70-Year-Old Western Justified: City Primeval Season 2 Should Be Revived

Warning: Major spoilers for Justified: City Primeval season 1 below!

Summary

If City Primeval season 2 progresses, it should take on Elmore Leonard's iconic Western, "3:10 to Yuma," following the show's successful adaptation of his crime novel in season 1. Similar to how Raylan Givens replaced the original protagonist in City Primeval, season 2 could bring a contemporary twist to "3:10 to Yuma."

The content of the series finale left viewers hanging, suggesting that there could be another installment featuring Raylan's story. However, the future of a second season is still uncertain.

Justified: City Primeval, an adaptation of one of Elmore Leonard's highly acclaimed crime novels, offers an opportunity for season 2 to delve into another classic Western written by the late author. Leonard, who was both revered and criticized for the adaptations of his works, had a mix of successes and failures. While films like Out of Sight and Jackie Brown were well-received, others like The Big Bounce in 2004 fell flat. Justified stands out as one of the finest interpretations of Leonard's work, with Timothy Olyphant brilliantly portraying the character of Raylan Givens, a U.S. Marshal who returns to his hometown in Kentucky to confront various lawbreakers.

This included the character Boyd Crowder played by Walton Goggins, who had previously worked in the coal mines alongside Raylan during their youth. Initially, Boyd was intended to die in the pilot episode of the show, but Goggins' exceptional performance captivated the audience and led to his character becoming the main antagonist throughout the series. Justified can be characterized as a modern-day Western, featuring compelling characters and showcasing Leonard's signature talent for clever and humorous dialogue. In the revival of the show, the miniseries drew inspiration from Leonard's City Primeval, but made the alteration to replace the original protagonist with Raylan. The conclusion of Justified: City Primeval left viewers with a suspenseful cliffhanger, suggesting the potential for another story centered around Raylan. However, as of now, a second season has not yet received the green light.

Justified: City Primeval Season 2 Should Adapt 3:10 To Yuma

City Primeval distinguished itself from the original show by retaining only Timothy Olyphant as part of the cast. In the miniseries finale, Boyd managed to escape from prison after serving a 15-year sentence. Meanwhile, Raylan chose to retire from his marshals duties to spend time with his daughter Willa. However, the series concluded with Raylan learning about Boyd's escape and having to decide his next course of action. Fans of the original show already know that Raylan will undoubtedly pursue Boyd and ensure justice is served.

The showrunners of City Primeval, Michael Dinner and Dave Andron, have likened the rivalry between Raylan and Boyd to a classic Western. While there is hope for a potential second season of Justified: City Primeval, its confirmation is still pending. Like the first miniseries, which adapted a renowned Leonard story, a prospective second season could adopt one of the author's finest Westerns, such as 3:10 to Yuma, and give it a contemporary twist.

What Other Leonard Books Could Justified: City Primeval Season 2 Pull From?

In this captivating 1953 short story, a determined marshal finds himself forced to seek refuge in a quaint town, patiently awaiting the arrival of a train. His mission is to transport a notorious fugitive to prison, and this gripping narrative is filled with compelling characters. This thrilling tale has already experienced not one, but two silver screen adaptations. The initial version, released in 1957, featured renowned actors Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. More recently, in 2007, director James Mangold breathed new life into the story, enlisting the talents of Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Although the film adaptations expanded upon Leonard's original narrative, the core essence of Raylan's pursuit of Boyd, along with the solitary nature of his endeavor, remains an irresistibly captivating plot point.

If the upcoming season of Justified decides to adapt 3:10 to Yuma, it may adopt a similar approach to the 2007 remake by initially focusing on Boyd's capture. Naturally, given the prevalence of cell phones and the internet, replicating the original story's method of isolating and besieging Raylan would present greater challenges. However, in terms of employing a "classic Western" premise, it could prove to be a compelling one. Additionally, the second season could draw inspiration from other Leonard stories, much like Justified has done in the past.

For instance, in Justified's original finale, Raylan deceives Boyd about the fate of his former lover Ava (played by Joelle Carter). In reality, Ava goes into hiding and secretly gives birth to their son without Boyd's knowledge of her pregnancy. Considering the events of City Primeval's finale, it is only a matter of time until Boyd uncovers the truth and embarks on a pursuit of both Ava and their son. In this scenario, Leonard's 1989 novel Killshot, which revolves around two criminals menacing a couple in Witness Protection, could serve as a compelling starting point for Boyd's quest to track down Ava and her newfound family.

That Justified Episode That Paid Homage To 3:10 To Yuma

One of the most memorable episodes of Justified was "Decoy" in season 4, where Raylan takes refuge in an abandoned high school to protect a witness from dangerous assassins. Interestingly, "Decoy" was a bottle episode that took place in an empty high school to cut costs. Nevertheless, the episode draws inspiration from the intense siege thriller 3:10 to Yuma and delivers a captivating and contained storyline. Additionally, it showcases Officer Bob (Patton Oswalt) in one of his finest moments as he bravely survives a brutal beating inflicted by a thug.

Will Justified: City Primeval Season 2 Happen?

Despite City Primeval's success in ratings and the audience's desire for another season, the return of Justified remains uncertain. Both Olyphant and the showrunners have expressed interest in creating more content, but Dinner and Andron believe that leaving Raylan with the decision to stay retired would make for a satisfying ending. However, fans disagree and are eagerly awaiting a final confrontation between Boyd and Raylan, now that the opportunity has been set up.

Justified has frequently paid tribute to Leonard's work, and the showrunners demonstrated this by successfully adapting City Primeval. It is evident that the show is at its finest when it closely adheres to Leonard's writing style. With that in mind, there are several other novels that a potential future season could draw inspiration from, such as 3:10 to Yuma, Killshot, or even the sequel novel to "Out of Sight" titled Road Dogs.

Given the critical and ratings success of Justified: City Primeval, the chances of a potential second - and potentially concluding - season appear promising. To leave the storyline of Raylan relentlessly pursuing Boyd unresolved would be unjust, leading to the possibility of exploring the marshal's true retirement status or the notion that the only way he will ever stop is if he meets his demise.