‘Justified’ is justifiably great television

“Justified”

Tuesdays, 10 p.m.

FX Network

Starring:… “Justified”

Tuesdays, 10 p.m.

FX Network

Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Natalie Zea

Created by: Graham Yost

Grade: A-

Just as “Deadwood” is slated to become an HBO relic to be admired but not often thought about and the “310 to Yuma” remake is already forgotten by 97 percent of moviegoers, along comes a new show that adopts only the most subtle elements of the Western genre and turns it into something totally bad*ss.

The show is “Justified,” and it is justifiably awesome.

Starring Timothy Olyphant (Sheriff Seth Bullock on “Deadwood”) as Kentucky-born cop Raylan Givens, and based on the Elmore Leonard novella, “Justified” is the kind of cable show that could only work on FX. It’s gritty, violent, vulgar and by all means offensive — qualities that the network’s most successful shows share.

After a faux pas shooting in Miami, Givens is transferred back to his hometown (which he was seemingly exiled from for his questionable decisions) to work on the case of Boyd Crowder (Walter Goggin)   — an old coal mining friend who is now a neo-Nazi criminal kingpin.

From the pilot episode, it’s obvious that Boyd is slated to join the ranks of the most memorable television villains. Think Ben Linus from “Lost,” or Jerri Manthey from “Survivor.”

Essentially, the show’s success comes down to two factors: the neo-Western ambiance and Olyphant’s performance.

First, the subtle warm camera palette, the small symbols of Western iconography — like Raylan’s hat — and the East Kentucky-meets-Old Western setting places the show somewhere in the same realm as “No Country for Old Men.” It’s so obviously modern, but a timeless (and sinister) undertone pumps through every vein of dialogue or direction.

Then there’s Timothy Olyphant. Just as Goggin’s Crowder is memorably evil, Olyphant’s Givens is unforgettably disarming. He maintains a cordial aura of mild-mannered calm, yet you can chalk it up to Olyphant’s acting ability that the viewer never forgets the menacing killer that lurks just underneath his neat suits. It will be a thrill to watch the actor work out the nuances of his character as the series progresses.

Though “Nip/Tuck” is officially over and “Damages” has lost much of its edge this season, FX has followed through and delivered one of my favorite new shows. Hopefully my schedule lets me do it justice.