reading a book? I was going to start ripping him for it. Turns out somebody had slipped him LSD and he was trying to find his name – in the book – so that he could castrate him.” Drew talked him down and Arlo told him to look him up later. Raylan says that he expects him to be looking for a way to escape. Raylan remains convinced that Drew is up to something.

Art calls Raylan to tell him about Tim’s feeling and tells them that they’re going to the alternate plan. Colton and Nicky’s man discuss the various places they could have hidden drew within the car as Tim and Art discuss going back only Tim’s not going to leave a vehicle full of explosives. Tim tells Art about Colt being ex-military and how that’s how he could have gotten the truck all loaded up. Tim calls him and thinly veils the story of Colton which Colton picks up on and tells him that he’s kicked the drugs. Tim asks if Colt’s ever come across with bunch of IEDs in trucks so Colton tells him a horror story about a group of soldiers too scared to make a move when they thought they were up against some IEDs. The whole thing posturing, Tim hangs up and moves the cars in such a way that they are hiding behind the suspected IED. Colt tells Nicky’s man to shoot the passengers but not the tires or the drivers. “Holy shit." They circled the wagons.”

Looking thru binoculars, Colt observers the marshals before calling Boyd, who of course, isn’t happy and, of course, keeps his calm telling Nicky that he got the convoy right only their man ain’t in it. The helicopter left Lexington ten minutes ago, so Nicky sends another man to Arlo’s house. Boyd comments that they won’t be there but Nicky doesn’t listen. Or rather, he hears him but doesn’t care unless Boyd can add a solution.

In Everett, Raylan’s moved onto a derelict high school. Drew says that high school and jail aren’t too different. After he quit school, Drew went into the army which Rachel comments that’s a little like going from the frying pan to the fire. Drew retorts that he was having the time of his life flying his plane and then brags about being right under Raylan’s nose for two days saying he’ll be a hero because of catching Drew Thompson but he’ll also be the butt of a few jokes. Raylan is tired of reminiscing. “Playing a law man don’t mean you know shit about shit.” Ain’t that the truth? Rachel asks how Drew dumped Waldo Truth laying out a couple of theories and he doesn’t quite answer saying that he doesn’t regret it. “And the world’s a much better place without him in it? That how you justified it?” Always like it when one of the characters says the title. “You do what you gotta do to get what you want.” Drew reiterates that he wants a shower and a change of clothes.

Constable Bob (Patton Oswald) calls Raylan to tell him about the motion alarm going off at Arlo’s which was of course them. He asks where they are before saying that the high school had asked him to put in motion detectors because of wire thieves. Raylan tells him to get away from Arlo’s’ as a truck comes up the drive way. Bob asks if the truck is his and Raylan tells him to hide.

Boyd tells Nicky that he understands his impatience but Raylan is not going to be at his daddy’s house despite the helicopter heading that way. Nicky asks how he knows and Boyd replies the old classic “we dug coal together.” If only it were that simple. Nicky sees this as a very simple explanation as well until he had a third man call Yolo, the one at Arlo’s house, and is told that none of the people they’re looking for are there. Constable Bob sits in a chair. Nobody knows what a constable is. And they know he called Raylan less than five minutes ago. Boyd says there’s a specific place Raylan would land his helicopter but does not tell us quite where.

Back with Art and Tim, Art asks for another time if Tim is certain that the car is going to explode. He is. Colton tells Nicky’s man to not take any shots as they would give away their position and Tim starts firing at the truck to get it to explode on its own.

Boyd asks Johnny (David Meunier) and Ava (Joelle Carter) what the coolest thing to ever happen to them in high school ways and Ava replies the “astronaut." Love it. The astronaut flew a helicopter landing on the baseball field. If Boyd can take Picker, he’ll bring Nicky back Drew dead or alive. Nicky’s man on the phone tells Yolo to see if he can find out any information from Bob about a high school. How many men does Nick Augustine have?
Yolo lays out his guns while playing ‘Love Train’ before asking if Bob knows what YOLO means. He then says that when he says that shit’s about to get real. He clocks Bob and asks him and Drew Thompson. They keep this up; we’ll see more teeth than we did in the dentist episode. Bob remains faithful to Raylan claiming not to know who Yolo’s talking about even as he trashes the house by the throwing Bob into every available surface. Yolo lets Bob have a breather because he likes him. Yolo then calmly asks if they have Drew at the school. Bob mentions another not-Drew Thompson Drew “Drewcitania”. Yolo goes to help Bob up and Bob stabs him in the thigh or rather the femoral artery and keeps him from his phone as Raylan drives to rescue his friend. Shots are fired or rather one shot and arriving in the house, the latest causality is Yolo. Bob suggests that Raylan carry him. After that, I think that’s deserved.

