Vince Lombardi said, “Perfection is not attainable. But if you chase perfection, you can catch excellence.”

JUSTIFIED is back.

I’m in heaven.

It’s not just because I’m watching Timothy Olyphant. Though, he is nice on the eyes.

Talented actors; brilliant writing; pitch-perfect pacing. Justified is about excellence. I don’t say that lightly.

In fact, I’m such a big fan-girl, that a year ago—after the Season Two premiere—I blogged about this show over at Murderati.

You might think I’m blogging yet again about Justified so I can post pictures like this here at Murder She Writes. Not true. Not me, nope. That would be Lori

But I’ll let you enjoy this shot for a moment.

Or two.

Ready?

Okay, there are a lot of fantastic television shows out there—but most of them are no longer on the networks. Or, the big networks kill them too soon, without giving them an extra push or doing nothing to save them (PRIME SUSPECT & DETROIT 1-8-7 – two of my fave new shows – cancelled after one short season.)

Cable has succeeded because they’re lower budget and can achieve success with a smaller viewership. They break rules and take risks. They don’t fit the mold. This is good for television lovers like me who are frustrated with the ho-hum and predictable shows. Sure, I like BODY OF PROOF and CASTLE and others, but my favorite shows—the shows I put on my calendar—are all on cable.

As soon as F/X announced January 17th as the Season 3 premiere of Justified, it went on my calendar. I bought the season on iTunes, but because I could not wait for the show to air and download, I also recorded it on my DirectTV box and watched it last night

Justified, based on an Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole” about U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, is violent, edgy, and darkly humorous. I’ve often said that character is the single most important thing in a good book, and that’s true for television as well. Character is the foundation. Without character, it doesn’t matter how strong the writing is or how beautifully the film is shot, or how much money is spent on special effects. If the foundation crumbles, everything else falls with it.

Justified has the acting, writing, and pacing. But it’s foundation is rock solid. It’s about the characters.

Raylan Givens himself (played by Timothy Olyphant) is a flawed hero. Self-confident (cocky); smart; dedicated; bad-ass Western lawman in every sense of the word. DEADWOOD was just preparing him for this role.

Yet, if this show was just about Raylan, it wouldn’t be half as good. Boyd Crowder—played by the amazing Walton Goggins)—is even more complex than Raylan. He’s the bad guy … most of the time. But like any good villain, he’s not pure evil. In fact, he’s not evil, just not good. Boyd has his own code of honor, and when he and Raylan are on the same side, they can fight together. When they’re not? Raylan’s put him in prison a few times.

The other characters are all equally outstanding. Raylan’s boss, his colleagues (I hope they do more with Tim and Rachel, who have been strong secondary characters who add to the show, and can add much more as hinted in some past episodes.) The two primary female characters—Raylan’s whiny, bitchy, cheating, pregnant ex-wife Winona (yes, the baby is Raylan’s. I don’t have to like it.) and Ava, widow of Boyd’s brother who was with Raylan for season one and is now with Boyd. I like Ava. She has spunk, she stands up for herself, and she’s complex just like Boyd and Raylan.

Season three promises to be as good as the first two. Maybe better—and that’s hard to do. But if the opener is any indication, they’re on that road. My only skepticism at all is that the writers think that Winona can be redeemed. Because I trust them, I’m willing to give them the chance—but I think she should leave Raylan and go elsewhere. I mean COME ON. She cheated on him with GARY, a realtor. Divorced Raylan and married the weasel. I actually liked Gary more than her! (And I didn’t like Gary.)

At it’s core, though at times morally murky, JUSTIFIED is about good versus evil. No one is all good, or all bad. It’s also about all the shades of gray in between. It’s about choices you make and living with the consequences. It’s full of action, suspense, humor, crisp dialogue, and–of course–great characters.

And with it, Graham Yost and his crew have caught excellence.

