I know there has been at least one thread on this before, but I couldn't find it in the 4 back pages available, so I thought I'd start one for fans in here, which I hope will stay current. I rarely watch tv aside from sports and news, and what I do watch is reruns and British shows, but Deadwood is about the best thing to come down the pike in many years. Absolutely gripping. I thought we could start with our takes ( 'our' being particular fans) on individual characters. If you haven't seen the show, I can't recommend it much higher, but stop reading at tthis point, as the spoliers are coming here: Bullock: For a great show, they have a less than stellar maing character, IMO. Not bad, hardly that, but he's mostly the Clint Eastwood voice with the Mel Gibson 'I could just go nuts any second!' look combined with what we are to assume is an inner sense of moral intergrity. He's obviously hot after the Garret woman, and he's obviously trying to have a more carefree lifestyle than he had as a Marshall, but why does he keep looking for trouble. I know he's got a 'Don't mess with me' 'tude, but it seems counter-productive to his alleged purposes. I think he and Swearengen ( was there ever a more appropriately spelled name?) will maintain an uneasy to spralking with tension truce while each tackles other, greatyer opponents. Swearengen ( pronounced Swear Engine): Best character on the show, IMO, hands down. When he's on the screen, he's the guy you watch/listen to. What I like about him is that almost everyone is in terror of him, and it's not because he's the 'fastest gun', or the biggest guy, but because he's seriously sharp, unbelievalby perceptive, and above all, completely willing to go to any extrem at any time. That's so realistic. Many of the most dangerous and feared men in history were not notable for their size, strength, or skill so much as the fact that, unlike most of us, they would kill on the drop of a hat if it served their purposes. In real life, those guys are terrifying because they'll simply do things you won't, or they'll do them to you while you're making up your mind what to do. He's also got incredible presence. The other thing about him is he's so damn funny. I love his interplay with less intelligent characters ( almost everyone), epscially his stooge Farnum. " Don't keep $*&*& saying back to me what I just %*&( said in different words!" Even though he's an obvious focus of violent attention, to me this show cannot afford to ever lose this guy. How he handles the murder thing hangning over hsi head as the Dakotas head to statehood will be interesting. Tolliver: A nice alter-rival for Swearengen; also sharp as a tack, and ruthless. He's got a vulnerable spot or two that AW doesn't though ( Joannie and Eddie), so if it comes down to these two, my money's on the Gem. Sol: The nicest guy in town, with the possible exception of the rev, and likely to get lucky soon. Right now he's pretty much just Jimmeny Cricket, but I look for him to be more developed soon. Charlie: A really interesting character whose fate always elludes prediction. A developing relationship with Joannie might go places and cause ripples, and he's made the evolution from sidekick to solo pretty well after Hickock's offing. The Reverand: According to the Doc, it's inoperable, so I assume we're witnessing the beginning of a long decline into madness and debauchery. If ther's any chance, I say Swearengen either gets others to chip in for the operation/treatment, or goes it alone, if for no other reason than to keep him from messing up business without killing the local preacher. The end of the last episode, with Bullock and Sol walking him through his madness was one of the show's more powerful non-violent moments, IMO. the Doc: Sort of the caustic moral center of the established town. Serves a needed purpose, so he can make minor stands against AW, but is smart enought to know not to corss the line too far. A lot of fun to watch; might be the 2nd best character, IMO. Farnum: Weasel, pure and simple, although his pseudo-confrontation of AW, and his living to tell about it was excellent. " You've got to trust someone at some point." I suspect he's going to test this theory too far one day soon, though. Joannie: Now that the young hustler is dead the only remotely hot woman in the show, and an intriguing developing story line. Might just give in and go back to Tolliver, but we've seen that one done with Trixie. Might get involved with Charlie. Might kill Tolliver. Hard to read. Mrs. Garret: Obviously she and Bullock are the developing romance of the show, and previews and casting would have you believe she's gonna be among the major characters, but right now she's mainly adrift trying to get righted, and the kid and Bullock are her anchors. Her claim is probably THE main plot line, along with the saloon rivalry that might erupt into a war. Jane: Fun but occassionally a little too much. A tradtional Sabra charater, with a mouth that rivals Swearengen. Trixie: Least interesting of the female characters so far, but has her moments. Was sad to see her give up on herself, but maybe it's some kind of twisted love. WIll kill someone else soon, I expect. Eddie: Is the next major character to die, IMO. Sort of one note, but fun to watch as Tolliver's foil. Will almost succeed in ripping him off, then die. Maybe Joannie will sell him out? Or maybe she will get in on it, and they'll off Tolliver. There are other characters, but these are the most interesting, IMO. Merrick is good for a laugh, and Johnny is fodder. Nuttall sort of represrnt the Deadwood everyman. What are your takes?
