Season 1 - 12 episodes (2004)
Season 2 - 12 episodes (2005)
Season 3 - 12 episodes (2006)
Rent Deadwood on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: David Milch
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif, W. Earl Brown, John Hawkes, Paula Maclomson, Dayton Callie, Leon Rippy, William Sanderson, Robin Weigert, Sean Bridgers, Bree Seanna Wall, Jim Beaver, Jeffrey Jones, Kim Dickens, Powers Boothe, Titus Welliver, Anna Gunn
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer
Plot
Set in the late 1800s, the series revolves around the characters of corrupt and criminal Deadwood, South Dakota.
Verdict
This is a near lawless world where the good guys aren't always good, and sometimes they have to team up with the bad guys to rally against even worse people. This does such a great job with the characters, though the good characters rarely get ahead. Blending past and present, the dialog is so fun to hear, grandiose and acerbic. We see this town slowly grow and that brings even more schemers looking to make a buck at the expense of others. You can't help but root for a lot of these characters as they're just trying to survive in this rough town.
Watch It.
Review
Deadwood isn't far removed from the chaos of the wild west. This show does so much so well. Each character is well developed and layered. Even some of the worst characters have their moments while reluctant sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) has faults and even teams up with the greedy and enterprising Al Swaringen (Ian McShane). On top of that the dialog is amazing. This blends in modern language to give curses some heft while being almost poetic. This show manages to turn insults and curses into an art form.
 |
| John Hawkes, Timothy Olyphant play Sol Star, Seth Bullock |
Sheriff Bullock intended to start a hardware business in Deadwood with his partner Sol Star (John Hawkes). That's when he first runs into Swaringen, and they immediately don't like each other. Bullock is tough and direct. He can see through Al's charm from the beginning. Al is a wily businessman, compromising his morals if it earns him a buck. The one thing they both care about is the town.
Everyone here either has a scheme they're attempting or a past from which they're running. None of them are all good or bad, they're nuanced which adds to the appeal of this tough place. They can't see past themselves other than Bullock and Al. The Doc (Brad Dourif) helps everyone, but the more we hear about his past the worse he seems. E.B. Farnum (William Sanderson) is the quickest to try and steal a dollar and he might be the worst at it. He thinks he has the charm of Al and has no clue that he repulses most people.
 |
| Ian McShane plays Al Swaringen |
Season two kicks off with Bullock and Al finally fighting each other directly. The season concludes with George Hearst (Gerald McRaney) arriving in town. This show depicts a town on the edge of law where good and bad work together to protect their own. Al is devious, always looking to get rid of competition. Bullock is the hot headed moral center. Part of what makes this show so engrossing is that we see this town slowly evolve as residents arrive and build out the town. Each character is so well done. Some you're meant to like, others dislike, and others you'll just feel sympathy.
Season three is the Heart wrecking ball as he tries to scoop up all the claims. It's a battle for who will claim control of this town and Hearst's deep pockets are an obstacle. Season three may be the best of the series in the sense that we've seen this town built from nearly the ground up and expand. That draws new characters to town, quite a few of them unsavory. For three seasons we've seen characters grow and evolve. This season is the culmination of everything this show has built.
No comments :
Post a Comment