Here’s a little commercial that played last year as a Super Bowl commercial:

And a teaser for Season Three:

I wish I could find the opening scene of season 1, episode 1 to show you — the scene that sold me on the series, where Raylan shoots Tommy Bucks. That scene has lasting consequences, even in Season Three.

Instead, here’s a music video of the opening song with some fantastic clips from season one. Gangstagrass performs the song, and because I loved it so much I bought their album, which inspired IF I SHOULD DIE. They were so gracious to give me permission to quote lyrics from another of their songs in the opening of DIE.

What show do you evangelize for? What show has characters so real you believe? Is there an opening scene that drew you in immediately, sold you on a show hook, line and sinker? Comment below for a chance to win season 1 or 2 of JUSTIFIED on DVD or iTunes; or season 3 gifted from iTunes … winners choice.

It’s no surprise to long-time MSW readers that I love television. I use TV as a reward. I get my work done, I can watch TV at night. (Late at night, usually after midnight.) I haven’t watched commercials outside of football or kids shows because I no longer watch television shows when they’re on. I don’t even DVR them (and even if I did, they’d be quickly erased because of all the shows my kids DVR.)

I spoil myself because television is a reward. I buy the shows I like through iTunes.

A series can cost anywhere from $5 to $40, depending on the popularity, the number of episodes, and whether there’s a promotion. Most series, however, are between $20-25, less than the cost of waiting for the series to come out on DVD three months after the season is over. At $25, that’s the price of one movie and popcorn for a couple, and to me worth the price because not only can I watch at my convenience, I can re-watch.

But because I pay for television, when most people watch for free, I tend to be a bit more critical than I used to. My time is valuable, but so are my limited television dollars. I’ve very much appreciated that television, like much of the entertainment business, is making necessary changes: they’re releasing new series mid-season so summer is not just reruns; they’re running edgy and experimental series with both stars and young up-and-comers; they’re taking changes and cable networks are competitive with network. In fact, almost all my favorite shows are on cable, with only a few exceptions.

Some shows have blown me away—not just in the quality of production, or the actors, but the storylines are head and shoulders above most everything that’s out there.

Two years ago, I “discovered” JUSTIFIED and have evangelized for this show ever since. This year, I found HAVEN, a brilliant supernatural drama loosely based on the Stephen King book THE COLORADO KID. But today, I want to talk about LUTHER.

First: no spoilers! I’m only halfway through the short season two. But already, I am mesmerized by the raw, brilliant storytelling made even better by the quality of both filming and acting. I love it.

LUTHER is a psychological crime drama produced by the BBC. It’s set in England, and for the first episode or two I had to get used to not only the accents, some of which are quite thick, but the different police procedures in that country. (And, to be honest, I don’t even know if they get them right, but there’s a feel of authenticity so I’m definitely willing to go along for the ride.)

From IMDb:

“Luther” follows the cases of a troubled yet brilliant English police detective, DCI John Luther (Idris Elba). Separated from his wife, whom he loves passionately, he is torn between an unrelenting approach to solving serial killings and his attempts to rekindle his marriage. Luther is a highly charged emotional man who is not above stretching the law to solve a case or save a life. In episode one, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson) proves she is equally brilliant by committing the perfect murder of her parents, which challenges Luther as never before. Alice develops a strange fascination for Luther and their continued exchanges and interplay serve as a backdrop for the rest of the season. Luther’s edgy police tactics make him a serious concern to his superiors, who feel that he is a threat to their reputations and that of the Police force. From the opening credits to the end of season one, “Luther” is a fast paced mystery presented with many plot twists and insights into the human psyche.

The scripts are tight, gritty, and multi-dimensional. The filming compliments the tone and feel of the show. A crime drama like CASTLE is lighter, with brighter colors and a deeper hue, but less contrast and artistic framing. LUTHER, which is a much darker show, is as overcast and gray as England’s reputation. There’re no bright colors, but the sharpness of the imagery even in the grayness adds depth and emotion. (I’m sure Toni, or resident photography expert, would be able to explain all this better than me.)

