15 shows to watch if you like Game of Thrones
By Sundi Rose
Justified — FX
What it is: Justified is the very best drama on TV ever. I might be a little biased, but Justified really is an incredible show. It’s set in the hollers of Eastern Kentucky, in the real life Harlan County, and follows two childhood friends who worked in the coal mines but grew up to reside on opposite sides of the law.
Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is a US Marshal, returning to Harlan after some trouble with a Miami gang. Boyd Crowder (Walter Goggins) is an ex-con, participating in shady deals and lawlessness. Boyd and Raylan find an uneasy truce at first, but they soon have to face off as the crime in Harlan escalates, pulling them both in.
Why you’ll like it: Well, it’s just so good, and that should be enough. But aside from that, it’s not afraid to explore the inner workings of a little known culture. Harlan County might be a long way from the Iron Islands or The Vale, but just like Game of Thrones, it treats the residents with respect and without offering judgment about their societal values. I love shows set in the South, especially when it shows the beauty and the nuance, not just the bad stuff.
Justified, however, isn’t a show just about “The South.” It’s also about the existence of good and bad in everyone, and that no one is just all one thing. Just like Cersei is cold and ruthless queen, she is also a tender and loving mother. While Ned Stark is an honorable and loyal friend, he is also capable of killing a man with one stroke of his sword. This FX series meditates on the idea that everyone is both terrible and wonderful at the same time, and the characters of Raylan and Boyd prove this over and over.
How to find it: You can find all six seasons on Amazon Prime.