Here’s what I knew about the HBO series Deadwood before I began watching it last week:

~ It’s a Western
~ It makes prodigious use of swear words
~ It’s a Western

Numbers 1 and 3 dampened my interest in the series, regardless of the high accolades it has received since its 2004 debut, and the near revolution that ensued upon its cancellation after three short seasons. DramaMan kept eyeing the series at our local library but it wasn’t until last week that I agreed to give it my usual two-episode trial. It actually took three, but by the end of that episode, I was officially hooked and we flew through all twelve Season One episodes in so short a time that I’m too embarrassed to admit to it.

Deadwood Season One takes place in 1876, soon after Custer’s last stand. Deadwood is a camp full of mostly men trying to make their fortune mining and panning for gold. Though it hasn’t yet been annexed, the residents of Deadwood believe and hope that one day it will, and try – sometimes – to live an ethical, if not lawful, life.

For any series to be successful in my humble opinion, it needs to have long arcs, as opposed to self-contained episodes, and it needs to have memorable characters. I’m most drawn to conflicted characters. Good people who do bad things, and despicable, evil characters that show humanity and humility once in awhile. Deadwood Season One has all of this in spades.

The vast majority of characters in this series are loosely based on historical figures. Though many share the names of their real-life counterparts, many liberties are taken. Don’t try to watch Deadwood in order to finish a High School History project. In fact, if you’re still in school, you might want to refrain from watching it at all. I think I learned a few new swear words this past week.

Main Characters and Plot Lines:

Seth Bullock has left his Montana Sheriff days behind him to come to Deadwood and open a hardware store with his Jewish friend Sol Star. In order to get a decent piece of property on which to build their business, they must first contend with the anti-godfather of Deadwood, owner and proprietor of the first saloon and brothel, Al Swearengen. Within the first few episodes, one might think that Seth is the unequivocal “good” guy leaving Swearengen to be the evil entity of the camp. Throughout Season One, however, we learn of Seth’s weaknesses (in temper and falling in love with the wrong woman), and witness Swearengen’s less-than-stone heartedness (does killing a man to put him out of his misery count?).

Early on in the series, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Charlie Utter are introduced. The tragic events of Wild Bill’s demise are also chronicled here. Jane offers an entertaining, if somewhat expendable character, but Charlie Utter is a quiet necessity to balance out some of the louder characters.

Some of the lesser characters sometimes bring some much needed levity. A.W. Merrick is the camp’s reporter and operator of the Deadwood Pioneer newspaper. E.B. Farnum is owner of the Grand Central Hotel. He’s a grotesque little man with high aspirations but low self-esteem. Alma Garrett is brought in as wife to a man associated with the New York Pinketertons. Garrett is swindled into buying what was originally thought to be a dead claim. Things turn ugly when gold is found in the hills of the Garrett claim.

Early in the season, a Norwegian family packs up and heads out of camp, only to be found nearby, apparently murdered by Native Americans. The sole survivor is a young daughter, initially cared for by Jane, then Trixie, one of Swearengen’s pet prostitutes, and finally she becomes the ward of Alma Garrett.

Competition comes to what Swearengen once monopolized in the form of Cy Tolliver’s Bella Union saloon and brothel. Cy comes in bringing Craps and “Chicago-style” girls to Deadwood, as well as a not-so-hidden agenda of his own.

Episodic Viewing:

Because there are so many characters, and the plots are not tidily resolved within the one hour episodes, it took me three, possibly four of the first twelve episodes of Season One to consider myself truly hooked. Once I was, however, it was like watching a twelve hour movie, and I had to make myself try and save episodes for later. The episode titles are as follow:

Pilot
Deep Water
Reconnoitering The Rim
Here Was A Man
The Trial of Jack McCall
Plague
Bullock Returns to the Camp
Suffer the Little Children
No Other Sons Or Daughters
Mister Wu
Jewel's Boot Is Made For Walking
Sold Under Sin

All are worth watching if you watch them in their proper order. The Trial of Jack McCall, Suffer the Little Children, No Other Sons or Daughters, and Sold Under Sin stand out in my mind as the best of the season.

The Ugly Truth of History:

Deadwood is based on historic events, places and people. For history buffs, I’m sure there is plenty to find fault with while watching this show. Luckily, I’m no history buff and I was able to enjoy it simply for what it was. I do know that a man named Jack McCall was credited with killing Wild Bill. I don’t know if it actually happened the same way it was portrayed here.

The other ugly truths? The women in Deadwood are mostly the prostitutes living in pretty dire situations, owned by men, ordered around by men, shown no respect whatsoever. Racism is alive and kicking in the camp. Racial slurs are thrown about like candy at a parade, but they’re the minority to the F-word, the C-words (one for each sex’s genitalia), and a few profanities I wasn’t even aware of. Luckily, I’m hard to offend, but if you’re easier than I am, this most likely isn’t the show for you.

Bonus Materials:

The sixth disc of the DVD set is the Bonus Material which includes the following featurettes: Making Deadwood: The Show Behind the Show, The Real Deadwood (historical), The New Language of the Old West with David Milch and Keith Carradine, and An Imaginative Reality with David Milch and Keith Carradine.

I skimmed through these without really watching them. They may be interesting to some who enjoy the historical aspects of the show, but I was in it for the dirt.

Final Thoughts:

I am finished with Season One and have now practically run to my library in order to start Season Two. Part of me wants to pace myself, as I know the show was canceled after Season Three, but I’m not known for my patience. If you can get past the profanity, nudity and ugly truths of the time, this is a show well worth watching, even for someone who hates Westerns.

Details:

Created by (and many episodes written by): David Milch
Starring: Seth Bullock ~ Timothy Olyphant
Al Swearengen ~ Ian McShane
Sol Star ~ John Hawkes
Wild Bill Hickok ~ Keith Carradine
Charlie Utter ~ Dayton Callie
Calamity Jane ~ Robin Weigert
Alma Garret ~ Molly Parker
Trixie ~ Paula Malcomson
Cy Tolliver ~ Powers Boothe


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age