At the end of "Money Trap," Raylan does go see Arlo, ready to stop avoiding things, choosing the right path once more. Arlo won't cooperate, of course, which does cause Raylan to speak to his father in anger, as Arlo can push Raylan's buttons like no one else, being the catalyst for a temper flare up. But the confrontation ends with little movement on the Drew Thompson story.
After Raylan warns Arlo that he will die in jail, I think that scares Arlo. I worry that it's foreshadowing for Justified, that Arlo will soon be gone with the last words from Raylan being cruel ones. Or, it could be the kick in the pants Arlo needs to cut a deal and finally start helping the marshals. Either way, Arlo won't just sit pretty and protected behind bars for much longer.
It is hard to talk about this episode linearly, and I couldn't even find a place in the flow to touch on the other subplot involving Johnny (David Meunier) and Colt (Ron Eldard). But that's because the series is so fluid and intertwined that it's just as hard to describe the story as it is to describe the lives of a village full of people. I think this is a testament to the quality and realism of the show, rather than a negative.
"Money Trap" is an excellent episode, not exactly super important to larger story of the season, but compelling in its own right because of the personal side of Raylan that we see. If this is Justified's version of a stand-alone installment, I welcome more of them from time to time.
Justified airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.





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