‘Justified’ Review: “Foot Chase”

‘Justified’ season 4 puts its best foot forward in its fifth episode of the year “Foot Chase,” as Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant)’ teams with Sheriff Shelby Parlow ('Supernatural's Jim Beaver) to find the missing Josiah Cairn, while Boyd makes a surprising offer to Ava in his pursuit of the mysterious Drew Thompson.

Last week’s ‘Justified’ episode “Kin” saw Raylan meeting with the mysterious “Hill People” in a last ditch effort to find Drew Thompson before his father can barter release from prison, while Colton (Ron Eldard) attempted to track down the missing Ellen May, so what will the latest episode of ‘Justified’ bring? Will Raylan be the one to find Drew Thompson or will Boyd Crowder beat him to it?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Justified’ season 4 episode 6 “Foot Chase!”

Late one night in an aristocratic figure’s home, ski-masked Boyd and Colton interrogate a middle-aged banker named Dale in his home, looking for some kind of proof he is who he claims to be. Under duress, the man goes beyond his legal documents to show a newspaper clipping from his high school days, seemingly verifying his identity, and causing Boyd and Colton to depart with no further malice.

The next morning, Raylan watches as the local deputies cart away Josiah Cairn’s severed foot, wondering on the phone with Art why Arlo’s lawyer has suddenly begun delaying his deal for release. Raylan notices a bloody shoe-print on the ground the officers missed, while elsewhere Colton smokes heroin in the Crowder's bar bathroom. Ava seems continually on edge, as they plot out their next move toward finding Drew Thompson before everyone else.

Raylan pays a visit to young Benny (Casey Brown) hoping to shake some information about Josiah from the boy, but to little avail. Sheriff Shelby arrives on the scene looking to talk to Raylan, assuring him he won’t find much useful information from Benny, and inviting him to tag along with him instead. The pair visit the home of local Native American bruiser Teddy in search of Roz (Alexandra Kyle), who reluctantly reveals her presence after a stand-off. Seeing the blood on her foot from the scene, and threatening to expose her underage affair with the older Teddy, Raylan demands information about what happened to Josiah. Roz reluctantly reveals that as she lay in hiding, the assailants referred to Josiah as “Drew Thompson” before severing his foot.

Raylan downplays the significance of “Drew Thompson” to Shelby, believing the sheriff to be in Boyd’s pocket, but Shelby protests that he wishes to get out from under Boyd’s thumb, and participate in the Drew Thompson case given Josiah falls under his jurisdiction. Elsewhere, Tim meets with war buddy Mark at the veteran’s center to offer his assistance with some debt negotiations, noticing Colton entering the building. After a brief exchange, Colton enters the men’s room and holds its sole occupant hostage, looking to find a heroin dealer to score off of.

Boyd continues to narrow down the possible Drew Thompson identities, when Ava proposes that they blackmail Judge Executive Arnold for an invitation into the upscale Napier’s fancy parties, despite Boyd’s reservations about the idea. Shelby interrupts the duo to arrest Boyd, despite the criminal’s veiled threats, leaving behind a stunned Ava. Meanwhile, an increasingly manic Colton tosses apart prostitute Teri’s trailer looking for drugs, and smacking her around with accusations of hiding Ellen May’s return to the whorehouse.

Shelby drags a handcuffed Boyd into his office to find a waiting Raylan, and questions him about Josiah Cairn’s kidnapping and severed foot. Boyd denies any involvement given the predicament Raylan left him in earlier by the hills, but Shelby threatens him with investigation into another case, such as the missing Ellen May. The interrogation gets interrupted by Boyd’s Lawyer, whom Raylan recognizes as Arlo’s lawyer Sonya Gable (Romy Rosemont), and questions why she seems to be stalling the deal.

Back at Audrey’s, Johnny Crowder questions a battered Teri who injured her, as the girl misidentifies one of her regulars to protect Colton. Elsewhere, Josiah Cairn lies in a garage slowly bleeding out from his injury, presided over by criminals John and Grady (‘The Walking Dead’s Lew Temple!). As the two argue over how best to keep Josiah alive, Sonya Gable enters and urges them to keep it down. With few other options, John suggests they use a blowtorch to cauterize the wound, a gruesome but viable option.

Judge Executive Arnold arrives home to find Ava chatting up his wife April, the pair having attended high school together. Arnold sends April to the other room before demanding an explanation for Ava’s presence, to which Ava explains she wants invitations for her and Boyd to Napier’s upcoming party, lest they reveal his “furry” encounter with Ellen May. Unfazed, Arnold grants the request, noting that Ava needn’t have resorted to such threatening measures.

Raylan and Shelby arrive outside of the Gable residence, observing a Dixie mafia SUV rolling by, as inside Josiah attempts to delay taking a torch to his foot. Raylan and Shelby enter guns drawn and quickly assume command of the situation, Raylan dodging an improvised flamethrower from John. The situation resolved, Josiah denies being Drew Thompson, but explains he hoped to find the man himself for the reward. Josiah reveals that one man could potentially locate Thompson, that of incarcerated former sheriff Hunter Mosley.

Afterward, Raylan and Shelby bond over their newly acquired trust, while elsewhere Tim and Mark visit the home of his dealer. Once inside, the man exposes Mark’s story as a lie, as Mark admits he stole the dealer’s property during a previous Oxy high. The dealer pulls a gun demanding to be repaid with interest, but Tim quickly turns the tables, and coaxes the dealer to agree to be repaid over time. Elsewhere still, Colton and Johnny pay a visit to Teri’s regular Max, assaulting him with blame for Colton’s own abuse of the woman.

Back at the bar, Ava reveals to Boyd she already secured invitations to the party, but admits that the recent murder of Ellen May has given her a guilty conscience. Boyd urges her to join him in the car, as the pair drive to a secluded hilltop spot he frequented in his childhood. Boyd hands her a metal box hoping to calm her fears, revealing it to contain stacks of money he’d previously been stashing. Boyd explains that the money is intended as a down payment on a house anywhere they choose, producing an engagement ring beneath the bills. Moved by his intent to start a new generation of Crowders with a respectable name in years to come, Ava accepts the proposal. Aww. Roll credits!

Just about at the midway point through its fourth season, and 'Justified's story has picked up considerably. We have to hope that the church stories of the first few episodes will circle back around at some point, if only to "justify" their presence before "Kin" and "Foot Chase" hit the gas on the Drew Thompson storyline. Most of "Foot Chase'"s plots fire on all cylinders, though the hour will most likely be remembered for its closing scenes between Boyd and Ava, and rightfully so. We certainly appreciate that Tim (Jacob Pitts) finally got a storyline of his own as well, even if it has next to nothing to do with the overarching plot. All in all, another memorable hour for the FX drama, but one that suggests a bit of work needed going forward to tie together its various plots.

What say you?  What did you think about ‘Justified’s latest effort “Foot Chase?” Stay tuned for our coverage of the new season, and join us next week for another all-new ‘Justified’ episode recap of “Money Trap” on FX!