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 revolves around the inhabitants and culture in the Appalachian Mountains area of eastern Kentucky, specifically Harlan County where many of the main characters grew up.
In the episode, Raylan is king for a day in the seized mansion of a notorious mob accountant, while Boyd tries to regain his stranglehold on the Harlan heroin market.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 2.50 million household viewers and gained a 0.9 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) and Alison (Amy Smart) are about to have sex in Monroe's (Xander Berkeley) mansion when a man named Henry Granger (Scott Anthony Leet) shows up outside with a baseball bat.
Meanwhile, Paxton (Sam Anderson) recovers from his coma and tells Mooney (William Gregory Lee) that Boyd will not be prosecuted for anything even if Mara (Karolina Wydra) changes her testimony.
Secretly, Mara warns Boyd about this just as he and Duffy find out that Cyrus (Bill Tangradi) was involved in the shipment after telling a woman known as "Candy".
Daryl is interested in working with Dewey with his new fortune but is angered when he finds out that he bought Audrey's from Boyd for $250,000, which far exceeds its value and they could've used the money for a better bar.
Monroe deduces that his maid Gloria (Gabrielle Dennis) sent Granger so she could retrieve money from a safe that Duffy left in the mansion, so he sends her to the house to get it.
In December 2013, it was reported that the third episode of the fifth season would be titled "Good Intentions", and was to be directed by Dean Parisot and written by supervising producer Benjamin Cavell.
[3] In its original American broadcast, "Good Intentions" was seen by an estimated 2.50 million household viewers and gained a 0.9 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
But its most reliable tone, in successful stories and muddled ones, incorporates plenty of the wry humor that was the late, great Elmore Leonard's stock in trade.
"[11] Holly Anderson of Grantland wrote, "We've reached the point in the season when the pellets are yet to fly but the air gun's been vigorously pumped, so to speak, and it's always right about now when we start catching ourselves watching for moments that'll come back in big ways later on.
"[12] Dan Forcella of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "As great as Raylan's tussle with Monroe was, and as awesome it was to watch Boyd continue to struggle, the best thing about 'Good Intentions' was seeing how Daryl Crowe Jr. worked his way into a power position in Kentucky so quickly.