Deadwood Revisited

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 09:54 AM

"A man, as it happens, a rival of mine, Learning the secret of a great man's lieutenant Would make that lieutenant his slave. My rival knows that expanding the circle Of the informed, diluting his power, Will confound his intention. So he takes the precaution to be Sole sharer of the secret. Then the world, being the world, Along comes a half-assed knight-errant, Utter, Hicock's ex-partner, To put all my rivals plans at risk. I seek audience with Utter, to verify my thinking. He earns his bread shipping packages. And as the dimwit nobility that made Him intercede nay now make him reticent. You Chief, will be my prop and ploy, Whilst I seek to draw him out. I congratulate myself on having kept you around. Why make a show of disposing of you was My fucking thinking. It's not like we need the storage space. And if there's a chance in one thousand You people have been praying right, Why get your boss's attention? Anyways, I've no plans of us parting company. As you will note, I have inscribed no address." If you backed out of watching Deadwood because of the profanity, than you're missing out. This is one of the most intricate, well-written, beautifully acted and filmed works to have graced the small screen, packing in so much detail within it's hour-long timeframe that it requires multiple viewings to catch every nuance. Any other Hoopleheads out there?

stonemonkts · April-20th-2005, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

"If you backed out of watching Deadwood because of the profanity, than you're missing out. This is one of the most intricate, well-written, beautifully acted and filmed works to have graced the small screen, packing in so much detail within it's hour-long timeframe that it requires multiple viewings to catch every nuance. Any other Hoopleheads out there?

Mone - I've been tempted to start a thread on Deadwood for weeks, but feared a bunch of ho-hum replies (not that there's anything wrong with that, but why waste my time, I figured).

The show has turned out to be quite brilliant. Milch is a maniac! Great writing, superb acting, and everything else you said. Fans of McShane should NOT miss this, it is easily his best performance (I've seen most of them).

And yes indeed, multiple viewings are essential. I love it.

Vince Kargatis · April-20th-2005, 10:47 AM

The only show I make an attempt to watch regularly - and as such pretty much takes up the bulk apportionment of my cable tv bill. Worth it though! (especially in HD).

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 11:02 AM

Yeah, I was finally prompted by Al's brilliant Shakespearian monologue. Hey, if it's just you and me, Stone, fuck the rest of these cocksuckers. :-)

McShane is absolutely amazing on this show. His Swearengen is a black, hard diamond, even in his moments of vulnerability. I love the nuances of his character, even the small shit like threatening to knock Bullock down from where he stood if he wiped the rim of the bottle that Al just drank from.

One of my other favorite characters is Farnum. Holy shit, who knew William Sanderson was this good? His soliloquies are a perfect melding of dialogue and actor. Brad Dourif, who I don't think has ever portrayed this much range, is awesome too. Even the dumb characters like Dan and Johnny are well-acted. They get handed a scene, and they just kill.

Jim Beaver, who plays Ellsworth, is a friend of mine, but I hadn't started watching the show until this season. Did you notice that Wolcott is played by the same guy who played Jack McCall last season (Gordon Dillahunt)? Not that I'm complaining. He plays a pretty damned effective psycho.

stonemonkts · April-20th-2005, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

Did you notice that Wolcott is played by the same guy who played Jack McCall last season (Gordon Dillahunt)? Not that I'm complaining. He plays a pretty damned effective psycho.

Yes I certainly did, and he is excellent as Wolcott. I can just eat that language up all day.

So many wonderful scenes. The one with Swearingen and the widow up in her room was fucking incredible. What an actor! Actually every scene with McShane is extraordinary.

Yeah, I loved that bit with Bullock. Also the line "even bed-ridden I know more than you". What a brilliant opportunistic manipulative cocksucker! I love him!

I get a big kick out of the subtle interplay which plays out based on the pecking order within a gang/crew. There's really so much to appreciate.

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

The only show I make an attempt to watch regularly - and as such pretty much takes up the bulk apportionment of my cable tv bill. Worth it though!

