But it's just a theory. Your point rings pretty true. Didn't consider it that way.

Raylan offered to help Art deal with Alison's protection, or do it himself. Art turned him down. That's on him.

I would be interested to see what would happen if Yost and Co. killed off Art and Ava, set Raylan and Boyd both spinning, without a moral or personal compass, going into the final season, on a direct collision course with each other—that would be some epic shit.

I'd like to know if he still has Colt's sunglasses.

The prevailing theory among myself and my friends who watch this is that Art getting shot is a way to help Art and Raylan reconcile, as well as sail Art into early retirement. Question is, who takes over as Chief Deputy? My money's on Rachel.

My apologies for all the capital letters. I'm not shouting, I just don't know how to put italics on here.

True. My misgivings there were based on the fact that Tara was close to being an informant against the MC for Patterson, Roosevelt, and company, and not all of the threats to her livelihood (read: Gemma) had been identified/neutralized. I get that police work can be sloppily done, but not that sloppily. Even Patterson…

My argument with the plotting, at least with Tara's murder, was twofold. First of all, Unser knew that Gemma would be pissed at Tara (enough perhaps to try to do her harm) and yet he didn't even call Jax to warn him that Gemma had gone off the grid, just sat around presumably diddling himself and drinking coffee with…

Agreed, Grimesy. It was a cluster-fuck of narrative conveniences.

I'll see your oxen and the pledge and raise you one goat and a box of Tim Horton's.

I'm not saying that she doesn't have what it takes. My point is that she would be adjusting to a lot of new responsibilities, including the pressure of being chief deputy, and having to take care of a three-way feud between Raylan, Boyd, and Art during this transition would be a hard load to carry.

Raylan rode there with Boyd, in Boyd's truck. How did he get back to Boyd's after the murder? He didn't magically sprout wings. And even if Boyd wasn't an eyewitness, and left before the murder, with Raylan riding back to his car another way, he could place Raylan on the tarmac at the approximate time Nicky was killed.

Thanks a lot, Edi Gathegi. If only they hadn't had to kill off Jean Baptiste…

That's an interesting point, Terry. Raylan always has been his own worst enemy, especially in his relationships with other people. And JP: past experience, what with first the cartel in season 1, Quarles (the threat more so than in actuality) in season 3, and Nicky in season 4.

Haha wouldn't Jacob Pitts and Maggie Siff be an interesting TV couple? And Kenny Johnson as a scruffy, street-smart transfer who is surprisingly by-the-book, as a foil to Tim whose worsening PTSD and alcoholism turns him into a loose cannon? I think Laurie Holden might be good in the role of antagonist (see: Walking…

One reason that's gone down the drain these last few episodes is the gone-to-shit relationship between Raylan and Art/Tim/Rachel. Natural progression, though…Raylan's a dick and he's dishonest. He's lied to Art, been insensitive to Tim at every turn the last two seasons during the whole Colt ordeal ("If you need to…

I have a feeling that we're being toyed with, and some massive cluster fuck lies on the horizon. I mean, the investigation of Raylan, Boyd and Ava's inevitable reunion, the re-emergence of Duffy (my prediction is that he's been holed up with Mikey in the RV, watching Grand Slam replays and eating donuts, for the last…

Has everyone forgotten that Boyd is an ENORMOUS link to Raylan's involvement in the murder of Nicky? That's Boyd's ace in the hole if he and Raylan square off again. Boyd is the ultimate witness to Raylan being there. And at this point, I have no idea how they'll resolve things with Raylan and the other marshals. A…

"Deputy, are you accusing me of being a fake blond?"

To take it one step further, they bring in Maggie Siff (who's out of a job now, thanks a lot SOA) as Tim's long-suffering girlfriend. Thoughts for additional cast members: Kenny Johnson, Laurie Holden, Eric Stonestreet (although that would be a stretch since he's in Modern Family), Ryan Hurst, Dayton Callie (as Tim's…