But to be honest, Idris Elba, the actor who portrays DCI John Luther, makes the show. Not only is he a physically imposing character compared to all the others around him, he is a flawed and tragic hero.

I’ve been thinking about this show a lot while teaching a class over at the Kiss of Death chapter this month. Participants have been asking a lot of questions about how to create flawed characters that readers will still like. Today, I pointed them all to John Luther.

In the first episode, he’s coming back to work after being on administrative leave while being investigated for the injuries a suspect sustained while Luther pursued him. The suspect, a child murderer, is a loathsome person. Did he, or did he not, wait a fraction too long in trying to save the killer from a fall? While the killer is on life support at the hospital, Luther is investigated. The day he returns, he’s called to investigate a double homicide, introducing him to Alice Morgan, one of the most complex and compelling psychopaths created in a long, long time. The intelligence of Hannibal Lecter without the crudity and rather disgusting habit of cannibalizing his friends.

Luther is far from perfect. But what draws me to his character is that he it’s his drive to do what is right for others that ultimately puts him into danger or forces him to choose between two morally or ethically reprehensible choices. Sometimes, there is no good answer, only a lesser evil.

Luther is a brilliant cop. Sherlock Holmes without the arrogance or drug habit. He doesn’t smooth things over or play nice just to get along, but he’s not deliberately or intentionally abrasive. He’s extremely loyal, and his loyalty is also his Achilles Heel.

For example, in the second season he’s guilted into helping an underage prostitute get out of a vile fantasy rape (where a pervert pays to rape her, but where often the prostitute is killed in the process.) Guilted because, while underage, she’s still 17 and as Luther said, she’s made her own choices. She chose to do drugs, to be a prostitute and to leave home. But, as her mother says, Luther drove her to drugs and prostitution because he arrested her father for “accidentally” killing a prostitute, and while in prison he killed himself. Luther goes to the location, talks to Jenny, she doesn’t want to leave, and he walks out. The agony of his decision is evident on his face you can almost hear his internalization.

It’s Jenny’s choice. No one is forcing her.

She’s too scared to leave. She’s going to be killed. She’s only 17.

In the end, he walks in and grabs her while she fights him.

That decision sets up a whole chain of events that are still playing out as I’m about to watch the third of four episodes.

Luther does many illegal things, always for the right reasons. His ethical dilemmas are complex and torture him. Luther is an amazing character, and while Idris Elba deserves much of the credit for his creation, the show itself is truly a well-done masterpiece blending the lead character with an equally talented supporting cast, and compelling, top-notch writing. Crime drama lovers, you won’t be disappointed. And writers? You’ll learn a lot.

It doesn’t get much better than LUTHER. I am hugely thrilled they have contracted for a third season. Two, four, six, ten episodes — I’ll take whatever they want to give me.

I don’t have a smoking hot excerpt like Lori (CHASING EIGHT–wow. Just wow.) And Sylvia and Rocki took care of the conference advice. But I do have a giveaway today!

I’ll be off-line until this evening because I’ve been taken hostage … in an FBI SWAT training program. It’s a tough job but someone … hell, no. It’s not a tough job. Even though it’s going to be ninety-some degrees and I’ll be in a warehouse without A/C, it’s FUN and exciting and part of my job. So don’t be surprised if sometime I write about a hostage situation … If you want to read more about my research philosophy, you can check out my Field Trip! blog over at Murderati.

I’ve been interested in hostage situations ever since I participated in my first FBI training session and one of the scenarios involved an active shooter situation. We’ve all seen the set-ups in the movies and television, but when role playing–even though not real–it feels much more immediate. I asked some of the trainees–mostly local PD SWAT teams coming in for advanced training, of which role playing is only one part–if they found value acting out different situations. Hands down, they said yes. They go into these situations not know exactly what to expect; they are being evaluated, and after the fact walk through for analysis, which is extremely valuable–not only for them, but for me as a writer listening to why they did what they did, and the critique–both pro and con–from the trainers.

