On that rare occasion when someone tells you there's nothing good on TV — but honestly, why would you be talking to people like that? — gently point them toward Tuesday nights at 10/9c, a time period that became ridiculously overstuffed this week thanks to some of cable's best and most entertaining dramas. (And let's pause to give thanks to cable replays, for those with limited DVR capability.)
THE TUESDAY LOGJAM: Let's start with FX's Justified, fresh as ever in its third season. Still recovering from last season's wounds, wry U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) may not be up to snuff just yet — as his boss taunts, "You can't run and you can't shoot, what good are you?" — but the show is so assured in its blend of barbed humor and deadly menace that you can always expect at least once per episode to be found laughing on the edge of your seat. Mags Bennett may be gone, and there's no replacing the great Margo Martindale, but icy-eyed Neal McDonough is giving it a robust go...read more
Let's raise a glass of "apple pie" moonshine in honor of the dearly departed Justified villain Mags Bennett. Margo Martindale's Emmy-winning portrayal was a huge part of what made the Southern-fried FX drama's second season such a thrilling ride and will no doubt be a tough act to follow. And executive producer Graham Yost knows it.
Get more scoop on your favorite shows in our Winter TV preview
"I would be lying if I said we didn't consider that," Yost tells TVGuide.com. "It gives you some pause that people responded so ...
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Happy 2012! This week, we take care of some unfinished business from the first half of the TV season while looking ahead to some midseason hopefuls. Keep sending your questions and opinions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!read more