Solid, in-depth exploration in The New York Times on Jan. 8, 2012 of why “Mr. Leonard himself calls the actor’s [Tim Olyphant] performance the best screen adaptation ever of a Leonard hero,” as Jeremy Egner writes.

Excerpts:

“Tim is the biggest reminder for everyone that we’re in the Elmore Leonard world. And that it needs to be funny and dark and twisted, and it needs to speak with all of those voices at the same time.”—Walton Goggins (Boyd Crowder)

Mr. Olyphant can be evangelical about Mr. Leonard’s stories, praising the specificity that breathes believability into gonzo characters and situations.

Full article and slide show: http://nyti.ms/zi3pwh

[Photo below by Prashant Gupta for FX]

Jan. 17, a day like none other. I get the Amazon notice that my Kindle of “Raylan” was delivered. And if that’s not enough, in the evening, the “Justified” new season begins, Tim, Joelle, Natalie and the whole gang, except for Mags who took her Emmy to Holler Heaven, or wherever. I’m thinkin’ hotter. Top props to Margo Martindale. Sad to see her character leave this mortal coil.
Both on one day. Almost like you planned it that way, Gregg. Can’t wait to dive in to “Raylan” and read it slowly to savor it. Lots of action already in “Justified,” too. Even the killer Fletcher Nicks likes Raylan’s hat. With Raylan, Winona says: “Who are you?” Nicks: “I’m the one with the gun.” Ava says, “My fried chicken is to die for,” and wields a mean frying pan. And so goes a great day.

What did you think of the first episode of season three?

I loved it.  The showdown with Icepick was great. 

When Elmore Leonard, Graham Yost, and Timothy Olyphant are in the crowd and you’re watching in a theater, that doesn’t hurt either.

Great episode; it felt very cinematic and featured some of the finest writing of the series so far, in my opinion. I should’ve re-watched last season’s finale though, because I’d totally forgotten Raylan had been shot.

I noticed a couple nods to Elmore. There was the reference to the “businessman’s Stetson’s” and Boyd telling Raylan, “If a book could only be judged by its cover, you’d be a bestseller.” And I bet that becomes a reality with the new novel.

Still waiting for my hardcover copy. Amazon didn’t ship mine till today.

Robb - 18 January 2012 09:17 AM

What did you think of the first episode of season three?

I loved it.  The showdown with Icepick was great. 

When Elmore Leonard, Graham Yost, and Timothy Olyphant are in the crowd and you’re watching in a theater, that doesn’t hurt either.

The showdown with the icepick was something, it made smile and react surprised how cool,calm he took out the guy.

It was a great ep for a season premiere.  No slow start here.  Quality actors,writing.  Even if the other EL films was close to EL characters Olyphants portrayal would be out of their league.  Not to diss the films and all.

Spoilers within: You knew. You just knew. You knew when Raylan and knucklehead icepick killer Nix were at the table and Winona was counting down from 10, which the ill-fated pizza delivery man had done minutes before, that Raylan would get out of this. It wasn’t what. It was HOW. And ain’t that just Elmore?
So Winona gets down to 2, and Raylan pulls the tablecloth, cool as a moose in a situation in which if he makes a mistake, he and Winona are dead as doornails. And Nix falls all over himself trying to stab Raylan with the icepick, as Raylan scoops up the pistol and doesn’t shoot this knucklehead in the forehead, but wings him, because Raylan doesn’t kill people unless he has to. Then says to Winona, “Sorry about your tablecloth.” And it is just week one. Can’t wait for more.
So, little strawberry blond Joelle as Ava, as cute as can be, acting for Boyd who is in jail again for wrestling Raylan through a glass wall earlier, issues orders to the pot pushers from Boyd as she cooks them breakfast with a frying pan. So pot boy Kevin Rankin disses her, says she ain’t gonna tell them to do anything, so Ava turns the pan into a weapon and puts it right off Rankin’s dumbass head, putting him down, making it clear that following Boyd’s orders is not optional, as Arlo says she didn’t have to do that. If I didn’t have to, I wouldn’t have done it, she says.
Natalie as Winona showed a playful flair for comedy in some funny scenes with Raylan, and Raylan and Boyd got a couple of hilarious lines off. That is the essence of Elmore, showing people as people, with wisecracks, in their own thinking and own idiom, whether they are criminals, lawmen, pretty women or something else. Bravo to this episode. Lots of action but with personality. So well written and acted. Ruthless killer developer Neal McDonough seems the next guy on a collision course with Raylan.