FX' Justified Season 3 To Premiere Tuesday January 17, 2012

Fans anxious for the third season of FX' Justified will only have to be patient for a few more weeks. Justified returns Tuesday January 17, 2012 at 10:00pm

The 2nd season's finale "Bloody Harlan" lived up to it's title. There were explosions, and gunfire. Hobbled Dickey Bennett is the sole survivor of the real estate scheming, drug dealing Bennett clan. Corrupt sheriff and eldest son Doyle Bennett took a bullet right between the eyes courtesy of the Feds. Matriarch Mags took a non-lethal shot to the leg from tragic teen Loretta McCready. But remorseful and grieving Mags ultimately opted to put an end to her troubles by her own hand, by pouring a taste of her 'apple pie' moonshine in a poisoned glass. The same method she used to kill Loretta's dad.

Series hero U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens emerged [for the most part] unscathed. The Kentucky born and bred, deliciously long legged, sure eyed sharp-shooter, smart-ass, baddass lawman will be back to pursue new villains. With his childhood friend and sometimes nemesis Boyd Crowder having his back when it doesn't conflict with his other side of legal doings.

Season 3 brings Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, and Carla Gugino to the cast. Fans will remember McDonough from the large screen from Captain America: The First Avenger and tv's Desperate Housewives. Williamson from Forest Gump and 24. Gugino from Californication and Sucker Punch.

In Justified Gugino will play Karen Goodall, assistant director of the U.S. Marshals. The history between herself and Raylan is not pleasant. Williamson plays Limehouse, a Harlan citizen and not a model one. Limehouse is a man who has and will do what he's gotta do to get ahead in the world by whatever means necessary. McDonough plays Quarles a gangsta from Detroit figuring Harlan to be ripe for the picking now that Mags is gone.

But what Quarles hasn't figured on is Limehouse, who isn't about to give up what he's already acquired much less surrender what could be to come. Seeing as he was already establishing himself as Harlan's new crime boss in the weeks before Mags' death, Crowder is also not planning to move over for the marauder from the motor city.

Production of the third season's 13 episodes began in October 2011. According to the episode listings at imdb 3 of the 13 episodes have been completed.