TVGuide: The Best Show I Watched in 2018 Went Off the Air Three Years Ago

Jan 7, 2019

TVGuide.com — The end of the calendar year is a time for lists. In the world of TV criticism, it’s a time for lists that purport to rattle off the 10 best shows (or more!) of the year. As I tried desperately to remember 10 shows I watched this year that I would classify as being deserving of such accolades, I realized two things. First, I realized that the best show I watched in 2018 was actually Justified, which went off the air three years ago. And second, the first was true because 2018 was the year I finally gave up trying to stay current on the glut of new programming every network and streaming service was trying to shove into my eyeballs and just watched whatever the hell I wanted. So yeah, I rewatched Justified.

Let me tell you: It was liberating to return to the crime-ridden hills and hollers of Harlan, Kentucky, and spend time with U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and outlaw Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) instead of worrying about whether or not I was caught up on the newest TV show. It’s exhausting trying to consume everything on TV so you can stay relevant at parties or whatever. So while all my coworkers were obsessing over the emotional stories of The Haunting of Hill House, I was happily reliving the glory of the Bennetts and Drew Thompson. While they were talking about Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, I was thinking about this photo of Timothy Olyphant leaning in a doorway …

While they were all about [insert some other new show here], I was dreaming of buying cross-stitched pillows featuring some of Justified’s best asshole-related quotes, like the most iconic one below:

There’s not a living room in the country that wouldn’t be improved with those words stitched across the couch pillows, and you know I’m right.

But Justified was all too frequently overlooked when it was on. Developed for TV by Graham Yost from a short story by Elmore Leonard, the series aired on FX from 2010 until 2015, which means it unfortunately sometimes got lost among the Breaking Bads and the Mad Mens of the supposed Golden Age of TV. In fact, it only made a fruitful showing at the Emmys when Breaking Bad wasn’t eligible. And although Olyphant and Goggins were both nominated for their excellent work that year, it was just supporting actress Margo Martindale who walked away with a shiny statuette for her work in the show’s perfect second season. And yes, Martindale more than deserved that Emmy, but Justified as a whole deserved far more recognition than it actually received. This is why I sometimes shout “Justified was robbed!” into the void completely unprompted. This was a damn good TV show, and one that is far better than some of the shows airing now.

However, what I learned during my most recent rewatch (obviously this was not the first time I’ve rewatched Justified since it ended) is not just that Season 3 was Peak Raylan Sexiness or that there’s real, honest comfort in revisiting shows, but that the series and its story are universal. The obstacles the characters are all trying to overcome are familiar; even if you didn’t grow up in a small, corrupt town like Harlan, you can understand the overwhelming feeling of being trapped by your hometown and never leaving it alive. Even if you don’t support Boyd’s lawless actions, you can appreciate his clever mind and understand his drive. (Though I will probably never forgive him for what he did to Dewey Crowe.) Every character was drawn with such depth (the Crowes of Season 5 excluded) that you were empathetic toward them even if they were also technically a villain.

But what made Justified so successful was obviously the complex relationship between Raylan and Boyd, two men who not only dug coal together, but were also two sides of the same coin. Raylan could have easily ended up an outlaw instead of a lawman, and although it’s something he isn’t likely to forget, knowing this always made his scenes with Boyd, full of banter though they were, feel loaded and that much more electrifying. The series’ sense of humor was also one of the sharpest I’ve seen anywhere, which is notable mostly because Justified is ostensibly a drama series. But the show was littered with instantly iconic moments and quips and memorable back-and-forths that went down like the smoothest Kentucky bourbon. It is also responsible for what might be the single most badass line in TV history:

Near the end of the show’s final season, Raylan told Boyd, “I gotta admit, there’s a small part of me that’s gonna miss this when it’s over.” He said this after revealing that he was coming for Boyd and the two men exchanged some of their trademark banter. But in 2018, there’s no reason any of this has to be over. Even if there are great new TV shows debuting year after year — and there absolutely are — there are still plenty of old ones that are just as good, if not better. And there’s absolutely no shame in embracing those shows and the comfort they provide simply because there’s something bright, shiny and new out there. That’s why I will probably continue to rewatch Justified every year and fall in love with it over and over and over again.

Walton Goggins Reveals His Picks for the Best L.A. Hangouts During the Holidays

Dec 23, 2018Jan 7, 2019

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The actor and co-owner of spirits brand Mulholland Distilling gives his recommendations for dinner, drinks and holiday recovery.

