Justified: The Hammer First Watch

March 4, 2016 7:56 AM - Season 1, Episode 10

Raylan is assigned to guard an eccentric judge, but Raylan takes time off from the assignment to track down an old lead connected with the Crowders.

This episode introduces recurring character Judge Mike Reardon, played by Stephen Root.

posted by ubiquity (5 comments total)

Root is perhaps best known for his work as Milton in Office Space and other Mike Judge productions. So maybe Judge Mike is an homage? He seems to be channeling another Elmore Leonard judge, Maximum Bob, though Root's judge is federal, and seems a tiny bit more rational than Maximum Bob. (I'm also watching the television version of that right now, with Beau Bridges as Maximum Bob, but there are only seven episodes).
posted by ubiquity at 8:00 AM on March 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

Judge was eccentric but has nothing on Boys who channels Reverend Jim from Taxi...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 11:30 AM on March 5, 2016

Root was also in Dodgeball. I think Rip Torn in that movie had a lot of influence on his potrayal of Judge Mike.
posted by ubiquity at 3:10 PM on March 6, 2016

Let us not forget Jimmy James on News Radio.
posted by mecran01 at 5:00 PM on March 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

And the pot growing preacher actually hadn't seen him. Ha! I literally laughed out loud at that.

I hate the whole "I won't tell you the truth, because I'm protecting you" crap and I'm so glad Ava just stares him down until he tells her.

I'm interested to see how Boyd reacts to his unknowing killing of a person. And the BIGGER unknown that the victim was a CI. (Does that mean the CI is a cop or just an informer?)

Raylan walking in and praying about Boyd's previous crimes was quite a move.

I don't feel like the case of Judge Mike's potential assassin was solved. I feel more like Virgil was tagging on to what was happening and tried to give his ex-wife payment for his death wish. But I guess he did have a history in animal control. (I missed if they said if he worked as a mechanic, too)
posted by jillithd at 10:45 AM on March 9, 2016