I guess this is my favorite show ever......because I haven't missed an episode, and I can't say that for any other show--first season or not. Good Synopsis. I'm still on Bullock's side. I don't think his role has been explored enough to really diss the character or Olyphant for playing him. It strikes me as strange though that he seems to get top billing. Swearengen definitely gets the majority of screen time.....and for good reason. Then again, I've read that they don't really have scripts for all the episodes as they go along. From the sound of it, they're kind of going by the seat of their pants and characters are developing somewhat organically. If that's the truth, then maybe Olyphant really hasn't built himself into the leading man he was billed to be while Ian McShane has been so charasmatic that he's taken over the show. One character you didn't mention is Dan. I like the chemistry that he has with Swearengene, and although his character alone doesn't ever carry a seen, I think he often makes Swearengen better.
Is that so? Wow, I've never heard that before. Interesting. SOrt of like Curb Your Enthusiasm or Good Morning Vietnam's booth scenes? A few basic parameters, but character driven improv to fill in the blanks? Or are you saying the writers are reacting to how what they wrote earlier plays out on-screen?
I agree with everything MacBeth said. he seems way too "pretty" to be playing the role. Every single charcter is expertly casted with the exception of Bullock--he seems way too "pretty" to be playing the role and everything he says sounds incredibly forced, if that makes any sense. Swearengen is unbelievable and I've been renting every movie featuring Ian McShane I can find. Just saw Sexy Beast last week, and although he was barely in it Ben Kingsley was absolutely amazing. Check it out if you;re into heist films. The Bullock character make start picking up since last they hinted at the fact he actually stole his brother's identity.
I don't think he stole his brothers identity, he married a husbandless wife and adopted a fatherless chilld which in those times was I imagine a very honorable thing to do. Now he is torn betweening honoring his brother's memory and caring for his child and widow and his feelings for the Garrett woman (who I find HOT HOT HOT) I like the Bullock character alot, to me he doesn't seemed forced at all ... nothing bad to say about him or the actor who portrays him. Dan got mentioned but only in post two, he is one of my favorite characters too. I like his loyalty to Al and the fact that even though he is one of Al's crownies he commands respect on his own merit and seems to have thoughts and actions all his own. We may have seen the last of Jane who I always got a kick out of cuz of her ability to drop f-bombs in any situation. The moment I think two shows ago when she was talking to Charlie while leaning head first against the wall had me rolling. I'll miss her if she is gone. Swearingen is the man though.... he has evolved into much more than the bad guy, he has a sort of noblity about himno matter what he does.
I love this show. I now look foward to sunday nights for it rather than the Sopranos. The Swearengen charactor is by far my favorite. His cold rational and complex scheming seem like they are out of a Shakespeare play.
Don't put your money on Joanie sticking around...Kim Dickens, who plays her, always gets "guest star" credit at the end rather than a regular cast member credit. By the way, is it just me or is the Doctor the spitting image of the late Hank, the angry drunken midget from Howard Stern.
I watch the show religiously. I have lived about half my life in Texas and the other half in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. I have several friends from South Dakota. There is conflicting research on language that was used during that time period. Some people say that the "f" word was basically unknown in that era. I am also very suprised at the constant use of the word "c___su__er". Supposedly, the researchers of the show found those words to used prevelantly. It doesn't really matter, as it sets the tone of the show. I read where Deadwood averaged about 1 murder per day in this time period. It was one wild place, and if you think about the time in relation to when your grandparents, great grandparents, great great grandparents lived, it wasn't that long ago. My grandmother's parents would have been alive during this time. I love authentic westerns like Lonesome Dove, Jeremiah Johnson, Open Range. I like Deadwood much better than Sopranos, although the last Sopranos finally was worth watching. I have seen several complaints about Bullock's character, but he is very believable to me. I think Charlie Utter is great, sympathize with Jane and think Al is both vile and funny. One note. Maybe I missed it in the other thread, but has anyone noted that Doc was Wormtounge in L.O.T.R.?
Originally posted by Moe I watch the show religiously. I have lived about half my life in Texas and the other half in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. I have several friends from South Dakota. There is conflicting research on language that was used during that time period. Some people say that the "f" word was basically unknown in that era. I am also very suprised at the constant use of the word "c___su__er". Supposedly, the researchers of the show found those words to used prevelantly. It doesn't really matter, as it sets the tone of the show. I have been impressed that they seemed to have gone to some length to use the language of the day; it adds to the show. I actually found it a distraction in Braveheart when one actor used 'Okay', which was many years away from its creation.
He was the star of a British show called Lovejoy for about 7 years. Based on the novels by Jonathan Gash, about a rogue antiques dealer and his involvment in swindles, mysteries, etc.
Yeah, I meant to talk about him. Sort of the head of the goon squad, actually can think, and plays AW a little at times, though no more than safe. He seems almost like a gentle guy at times, and yet he's the main hatchet man. My favorite scenes with him were his infatuation for the hustler, and hus early morning murder of the Irish miner.
Never noticed that. As most of the bigger names seem to be in for short runs, I'm wondering if Powers Boothe is gonna bite it too; maybe he and Joannie go out together, and Charlie takes over?
last episode we finally get to see Wu in action. I laughted so hard when he and Swearengen were in the freezer and Wu kept saying c#cks%cker. I wished they show the pigs eating the bodies.