But in the half dozen or so scenarios I’ve participated in, I haven’t been a hostage … until today. So I’ll return tonight and answer your questions, if any. For now … I’m giving away FIVE copies of a special promotional printing of my digital novella, LOVE IS MURDER. This is a stand-alone Lucy Kincaid mystery. I printed a limited number of copies to distribute at RWA and Thrillerfest, but I’ve pulled aside a few for MSW readers. All you have to do is either ask me a question, or answer this question: what’s your favorite movie so far this year … or what movie are you most looking forward to?

I’ll answer that too! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed X-MEN: FIRST CLASS. Definitely worth seeing. I took my boys and while it was a bit scary for my 7 year old, he still liked it … my 10 year old LOVED it. Last night I saw SUPER 8 with my daughter, and it was also good–a little predictable, and I really don’t like movies were all the military guys are bad and keeping secrets from the citizens, but it worked better here than in other movies (cough *AVATAR* yuck cough.) I plan on seeing CARS 2 with the kids this weekend, before I leave for NYC, but the movie I’m really looking forward to later this summer is COWBOYS VS ALIENS. Until I saw the preview I was thinking ugh, but after seeing the trailer last night? It’s on the must see list. Daniel Craig. Need I say more?

Ask or answer, and five commenters will get an exclusive print version of LOVE IS MURDER, which includes an exclusive excerpt from the third Lucy Kincaid book IF I SHOULD DIE (11.22.11.)

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU . . . DEAD

After a tough breakup with her boyfriend, Lucy Kincaid needs a different kind of break. So she heads west to join her brother, an ex-cop, for a long weekend of skiing in the mountains. At a picturesque lodge tucked high in the Sierra Nevada, Lucy finds just what she’s looking for: a peaceful retreat undisturbed by Internet, television, and cell phone distractions. She also finds an unexpected group of newlyweds seeking their own idyllic getaway.

But finding one of her fellow guests dead wasn’t in the brochure. And neither was the overnight snowstorm that leaves the lodge cut off from the outside world. When Lucy’s brother suspects the honeymooner’s death was foul play, he’s mysteriously stricken ill. Now, to keep him and herself alive, it’s up to aspiring FBI agent Lucy Kincaid to figure out which of the lovebirds trapped in the lodge is really a bird of prey.

Three times in two days I’ve been asked who would play my characters in a movie. I have a few I absolutely know–like Timothy Olyphant as Sheriff Nick Thomas in SPEAK NO EVIL. Or Timothy Olyphant as the sociopath Theodore Glenn in KILLING FEAR. Or Timothy Olyphant as Sheriff Tyler McBride in TEMPTING EVIL. Or . . . well, he can pretty much play any character he wants to Yes, I’m a bit obsessed.

Timothy Olyphant as hero:

(BTW, JUSTIFIED is the best show out there today–just FYI if you haven’t seen it! It’s on F/X. Wednesdays at 10 pm)

Someday, I would love to go through all my characters (villains and heroes and heroines) and decide who I think would be best at portraying them. But it would take me all night . . . and then some! So I decided to focus tonight on the main characters in the Lucy Kincaid series.

I could see Lucy as a television series more than on the big screen, because there are so many plot possibilities to “stand alone” even under the arc of the first book, LOVE ME TO DEATH. So if I was casting her series, here are some of the actors I would look at:

Lucy Kincaid
Lucy is a survivor, older than her years, Cuban-American, and very serious. She’s also smart, athletic, and prone to panic attacks that she hides from her family. She’s compassionate and resourceful. She’s lost her ability to relax and have fun, without serious prompting.

I had no one in mind, until I started watching DETROIT 187 and then Natalie Martinez seemed to fit the bill. She’s not exactly how I picture Lucy, but I think she could get into her personality very well. However, her boobs may be too big.

