Fire in the Hole (Justified)

"Fire in the Hole" is the series premiere of the American Neo-Western television series Justified. The episode was written by series developer Graham Yost and directed by Michael Dinner. It originally aired on FX on March 16, 2010.

The series is based on Elmore Leonard's stories about the character Raylan Givens, particularly "Fire in the Hole", which serves as the basis for the episode. The series follows Raylan Givens, a tough deputy U.S. Marshal enforcing his own brand of justice. Following the shooting of a mob hitman, Raylan is sent to Lexington, Kentucky to investigate an old childhood friend Boyd Crowder, who is supposedly now part of a white supremacist gang.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 4.16 million household viewers and gained a 1.5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. It was the highest rated show of the night in basic cable and it was also FX's second highest-rated series premiere, behind The Shield. The episode received extremely positive reviews from critics, who particularly praised its "sharp" dialogue and acting.