Erica Tazel (Firefly / "Safe") on Justified - Cast&Crew

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March 28 2011

Erica Tazel (Firefly / "Safe") on Justified. Erica Tazel from the Firefly episode Safe plays Depury Marshal Rachel Brooks on FX's Justified.

It's been bugging me - where had I seen the actress playing that young, black, female Marshal on Justified? Well, she played the nurse in the religious colony in Firefly's episode Safe. Not a regular Firefly cast member, but pivotal enough that I thought she deserved a mention.

Now she's on another adventure / ensemble show with tangled relationships. Consider Justified as Firefly without the space ships. I'm still amazed at the consistent quality of talent coming through Whedon productions. I'd follow the career of just about anybody who worked on a Whedon show - even "Third thug from the left."

BierceAmbrose | Cast&Crew | 18:03 CET | 14 comments total | tags: safe, firefly

Oh, *that's* why she looks so familiar! Thanks!

Shapenew | March 28, 19:05 CET

Yep, I recognized her in the pilot. It's too bad she rarely gets any screentime.

Invisible Green | March 28, 19:32 CET

She's gotten more screen time in Season 2 (which has been pitch perfect so far). They ran out of screen time with her in Season 1 because they used her too much early on and blew through her contracted hours.

Justified is probably the best show airing on TV right now.

Wyndam_ | March 28, 19:55 CET

Yeah, Justified is a great modern western.
Now we need another Whedon alumni in Lights Out, just so we can talk about those really good shows here.

Brasilian Chaos Man | March 28, 20:12 CET

I think she got bumped up to regular for Season 2 which is why she is more prevalent. Justified is absolutely must see TV every week.

IrrationaliTV | March 28, 20:18 CET

Or thirty days after every week for us stuck on Hulu. Wah wah wah. Oh, that reminds me, episode three is up.

The One True b!X | March 28, 20:44 CET

Justified has been appointment TV for me from Day One. First class writing, acting, plotting, complex characters, an intelligent point of view, original situations and locations.

Unfortunately, the first two episodes of Season Two were extremely grim and had less of the humor that lightens the tone most weeks, so they weren't a good introduction for new viewers checking it out.

janef | March 28, 21:32 CET

Justified is absolutely a great show. Not nearly at Firefly-levels, but still great.

Risch22 | March 28, 21:48 CET

The Justified / Firefly comparisons are apt, which is good since I made one myself. Yet, they make me kind of weepy.

I stumbled on Justified just like I stumbled on Firefly. So, same.

Justified got a launch and promo campaign and network support and blah, blah, blah. (Largely choice of network, I think.) So, different.

Both remind me of real life more than most other shows. I'm from Appalachian hill country, so not so much money, but lots of getting by, and clans, and guns (occasionally), and critters and found family under duress, and you make your own fun, usually and justice sometimes.

So, same but different, but same.

BierceAmbrose | March 29, 00:48 CET

Some brilliant person compared Mags Bennett (the Margo Martindale character) as a combination of Tony Soprano and Paula Deen :)

Shapenew | March 29, 07:17 CET

I tripped over Justified about a month ago when I invested in the season one Blu ray. I've been hooked since.

Rufus | March 29, 11:31 CET

And by coincidence just last night I was listening to Terri Gross' "Fresh Air" on NPR, and she was interviewing Timothy Olyphant about his role as Marshal Raylan Givens on Justified (and his previous role on Deadwood. For those interested in listening /www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air.

Makes me wonder, has Joss ever been on "Fresh Air"? He'd be a great interview.

barboo | March 29, 15:06 CET

I think she got bumped up to regular for Season 2 which is why she is more prevalent.

She's actually been a regular since the pilot, she just never gets any screentime.

They ran out of screen time with her in Season 1 because they used her too much early on and blew through her contracted hours.

I doubt this. I think she got a total of five minutes screentime in season one. I think the only reason she was credited as a regular was for diversity. It's nice that they've actually developed her character this season.

Invisible Green | March 29, 15:24 CET

Well, more than last season anyway (in that she's had a story). Same with Tim, there're a lot of interesting places they could go but generally don't, mainly just for time I suppose. I'd really like to see more of both of them but if it meant less time with Raylan or Boyd or Art (or dad/Aunt Helen) then not so much.

Great show, followed along from the start. Two or three episodes back with the ball-peen hammer and the scene between Raylan and the little girl at the end was a nigh perfect episode of television IMO.

Saje | March 30, 07:50 CET

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