Vince, same here. My girl also likes Carnivale, but I haven't been able to get into it, and with no hockey, Deadwood and NBA basketball is pretty much it.

Quote:

So many wonderful scenes. The one with Swearingen and the widow up in her room was fucking incredible.

First time they've appeared together on the show as well! "Tell your kid not to take it personal." Heh heh.

What are the general predictions on the fate of Miz Stubbs? I don't think Wolcott will kill her. I mean, he has to know that Charlie Utter will kill him if anything happens to her, right? Then again, he is batshit crazy. Even if she lives, what does she do? Go back to Tolliver? Oy.

Enforcer · April-20th-2005, 11:23 AM

OK, guys. You're talking about the HBO series, yes? I have never watched it. Are you telling me I should start?

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 11:29 AM

Fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Jesus guys, I live in a fucking cave. Can I get HBO back here in the Mesozoic Era? Umggh. Arrrggh.

Yes, Larry, you should start. However, don't expect to be able to jump in and understand what the hell is going on right away. It took me many episode reruns and Television Without Pity recaps to figure everything out. Catch as many of the episode reruns as you can. It's a fucking great show.

stonemonkts · April-20th-2005, 11:32 AM

Larry - Yeah, that's the one. It might be difficult to appreciate this far into the season though. If you could, I would rent season one on DVD and catch up with it first. By the time you watch season one, HBO will probably re-play season two.

Or just jump right in! wtfdik. In either case, I think you'd like the show big time.

EDIT- I didnt see Mone's post until after I posted. Hahaa, good one.

Enforcer · April-20th-2005, 11:34 AM

OK, guys, thanks! I'll probably rent season one. Any chance season one might be showing on HBO On Demand? I love that thing...

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 11:35 AM

Brilliant show, HBO has made TV into high art!

Besides the sensationalism of the violence and language, beside the brilliant writing, complex characters played by amazing actors, this show is about the formation of America (after the civil war) and the politics involved. About the forefathers that didn't make it into history books.

I saw David Milch on Dinner for Five and he is wild, essentially he is Sweringen, a complex, highly intellingent, salt of the the earth rogue.

OK, I'm going over the top now, but I just love the show!

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

OK, guys, thanks! I'll probably rent season one. Any chance season one might be showing on HBO On Demand? I love that thing...

No, I think HBO On Demand only goes so far back. I tried to jump into it that way as well.

stonemonkts · April-20th-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hearsay

I saw David Milch on Dinner for Five and he is wild, essentially he is Sweringen, a complex, highly intellingent, salt of the the earth rogue.

I saw him on that too. It dawned on me that the actor on NYPD Blue who played Sipowicz (sp?) was mimicking Milch's speech the entire time. Funny.

moneyp · April-20th-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Besides the sensationalism of the violence and language, beside the brilliant writing, complex characters played by amazing actors, this show is about the formation of America (after the civil war) and the politics involved. About the forefathers that didn't make it into history books.

The casual historical references in the show are pretty cool. When Silas Adams is in bed with Miss Isringhausen he asks if she was one of the ones who "sent those miners up the scaffold in Pennsylvania." Took me a bit to figure out he was referring to the Molly Maguires. I love that the show doesn't take it's audience's intelligence for granted.

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

I saw him on that too. It dawned on me that the actor on NYPD Blue who played Sipowicz (sp?) was mimicking Milch's speech the entire time. Funny.

One of my favorite quotes from that, which I could totally picture coming out of Al's mouth, was when he was pitching a show to Les Moonves, who wanted to get Milch fired anyway. Les (surrounded by his sycophants) says afterwards "it sounds good, but I only understood about 30% of it", and Milch replies "well is that high or low for you".

Hilarious.

Brian Olewnick · April-20th-2005, 11:56 AM

OK, someone's gotta inject a little down note into this discussion. I watched the first season and wasn't interested enough to return for the second. Yes, McShane is wonderful but, in my book, he's offset by the unwatchability of Brad Dourif and Powers Boothe. The plots struck me as a little bit too basic and the whole isolatedness of the settlement makes things a bit too neat and self-contained. I don't mind the cursing at all, of course, but grew pretty tired of Calamity Jane. I admit to enjoying Kim Dickens though (and was pleasantly surprised to come upon a younger version of her in 'Palookaville').

