by Jesus Ibarra

At the end of this review are details on how to enter for a chance to win a copy of the first book in the series that Longmire is based on, The Cold Dish. The series is written by Craig Johnson.

Longmire follows Sheriff Walter Longmire (Robert Taylor) as he navigates cases in his county in Wyoming. Supported by his deputies, bar owning best friend, and his daughter, he sometimes gets involved with some weirder crimes in his small community.

In the pilot we open with Walter still grieving over the death of his wife, where we see that he is a quiet stoic man who has been neglecting his duties as a sheriff. He gets a wake up call when his deputy decides to run against him. That election campaign and the ongoing skirmishes with the local Native American reservation police serve as ongoing plot points for the series.

Although many people may draw some similarities between Longmire and FX’s Justified, they end at that both main characters wear cowboy hats. Whereas the main character in Justified is angry, somber, witty, and less stoic, Walter Longmire is the complete opposite. He is stubborn, reserved, and most of all incredibly lawful.

The cases week to week aren’t the biggest things in the world. They are sometimes predictable or written in such a way that you can see the outcome, but they are interesting for sure. They serve as an anchor to showcase the incredibly good acting this cast can give, and help us learn more about what makes these characters tick.

Walter has his deputy Victoria Moretti who he shares a sort of sibling type relationship with, and where most of the banter and dry humor comes from, played by the awesome Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica fame. His best friend Henry Standing Bear is played by the great he can do pretty much anything Lou Diamond Phillips who serves as a person Walter goes to when something is really bothering him. And his willful daughter Cady Longmire played by one of my faves Cassidy Freeman from Smallville who is a lawyer that sometimes has to make sure Walter is taking care of himself.

I think what I loved the most about the first couple of episodes was Katee Sackoff’s performance because she is so good, and Robert Taylor’s performance of a strong stoic man was also pretty amazing. Once I got hooked I started to really enjoy the new cases they throw at Walter and the ongoing plotlines of the campaign and the trouble with the Indian reservation. Overall this is a solid show to watch on a Sunday summer night.

Longmire got its start from a book series by Craig Johnson. Learn more on the show website and catch up on missed episodes.

To enter to win an e-book copy of The Cold Dish, simply email KRL at life@kingsriverlife[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Dish”, or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 14, 2012. U.S. residents only.

Jesus Ibarra is 20 years old and an ongoing contributor to our Teen Talk section; with a love of all media, he’s always on the lookout for the best finds.