Deadwood

[shipperx]

Yes, I'm too cheap to pay for HBO. I will rent from Blockbuster, however. When returning DVDs last night they had Season 1 of Deadwood, so I rented and watched the first four episodes last night.

Amazingly filthy stuff (makes Nip/Tuck look modest in comparison) with fluent cursing. And people liked to call Spike and Angel evil ::shudder::

Lots of death in the first four episodes. I knew Wild Bill Hickcock {sp?} was doomed primarily due to history, but I had heard rumblings back when the series first aired. It's too bad because he was an interesting character-- flawed, heroic, and somewhat suicidal. The guy who played his murderer reminds me far too much of "All My Children's" psycho-Jonathan. The actors look very similar.

The show seems to take the same direction with history than Johnny Depp's "From Hell" did. Nothing is romanticized here. . .at least, not in a fluffy way. It's the historical equivalent of modern urban gang wars.

I like Saul (Sol?), Calamity Jane, and I'm undecided about Trixie and Alma (and her drug addiction). Alma seems intelligent, but there's something about her degree of cool that makes me not as warm to her as I'm perhaps meant to be. Al is heinous (and meant to be) but in a fascinating way. And I like his henchman (even if he does have to kill lots of people).

Not sure how wise it is to give pigs a taste for human flesh though. . .

All in all, interested but not sure how I feel about the series yet (but I will have finished Season 1 by next weekend I'm sure).

Comments

[deborahc.livejournal.com]

"Deadwood" may be my all time favorite TV show of all time, even though I am not crazy-obsessed with any of the actors or 'ships. But I've always been interested in the history of the American West and this is the very first series I've seen that seems to reflect the time and place authentically (even if the historical characters are not historically correct in their every particular). I think it's an awesome show, and if I weren't still so immersed in the BtVS I'd be spending hours on the HBO forum for the show talking about it. As it is, I can't let myself get sucked in.

I too, refuse to pay for HBO, but fortunately for me I have a boss who likes the show, and who tapes it for me every Sunday. Even though I had all of S1 on tape, I still bought the DVD. It's outrageously expensive but Amazon.com had this thing where if you signed up for their new credit card you got a $30 discount for your first purchase on it. It's got some excellent commentaries, and the picture quality is much better. There's a lot of stuff I got after seeing it on DVD that I had missed on the videos.

Calamity Jane is my favorite character (Robin Weigart, the actor who plays her, is outstanding).

There's a couple other fic author's whose LJs I frequent who are into DW as well. I don't watch the shows *everyone* watches these days; "House," VM, "Desperate Houswives" ....I do watch "Lost" and "Joan of Arcadia" if I'm around. I really like "American Dreams" and they've recently moved it up against "Lost" so it's probably on it's last legs. But the only extant show I'm truly passionate about is DW.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I've found it very interesting and watchable thus far. I'm not sure that I find many characters partcularly LIKEABLE (in "I can respect them in the morning") way, but the plotting is good, the acting is good, and it's very interesting and (suspiciously excessive swearing aside) rather believable.

All in all I do see why so many people really like the show. But, sheesh, it's violent.

[kellyhk.livejournal.com]

Wasn't impressed with Trixie until the second season, and I think she's turning out to be the brightest and most observant character of the new season. Al makes a wonderful souless antagonist for everyone. But like you, I've grown a soft spot for his intrigue.

Definitely have to be wide awake as the period dialect (other than the overuse of cocksucker)is sometimes challenging.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Trixie is growing on me. Unfortunately, Alma really isn't. But even she is interesting. I just don't think I "like" her much. I like Calamity Jane though.