My “Justified” prediction

For anyone else who happens to be hooked on Justified … the problem with the new season is that we’re spending a lot of time looking for someone who is only a name, Drew Thompson, and we don’t really have much reason to care about him one way or the other. They’re clearly building toward a big reveal, and basic dramatic structure requires that it be something shocking to the viewer. If Drew Thompson turns out to be someone we’ve never seen before, then we’re left at the end with a big “so what?”, and I think it’s much too smart a show for that. So he’s got to be someone we already know. It can’t be Arlo, his history is too well established. I’m guessing it could turn out to be Shelby, in light of his newfound prominence in this season’s narrative. (Though as someone quickly notes on Twitter, he was in the same room with Josiah, who showed no sign of recognition, so maybe I’m totally off base. Maybe someone from a previous season?)

Update 3/1/13: Finally got a moment to watch this week’s episode. After Shelby’s line about how, if you pretend long enough, you become what you pretend to be — and his slightly off-character interest in seeing Drew Thompson’s wife “because she’s a looker” — I’m sticking with my prediction above.