Raylan takes Bob with him back to the school and Drew tells them the time is 5:30 because he hears the train. Rachel notes they still have fifteen mintues before the helicopter arrives. Raylan kicks Drew out of the chair so that Bob can take it. The problem with the school location is that they don’t know how many helicopters/men/adversaries Nicky has to go against them with. Drew says that “I can be the man I became not just the man I was” which is his way of offering his services to the marshals. Raylan shows Rachel that the ultimate goal is for Drew to get a gun which he is not going to do. Can you blame him?

Tim is still trying to blow up the truck this time with a Molotov cocktail. Art says he hasn’t seen one of those since 1989.

Bob still has his gun and Raylan gives him “Yoda’s” as well. Raylan tells him not to shoot unless he’s going to die if he doesn’t. “Stay frosty.” Raylan hears Boyd coming up the stairs and Boyd tells the man from Detroit that makes two for his predictions. The man from Detroit is not impressed. After confirming Raylan knows why they’re there, Raylan asks if Boyd knows the astronaut’s name. He doesn’t. Raylan says that the astronaut drove the car while Boyd insists he drove a golf club. Picker is still not impressed. Boyd asks if Raylan would hand over Drew to “these, I won’t say nice, but people.” Raylan invites them to come back with more people. Boyd says that he’s usually a little more fair minded. Bob wants to make sure Raylan has this whole thing handled which he may or may not but at least they have a good five minutes.

Art is disappointed that no one smokes. “This is Kentucky not Sausalito.” Tim lights the Molotov and Art throws it at the car. The area where the gas had leaked out starts on fire. Art remarks he thought the explosion would be bigger and then it is. Be careful what you wish for there, Art. Colton and the other guy watch on from above as some awesome action music plays. Art tells them it’s time to go as this provides both a distraction and a smoke screen. Colton exclaims “Holy shit.” Colton thinks he sees Drew. The guy from Detroit does not see him so Colt takes the gun to look thru the scope. Conceding that isn’t Drew, he shoots the man. I sure hope he did that on Boyd’s orders and there’s a greater plan at play here otherwise what the hell?

At Johnny’s bar, Ava offers to get Nicky a drink or a smoke. She lights up sitting at the bar and seems to have something on her mind as she tells him that smoking was the hardest habit for her to kick. Johnny then goes to get her a drink when she says she wants one. Nicky asks how many blow job she had to give to rise to the top of the food chain being a small time blonde girl. Ava replies she’s a business woman. Nicky replies that she just attached herself to a guy who could get her what she wanted. Ava tells Johnny the drink she wants is a brandy. Nicky replies that Boyd has the heart of a champion and finally Johnny tells him enough. Nicky doesn’t shut up though and Ava sits at the table. Nicky observes that she must really love Boyd before asking to see her tits. Johnny tells “enough goddamn it” and this time Nicky takes notice turning his berating attention to him. Ava asks what’s going on and Johnny feebly tries to distract her from the fact Nicky has just spilt that Johnny is working independent to Boyd. Nicky fills in the blanks for her while Ava stares into her brandy listening to Nicky’s story before setting the drink down asking if he wants a blow job. She says maybe she hitched herself to the wrong man. She throws her drink in his face and places her lighter right next to his nose before taking his gun. Johnny points his revolver at her and spills that he loves her. Ava is not impressed. She walks out.

Boyd walks into the dirty auditorium with a swat level of men backing him. Raylan is hiding into the principal’s office which wasn’t too hard to sort. Boyd asks if there’s a chair in there with his name on it because of how often he was there. Raylan invites them to come on in which Boyd says means he’ll shoot the first person to walk thru. So the Detroit man gestures for him go on ahead. Boyd glides up to the door in poetic motion reminding Raylan that they’re old friends before standing off to the side of the door and telling him “it’s all on the line.” Raylan knows that means that Detroit wants Boyd to go first. He’s not wrong as the man is counting down. In a last ditch effort, Boyd says that Drew will not be in the room and Detroit gets down to one. Raylan opens the door a crack telling them to hold their fire. Drew is not there and hasn’t been for some time. He asks them though come in “real real slow” Raylan and Bob sit in the room and when Detroit asks who he is; Raylan says that people underestimate Bob at their own peril. Bob points his gun at the man to further the point. Raylan lays out the expected plan. The helicopter is close to landing outside and Raylan’s friends have arrived in their car. “Everybody loses or you can be on your way and promise me we can get together and do this again some time.” Boyd leaves saying he didn’t intend to kill Raylan. Raylan makes him promise to continue their duel later and he assures him they will.

Art arrives; Raylan tells them that “they skedaddled fast.” As for where Drew is, “Most people think you need a car or helicopter to get out of Harlan but there’s another way.” Drew Thompson and the lovely Rachel Brookes have left Harlan by train.

Next time: It's time to go after Limehouse in the penulitmate episode of Justified

Liked/Disliked:
I liked nearly everything about this episode. My only concern is that I hope they do have the "Colton shooting the man from Detroit" plot line and tie back to Boyd.

Your thoughts? Feelings? Personal likes/dislikes? Was the 24 style episode up your alley or would you have preferred a little more humor?