For reference, my takes on other recent HBO drama series:

The Wire - Possibly the best dramatic show I've ever seen on TV
Sopranos - Watchable
Carnivale - Unwatchable
Angels in America - Unwatchable

(I just noticed, btw, that HBO's rendition of Richard Russo's "Empire Falls" begins in late May. Interested in that. Directed by Fred Schepisi, with Paul Newman, Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, etc.)

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

Vince, same here. My girl also likes Carnivale, but I haven't been able to get into it, and with no hockey, Deadwood and NBA basketball is pretty much it.

Carnivale was great this season too, I highly recommend it. the first season was slow and dissapointing to me, but it was all a big set up for the intensity of this past season.

stonemonkts · April-20th-2005, 12:00 PM

Brian - I wasn't wild about the show when it first aired. But this season hooked me completely. I swear, if you give it a try, I think you'll change your opinion.

If not, then you're just one a them no good cocksuckers!

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

OK, someone's gotta inject a little down note into this discussion.

Well if Jon's not around then it may as well be you.

Paul B · April-20th-2005, 12:04 PM

I'm with Vince, Mone, et al: I love the show. Thought the second season took a bit to pick up steam, but it's rolling now. Who will take down the Hearst guy who killed the whores? I'm hoping it's Swearengen.....

Brian Olewnick · April-20th-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hearsay

Well if Jon's not around then it may as well be you.

heh heh...

Uli · April-20th-2005, 12:32 PM

Fixed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

hehehe....

Jon Abbey · April-20th-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hearsay

Well if Jon's not around then it may as well be you.

yep, you'll be happy to know I haven't seen more than five minutes of this one, and I've learned my lesson about starting to watch HBO series based on rave reviews here.

but if you want to start a thread about the ongoing brilliance of Arrested Development, I'd be happy to chime in about how it's been a pale imitation of the first season every time I've watched it this year.

Brian Olewnick · April-20th-2005, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uli

Fixed

heh heh...

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 01:05 PM

You've been relieved Brian.

Enforcer · April-20th-2005, 01:18 PM

Fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

Well, this looks like a nice little party. Let me just... here... sh** all over it... there... yeah... OK, carry on.

Brian Olewnick · April-20th-2005, 01:27 PM

Too much pollyanna attitude around here, I tells ya. This is great, that's great, dagnab it. Remember Sturgeon's Law! (Applies to everything except eai).

clinthopson · April-20th-2005, 01:34 PM

We tried Deadwood last year and just couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

We enjoyed the wierdness of Carnivale but I have to admit it got pretty convoluted.

I agree with Brian on The Wire, it's a dynamite series. I understand that they are going to shoot at least one more season.

We're also Six Feet Under fans although Nate's over the top angst got a bit much last season.

Angels in America requires a pretty big commitment with mixed returns. Pacino was good though.

I'm still waiting for a show as funny as Larry Sanders to come up. IMHO it is the funniest show in the history of the tube, especially if you know something about the innerworkings of Johnny Carson's Tonite Show.

Jon Abbey · April-20th-2005, 02:05 PM

yeah, most of Larry Sanders was brilliant, as was most of Mr. Show. I've been rewatching the Sopranos recently, because Yuko never saw it and it does give her a sense of Northern NJ, and it's pretty consistently enjoyable, with a few dud episodes, James Gandolfini is remarkable. Six Feet Under I couldn't get through a season of, I hate the creator's sensibility (no tolerance for American Beauty either). and the Wire is fine, but really not worthy of all the over-the-top praise it gets here.

hearsay · April-20th-2005, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

Too much pollyanna attitude around here, I tells ya. This is great, that's great, dagnab it. Remember Sturgeon's Law! (Applies to everything except eai).

Maybe we just have a greater capacity for enjoying life.