Next month, FX's "Justified" wraps up it's fifth season, the finale before next year's sixth and final season of the television series inspired by the stories of Elmore Leonard, centered on the late author's deputy US Marshal protagonist Raylan Givens, played by Timothy Olyphant, and his ties to his old stomping grounds of Harlan County and the criminals that run it, including Raylan's old friend Boyd Crowder, played by Walton Goggins. Series creator, executive producer and showrunner Graham Yost has taken Leonard's character of Raylan from two short stories and transformed him into one of TV's most dynamic personalities. Yesterday, Yost graciously spoke via phone from Los Angeles about this season's full-circle theme, the influence Leonard still has over the show and the show's niche ability to cast uniquely perfect guest stars, including a new one for next week's tenth episode of the current, fifth season.

​There are certain staples of the Christmas season. Family and friends gathering for joyful parties, feasts with food o' plenty and films that touch, warm and brighten the holidays. We've seen many movies with ranging tones--from "White Christmas" to "The Ref"--bring smiles to the masses. But before Ted Turner gave the world 24 hours of back-to-back "A Christmas Story," there was one film that still thrives today, on constant rotation leading up to and through December 25 every year: "It's A Wonderful Life."

Known for it's distinctively American twist on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," singular director Frank Capra didn't get to see his film become as wildly popular as it has become. Upon it's initial release, a wide berth of critics dismissed it, saying that Capra had lost his touch with the audience. What also hurt was stiff box office competition couldn't even allow the film to barely break even, earning enough money to place 26th in box office earnings out of over 400 releases for that year, just ahead of another soon-to-be Christmas treasure--"Miracle on 34th Street."