They call them soap operas because (you need a really really long memory for this) off the top of show a spokesperson for a detergent company looked you in the eye and told you that the drama you were about to enjoy was brought to you by ... whatever.
TV has changed a lot since then, mostly for the better, but frankly I miss the honesty of knowing up front what you will be watching.
As always, I call em as I see em.
This is not your grandfather's Justified. Heck, assuming you have been a fan since Season 1, this is not even YOUR Justified.
This seems to be a Justified where someone decided that the final season would not only be a sprint to the minimum episodes needed for syndication but, while we are at it, let's go for a few Emmys.
Because, at the end of the day, Emmys are all that is left on the table. The acting is extraordinary. Even Natalie Zea, missing for a pack of episodes, packs a punch in her scenes. Goggins is back to doing dialog with his facial expression. Carter looks like she is about to implode. And the supporting cast is never less than perfect. Even Jeff Fahey, an actor who has had an up and down career, is pitch perfect.
But -- this is my point -- Zea's punch is mainly a metaphysical punch, not the sort of punch that made the series so much fun in the early seasons.
Factor in the disaster that was Season 5, and Raylon's new role as roving buffoon, and you have to question whether the series should have ended on a high note at the end of S04...? Heavy sigh. I used to tell people that I had trouble choosing between Justified and Banshee. Unfortunately, that is no longer a problem for me,