As expected, FX has renewed Justified for a third season of 13 episodes. No word on when year three will air but the first two seasons began airing in February and March. Season two will wrap on June 8th.
Here’s the press release from FX:
FX’S CRITICALLY ACLLAIMED HIT DRAMA JUSTIFIED GETS PICK UP
Network Orders 13 Episodes for Third Season from FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television
Six All New Episodes Remain in Season One, Wednesdays at 10 PM ET/PT With Season 1 Finale Airing June 8
Season Two (First-Run) Averaging 3.9 Million Total Viewers and 2.0 Million Adults 18-49
Marking Gains of +16% in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 vs. Season One Average With Multi-Run Weekly Average of 7.2 Million Total Viewers and 3.7 Million Adults 18-49LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2011 – The FX drama series Justified is enjoying one of the most critically acclaimed seasons of any show on television this year and today the network has ordered another season of the hit series, picking up a 13-episode third season, announced John Landgraf, President and General Manager of FX Networks. Six all new episodes remain in season two, airing Wednesdays at 10 PM ET/PT, with the second season finale airing May 4.
“Justified was a critically acclaimed hit series in its first season, but the show has far surpassed our expectations this season,” said Landgraf. “Creatively, the show is on a roll. The performances of Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Margo Martindale and the entire cast are extraordinary. Graham Yost and his team of writers are delivering some of the richest stories anywhere on TV and are doing a brilliant job of being true to Elmore Leonard’s original character, Raylan Givens. We couldn’t be more proud of the work everyone has done.”
Developed for television by Graham Yost and starring Timothy Olyphant, Justified (TV-MA) is based on the popular Elmore Leonard character “Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens” from his short story Fire in the Hole and some of his other novels.
Yost said, “I always say that the best review we’ve ever received on Justified is the fact that Elmore Leonard gets a kick out of the show. I must add to that. Now tied for the best feedback we’ve ever received is the news that a network as cool and original and supportive as FX is bringing us back for another year.”
“The show’s appeal speaks volumes to Graham’s fresh approach to storytelling,” said Jamie Erlicht, president of programming and production, Sony Pictures Television.
“The stellar performances by Timothy, Walton and the entire cast are Emmy caliber and we couldn’t be prouder of this series” added Zack Van Amburg, president of programming and production, Sony Pictures Television.
SOURCE: The Nielsen Company, NHI (Live+7)
Through seven weeks, first-run episodes of Justified are averaging 3.9 million viewers (+15% vs. season 1) and 2.0 million Adults 18-49 (+18% vs. season 1). The weekly multi-run average viewership for the season 2 is 7.2 million total viewers and 3.7 million Adults 18-49, respective gains of +6% in Total Viewers and +6% in Adults 18-49.
The series co-stars Walton Goggins guest stars as “Boyd Crowder,” Nick Searcy as Givens longtime friend and boss “Chief Deputy Art Mullen,” Jacob Pitts as “Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson,” Erica Tazel as “Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks,” Joelle Carter as “Ava Crowder,” and Natalie Zea as Raylan’s ex-wife “Winona Hawkins.” This season Margo Martindale joined the cast in a supporting role as “Mags Bennett,” matriarch of a rural Kentucky crime family and nemesis of Raylan Givens.
Yost wrote the pilot and serves as Executive Producer/Writer on the series. Leonard is an Executive Producer on the series along with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Michael Dinner, and Olyphant is Producer. Justified is produced by FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television.
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 99 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series, an established film library of acquired box-office hit movies, and an impressive lineup of acquired hit series.
What do you think? Glad to hear Justified is returning? How long do you think it can go on?
Image courtesy FX.
THANK YOU! Best show on TV
So what is the guess for the start of season 3?
My wife and I love this show. If it wasn’t for Lights Out (which was also great) we never would have even heard of Justified. We watched the first and second seasons in the last month, and now I have to wait a year for season 3 🙁
Great show thanks FX
After season 1, I got the books by Leonard which feature DS Givens. Amazingly, the books do not live UP to the series. The cast, in total, create an amazing synergy that works as few will, do, or can. I lived in KY, and am utterly astounded by the reality of the charactgers in that backdrop. Year we left KY, the Hatfield and McCoy mentality was alive and strong: the favored candidate for sherif was shot dead in one county’s race, and in another county, another candidate was seriously wounded…real life by real people. And this show captures that in… Read more »
HAVE REALLY ENJOYED THIS SHOW. I RECORD IT VIA DTV DVR. THANKS FOR ANOTHER SEASON. BE A FEW IRATE INDIVIDUALS IF U CANCEL. THIS IS THE ONLY SHOW I WATCH ON FX. THANX
I love this show. Timothy is so awesomely good looking and an outstanding actor. The show holds so many emotions and the characters are wonderful. Keep up the good
work. I Will be sad when this season ends.
Just found Justified on the air this February, Timothy and the gang are great. 13 per season isn’t enuf. Hope it goes on for years to come, and that Mag gets it between the eyes. What a *****. Great job FX.
i am very happy it will be back i wish there were more episodes 13 is not enough timothy is very sexy and a great actor also the guy who plays boyd is also a good actor
To damn bad I wrote that here and not directly to FX. If I wasn’t to damn lazy I would send FX a copy of that post. Oh well.
This show is Bad F*ckin Ass! Why only 13 for season 3? Make it 23 or 24 episodes. I can’t get enough of this show. I think a lot of the FX shows should have longer seasons. FX has proven that not only HBO and Showtime can make movie quality programing. FX you done good now as a promo for season 3 you should sell apple pie moonshine. Legally of course, but sell it in jugs with ads for Justified. I would buy a few jugs. Some to drink and some to keep as collectors item. More Justified hell more… Read more »
yes justified!! mmm
My husband and I never miss the show and are thrilled that we can look forward to season 3. We wish we had the same chance to see another season of Lights Out.
Never miss it, bought season 1 full set of DVDs and will purchase all seasons as they are released. The characters and plot are true to life and highlighting all the human drama involved in lifes choices. Please continue this truly delightful series and we’ll be there.
I’m really glad to hear about this. After FX’s 3-shows down in a row (Damages, Terriers, Lights Out), I was getting worried about Justified because there is not too much being reported about it. It must be doing really well to get a third season order before the end of the second season. I think that Justified has at least 4 seasons left in it, after the second season. Considering it’s been given a third season this fast and has great ratings, I don’t see Justified going anywhere for a long time.
Yahoo, here comes Season 3! 🙂