Other actresses that came to mind: Evangeline Lilly (LOST) (except for the light eyes)

Or Rebecca Hall

Sean Rogan
Sean is a genius, can be lazy, a “reformed” bad boy/ladies man. He is a geek in many ways (he loves his gadgets) and he is probably too attached to his car (a black Mustang GT.) He has a love-hate relationship with law enforcement, hates bullies, fights for the underdog–even if it means breaking the law. He likes to have fun–his motto, “Work smart, play hard.”

Most of the actors I like for Sean are too serious . . . he’s Irish, dark hair and blue eyes. But these come to mind:

Milo Ventimiglia. Probably not buff enough, but I just adore him

Joshua Jackson. He can do serious and laugh.

Ryan Reynolds. Just . . . I don’t know. He has a great look, but might be TOO light.

Ian Somerhalder might be too serious, but he has a terrific look and smile and an edge I love. I could see him as Sean

And D.J. Cotrona, also from DETROIT 187. A great look, but maybe too short for Sean. He might actually work better for Patrick . . . though Patrick looks more Irish than the rest of his family.

Then there are the secondary characters for the series.

FBI Agent Noah Armstrong, a by-the-book former Air Force Raven who doesn’t like Sean because he’s a Rogan . . . and Noah has had run-ins with Rogan’s.

Maybe David Anders? I’ve loved him ever since ALIAS, and thought he was one of the best characters on HEROES.

And the head vigilante (not to give away any spoilers by naming him), maybe Dylan McDermott. Not a lead role, but absolutely pivotal and a potential scene stealer.

Kate Donovan, Lucy’s sister-in-law . . . how about January Jones?

And FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux in KISS ME, KILL ME–early 30s, blonde, beautiful, with attitude, I think Kristen Bell would be perfect.

And remember . . . KISS ME, KILL ME, book two in the Lucy Kincaid series, went on sale Tuesday. My mom thinks it’s even better than LOVE ME TO DEATH. RT Book Reviews 4-1/2 star review said: “[A] riveting new series. … Lucy continues to be a fascinating and enticing character, and her ongoing development adds depth to an already rich brew of murder and mystery. Brennan rocks!”

So now, tell me . . . who do you think should play the Lucy? Sean? Noah? Kate? Patrick? Dillon? Anyone else? Let’s have some fun, share your thoughts (no spoilers!) and someone will win a $25 gift card to the bookstore of your choice.

Tonight I finished watching LIFE, a two-season television show starring Damian Lewis on NBC. It was cancelled, but somehow that seems to happen a lot with some of my favorite shows.

I can tell you why it was cancelled. 1) There was little action for a police drama. 2) It was too different (for a police drama) for network audiences (I suspect if it was on the WB of FOX it wouldn’t have been cancelled.) 3) It was subtle.

The premise of LIFE is simple, but don’t let the simplicity of a good log line fool you into thinking it was a simple show. A cop goes to prison for 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit. When exonerated, he’s given $50 million in restitution–and his job back.

Intrigued? I was, thanks to Toni who clued me into this series a few weeks ago.

When most people think of police drama, they think Law & Order. Hill Street Blues. CSI. They expect highs and lows, gun fights and car chases and clear good guys and bad guys. Viewer expectations in television are as important as reader expectations in genre fiction. LIFE was different, and because it was network television–the big guys–they didn’t quite know how to do different. But it’s not really their fault, it’s (again) viewer expectation: network television + crime drama = action.

What makes LIFE a brilliant show is, in fact, it’s subtly. Dialogue is crucial, but even more important than the dialogue is the actors themselves–how they react to what is laid out before them. How they see it, how they think about it, how they work through the puzzle.