HollywoodReporter.com — Like so many who work in Hollywood, I spend a lot of time on the road. On more than one occasion, the song most often played on holiday radio stations that I hear is “Please Come Home for Christmas.” But not this year… The schedule has changed and Daddy is coming home! Thank you, scheduling gods! You know that saying: There are four stages in life — you believe in Santa Claus, you don’t believe in Santa Claus, you are Santa Claus and you look like Santa Clause. I’m in the third group, showing early signs of joining the fourth, and I love it. It means after our beautiful family has opened presents and shared gifts of appreciation, my wife and I get to step out and have a date night (or two) on the town, reflecting on the year that’s passed and giving meaning to the year to come. These are a few places I’m looking forward to visiting the most.

FOR DINNER Dama in the fashion district is one of my newest favorites. Vintage Latin vibes, indoor-outdoor seating, tropical plants, dim lights and dark wood make you feel like you’re in Cuba. There’s a sense of nostalgia that I love, and the drinks and food reflect the relaxed blend of traditional and modern that Los Angeles does better than any city. I spent an evening at Dama when I was last home and wound up having a long chat with co-owner Steve Livigni. What a lovely human being. He opened a mezcal that I’d never tried. I’m hoping he still has some left.

FOR DRINKS Apotheke is just beautiful. I’ve been going to the one in NYC for eight years and am over the moon that we now have one in our own backyard. The moment you step into the unassuming Chinatown bar with velvet curtains, ornate furniture and a glowing marble bar, you feel the warmth of a bygone era, just what you want during the holidays. The cocktail list is also fucking insanely good. Order the Dizzying Intellect: It’s made with our gin, jicama, Kummel, lime, Spruce beer and Angostura bitters.

FOR HOLIDAY RECOVERY When I need a deliciously healthy meal after all the parties (I’m the dude who stashes cookies in his pockets), Botanica in Silver Lake is my go-to spot. It’s relaxingly health-conscious. Plus, the airy, bright space and serene, cozy patio are perfect for breakfast meetings, lunches and sharing a meal with friends.

Walton Goggins Reveals His Favorite Bars and Eateries for Hollywood Insiders

Nov 17, 2018Nov 17, 2018

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Articles Interviews Mulholland Distilling Press

The actor and co-owner of spirits brand Mulholland Distilling recommends his favorite L.A. haunts for every occasion, whether pitching a project or trying to feel right at home.

HollywoodReporter.com – Hey, everybody! Goggins here. THR has asked me to try writing a series of columns highlighting some of the hippest bars and restaurants in the City of Angels. I said, “If I can do it my way.” To which they said, ”Sure … yeah … OK … we think!”
A disclaimer: I own a spirits company called Mulholland Distilling along with my partner, Matthew Alper. We have an American whiskey, a New World gin and a vodka. They’re all award-winning and delicious. We hope you pick up a bottle. Some of the places I talk about serve Mulholland spirits, and some do not. OK, let’s do this.

To pitch a project

Where do you go for that meeting that can change your life? There are a number of places I could go to get my “yes” or “no,” but nine out of 10 times, I go to that mansion on the hill — yes, Chateau Marmont. There is something about the time it takes to walk up that long driveway, past the sitting area downstairs where the “cool” people smoke, and up those two flights of steps to the hostess stand that allows me to think, “I got this. I fucking got this!” It doesn’t matter if you get a table in the garden or inside one of the most romantic rooms in our city, you have the wind of the mighty Chateau at your back. I feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of the people that have been pitching and listening to stories in this hotel (once an apartment building) for almost 90 years. I feel a part of the history of this great exchange of ideas. That goes a long way when for a moment you step into that ring of vulnerability.

I always get a salad and fries, a sparkling water and a cappuccino with whole milk. I eat, small talk, eat and small talk until my lunch is finished, sink into the sofa, relax my shoulders, exhale and begin. If you get a “yes,” great, if you get a “no,” fuck it. I’ve had and given both. Regardless of the answer, you’ve had the chance to spend an afternoon in one of the most storied places in our city, the Chateau Marmont. Or the Chateau. Or, simply, the Chat!

To impress

Whenever I want to hang with an actor buddy or a director I want to impress, I take them to Manuela in the Arts District’s Hauser & Wirth building. If you haven’t been there, trust me, you’ll say, “Wow, I never knew this was here!” It’s beautiful, with a menu that will satiate the appetite of the most discerning Angeleno. It’s inside, yet outside, and quiet. It’s just what you need to dip into a long conversation about creativity. Ask for the Pearl (named after my partner’s daughter), made with our American whiskey, summer fig, vanilla bean, lemon and mint. Wish I was drinking one right now. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

To feel right at home

Like all Angelenos, when I’ve been out of town working for a while, the thing I miss most (besides family and friends) is Mexican food. Nobody does it like Los Angeles. There are so many incredible places, but my go-to is El Compadre. It’s been in its original location on Sunset Boulevard for 45 years. I’ve been going for 20. In a world where everything is constantly changing, it’s nice to have a place that remains the same. I know everyone there — they’re like family. Nothing says, “You’re home, Goggins” like hot chips, a carne asada quesadilla and a flaming margarita!

