Justified returned for its fifth season last night. I bring this up for two reasons: One, it was a great episode, and having Justified back is always important news. Two, an FX big wig said the series is on track to wrap up after six seasons, and 6-5=1, which means WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF JUSTIFIED.
[FX’s Nick] Grad also said that ending “Justified” after a healthy six-season run is “the plan right now,” though that could always change given the needs of the creatives.
“We like having shows that rate really well, and there’s an instinct that you want it to go on forever. But it doesn’t,” Grad noted. “Another metric that’s important to us [beyond ratings] is, ‘What shows are going to be talked about in the next 20 years?’ If you’re making a great, 80-hour movie, it has to have a beginning, middle and end. Going out at the right time is going to make your show last forever — we want to make shows that stand the test of time.”
On one hand, that’s a great point. You want to end the story when the story ends, not when you’ve bled every last ounce of life out of it. It’s always better to leave the audience wanting more than seeing them slowly back away as you embarrass yourself season after season. I get that.
But, on the other hand, making this announcement the same week as the Season 5 premiere has really put the proverbial bullet hole in my Above Ground Pool Naked Hooker Marco Polo Party.
Source: Variety