I’d never seen Damian Lewis act before, but he was perfectly cast as Charlie Crews. While most viewers might expect him to turn violent when he confronts the men who framed him, his internal battle is clearly shown in his expression. Not all actors could pull this off. But the writers and creators are as much to credit with this as the actors. When Charlie crosses the line, what would be unacceptable is now acceptable. We are with him, we understand him, even when he doesn’t talk his trauma to death. The subtly of action–and the clues that the still waters run very deep (pardon the cliche)–makes the show a bit too “smart” for the casual viewer.

I’m not saying that television viewers aren’t smart–believe me, I’m a tv addict. I love good television. I have multiple shows going on now–HEROES, FRINGE (which I suspect will be cancelled), L&O SVU, CASTLE, SUPERNATURAL, and my daughters and I are half-way through season 4 of BUFFY. But for a mass audience, there is a certain formula for success. High stakes. Action. Love. Betrayal. Hate. Irony. Puzzles. While LIFE had a crime that was investigated and solved in every episode, it also had an overarching plot that was threaded through every episode. If you didn’t watch it from the beginning, you might be lost.

Consider THE X-FILES (Fox) and SUPERNATURAL (WB) and BUFFY (WB). All three shows have “stand alone” episodes, and their over-arching storyline is easy to understand even if you missed a few. (SUPERNATURAL seasons 4 and 5 went away from that–they are hard to follow if you haven’t been there from at least the beginning of season 4, maybe 3, but they still have the stand-alones.) But . . . they were all on “off” networks. Networks who could survive with smaller audiences–niche audiences.

Ok, going back to the show. All the characters were strong, but LIFE was Charlie Crews. Donald Maass says in FIRE IN FICTION:

“An aura of greatness comes foremost not from who a given character may be, but from the profound impact that character has on others.”

When I think about why Charlie Crews was such a great character, I could focus on the details of the characterization–his love of fruit (he couldn’t eat fresh fruit in prison.) How he would use his siren and authority to pull over his ex-wife’s new husband (she thought he was guilty, divorced him and remarried.) His affinity for Zen philosophy or his odd comments that have us tilted our head quizzically just like his partner, Dani Reese (who represents us, the viewer, the outsider, in so many ways.)

But Charlie wasn’t a great character because of his idiosyncrasies. He wasn’t a great character by the characterization–the combination of writing and acting. He was a great character because of how HE impacted those around him.

A catalyst is: “a person or thing that causes a change.”

Technically, a catalyst is something that causes a change that is in and of itself not affected. But I like this definition from the online Free Dictionary:

“A substance, usually used in small amounts relative to the reactants, that modifies and increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process.”

Putting the chemical relationship aside, consider your hero (in this case Charlie Crews) as a catalyst. To be a true hero, they must increase the action/reaction/stakes but not be consumed–diminished–or destroyed in the process. They must create something better than themselves to be a hero. Solve a crime without becoming a criminal. Save a life without taking another. Save the world without dying themselves.

A true catalyst changes those around them. They become better–bigger–happier–than they were before they met the catalyst. Every person Charlie Crews came in contact with was changed . . . even while Charlie remained the same. The major characters–his partner, his captain, his former partner, his former prison-mates–were of course impacted and became better people because of how Charlie interacted with their lives. But even the minor characters–the crime survivors, for example–were better off because of something that Charlie gave of himself to them–that didn’t change Charlie himself. And I think that’s so important in fiction.

Characters must have an impact on the world around them. They don’t live in a bubble. Every action has a reaction; every choice has consequences.

Toni emailed me last week and said she’d just finished watching the Season Two finale (and the end of the series) and wanted to talk about it with me. Now I know why. It was truly the single best ending to a series I’ve seen. Everything came full-circle. We had the answers, but nothing was laid out on a silver platter. We did have to work for it. And Charlie changed in some ways, but he was never consumed or diminished by the process. He could have been–he should have been–but he was a hero.

This is one series I’ll be watching again, from the beginning.

If you want to talk about LIFE, I’m game! Or if you have another larger than life character from books or television or movies that may be overlooked as a pitch-perfect character, tell us who and why.