‘Deep State’: Walton Goggins To Star In Season 2 Of Fox Networks Group’s Thriller

Aug 31, 2018

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Articles Deep State Press Projects Television

Deadline.com — Justified and Vice Principals alum Walton Goggins will headline and executive produce the upcoming eight-episode second season of Deep State, I have learned. The spy thriller from Fox Networks Group Europe & Africa airs in 50 markets across the region.

Goggins will take over for Mark Strong, who starred in the first season. He will play Nathan Miller, a former CIA operative who now works in the private sector as a “Michael Clayton-like” fixer for the deep state. Also joining the series as new cast members are Victoria Hamilton (The Crown) as Meaghan Sullivan, a Republican U.S. senator who is determined to bring the illicit activities of the deep state to light; Lily Banda (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind) as Aicha Konaté, a Malian aid worker intent on improving things for her country; and Shelley Conn (Liar), who plays Miller’s ex-wife.

Returning cast members for the second season include Joe Dempsie, Karima McAdams, Alistair Petrie and Anastasia Griffiths. Production takes place in South Africa, Morocco and the UK, with Season 2 set to premiere globally in 2019.

Co-created, directed and written by Matthew Parkhill (Rogue), Deep State is described as a grounded, visceral thriller that moves between the deeply personal story of a family man fighting to escape his past and the violent, dark excesses of government and global corporate power.

The first season centered on Max Easton (Strong), an ex-spy whose past comes back to haunt him when he’s summoned away from his new life in the Pyrenees by George White (Petrie), head of covert MI6/CIA team called The Section. White convinces Max to return to the field to avenge the death of his estranged son Harry. But the stakes are soon raised when Max finds himself at the heart of a covert intelligence war, immersed in a widespread conspiracy to profit from the spread of chaos in the Middle East.

The second season will expand and delve deeper into the murky world of the deep state. Having failed in the Middle East, those powers now are turning their attention to Sub-Saharan Africa and the scramble to plunder its natural resources. This is the first dirty war over clean energy. The season also will explore the origin stories of some of our favorite characters from Season 1 alongside witnessing the fall of a hero and orchestrating the making of a terrorist in the eyes of the West.

“At the heart of this project is this major new character, Nathan Miller (Goggins), an ex-CIA agent, who now acts on behalf of the deep state,” said showrunner Parkhill. “Our aim for the show is to move beyond the first season, expanding the shadowy world of the deep state and encourage viewers to delve deeper into how it goes about ruthlessly achieving its goals.”

The show, produced by Red Arrow’s Endor Productions, also airs on U.S. network Epix and has been sold to broadcasters including SBS in Australia, NBCUniversal in France, Super Channel in Canada, TVNZ in New Zealand and DRTV in Denmark.

‘L.A. Confidential’: Efforts to Find CBS Pilot a New Home Fail

Aug 24, 2018

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HollywoodReporter.com — Lionsgate TV and New Regency’s take on the James Ellroy novel was eyed at CBS All Access but a deal could not be reached. There will be no eleventh-hour rescue for one of pilot season’s most promising dramas.

Efforts to find a new home for L.A. Confidential, originally developed for but passed over by CBS, have failed. The drama, based on the James Ellroy novel and subsequent feature film, had been eyed to land at CBS All Access, the subscription service from co-producers CBS Television Studios. However, following extended talks, a deal ultimately could not be reached.

Sources say Lionsgate TV, who produced the pilot alongside New Regency and CBS Television Studios, may have asked for a higher licensing fee than the SVOD home had expected. Others maintain that finances had little to do with it — given CBS All Access’ financial commitment to Star Trek: Discovery and the franchise’s other forthcoming series. What’s more, CBS All Access already has period drama Strange Angel, which is set in the 1930s.

L.A. Confidential revolved around three homicide detectives, a female reporter and an up-and-coming actress whose paths intersect while the detectives pursue a sadistic serial killer among the secrets and lies of glamorous and gritty 1950s Los Angeles. The drama, starring Brian J. Smith (Sense8) and Walton Goggins and written and exec produced by Jordan Harper (Gotham) and showrunner Anna Fricke, came in well but was considered darker than the traditional CBS fare. CBS All Access was considered a likely new home for the drama as co-producers CBS TV Studios continues to make a splash in streaming.

CBS picked up five new dramas for the 2018-19 broadcast season: Dick Wolf’s FBI, military drama The Code (which is undergoing recastings), Greg Berlanti and Ava DuVernay racial drama The Red Line, light drama God Friended Me (also from Berlanti) and a reboot of Magnum P.I.

Lionsgate TV and CBS TV Studios declined comment on L.A. Confidential.