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, Boyd and the Crowes fly South for a crucial drug score, while Raylan pursues a small-time grifter with big time enemies.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 2.10 million household viewers and gained a 0.7 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Boyd (Walton Goggins) and the Crowes raid Hot Rod's warehouse, but find no sign of him nor Johnny (David Meunier).
A man named Larry Salmeron (Greg Bryan) asks for his help, as the Marshals took his winnings from an online gaming site owned by Charles Monroe.
Johnny is in Mexico and convinces a local Mexican criminal to let him visit Korean gangster Yoon (James Kyson) after offering a better deal than Boyd's.
Kendal (Jacob Lofland) tries to talk with Wendy about Baptiste's murder but can't bring himself to tell her so he calls his uncle Jack for help.
In January 2014, it was reported that the seventh episode of the fifth season would be titled "Raw Deal", and was to be directed by Bill Johnson and written by co-producer VJ Boyd.
In its original American broadcast, "Raw Deal" was seen by an estimated 2.10 million household viewers and gained a 0.7 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Seth Amitin of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "A break from the serial plots was needed and writer VJ Boyd delivered.
It wasn't the best episode of the series, but it did take some of the stress off of the mostly uninteresting Ava-in-prison story and gave the serial plots some time to breathe.
"[8] Kevin Fitzpatrick of Screen Crush wrote, "The prior two installments of Justified really turned up the intensity of the 5th season, thanks in no small part to the bowties wrapped around most of the straggling threads, and the smart decision to put Team Crowder and Team Crowe together, though it still hasn't shaken a sense of the wonky ups and downs the season has wrought.
"[10] James Quealley of The Star-Ledger wrote, "'Raw Deal' is another in a string of crowded Justified episodes, and the season's pace has certainly quickened since the events of 'Shot All To Hell'.
"[11] Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture gave the episode a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "If there were an Olympics for burning through plot, Justified would be a front-runner for the gold.
"[12] Holly Anderson of Grantland wrote, "The plot borders dangerously on caricature, with Raylan's early-onset dad-life gruffitude pitted against a guy who's such an over-the-top stereotype of a pissant hacker/blogger type that he is actually captured hiding out in his grandma's basement.
"[14] Jack McKinney of Paste gave the episode a 8.9 out of 10 and wrote, "Of course, the feathery weight of his recent caseload weighs heavily in the ultimatum that Raylan delivers to Art at the end of the night.