Episode One: Deadwood
Jul 16, 2014 0:15:43 GMT -5
Douay-Rheims-Challoner, Pear, and 2 more like this
Post by Arthur Dent on Jul 16, 2014 0:15:43 GMT -5
"I tell you what. I may have fucked up my life flatter'n hammered shit, but I stand here before you today beholden to no human cocksucker, and workin' a payin' fuckin' gold claim, and not the U.S. government sayin' I'm trespassin', or the savage fuckin' red man himself, or any of these other limber-dick cocksuckers passin' themselves off as prospectors had better try and stop me."
This incredible pilot episode manages to precisely introduce various themes and characters to be gradually elaborated upon while moving at a brisk pace, resolving one plot and setting several in motion, without at all feeling overstuffed or overwhelming. The strong thematic establishment at work here begins with the stunning opening sequence and branches out from there, bringing the audience from that setpiece into the loosely assembled, chaotic town of Deadwood alongside several of its major characters. There is so much that could be analyzed here, but I will focus on only a handful of the cogs in this machine and chiefly on the aforementioned opening sequence due to the sheer volume of thematic threads from it alone.
We're only allowed to know the man Clell Watson for a few moments, but the complexity of him, standing in for any person that could be wrongly reduced in nature if only seen for a few minutes, is made greatly apparent, and from his circumstances this series deftly illustrates the ideas it will explore going forward in what is possibly the best establishing moment for a series that I have ever seen. In Clell, there is everything from the most primal of feelings, such as fear and resulting desperation, and bitter rage, to deep regrets and desires, and concern for his family. The hope that his child will grow up well. Clell sees the promise of freedom and benefit for himself in the idea of Deadwood, reflecting the personal appeal of lawlessness and absolute individual independence even as he is protected by Bullock from the physical and moral consequences of it. This danger is manifest by Byron Sampson and his mob, who are dissatisfied and horrified upon being confronted with the reality of what they were pursuing, of violence and death.
Humanity and life are as capable of immense savagery, as demonstrated by the murders ordered by town baron Al Swearengen, as they are decency and beauty. The latter has perhaps not yet been seen, except maybe in the initial sheer joy of the Garret couple upon Brom's purchase of a gold claim, or the tenderness of Jane in holding the Metz child and joining Doc in caring for her, but decency is abound even in this harshest and most disorderly of environments. The Metz child's life is saved by a few while most drink and fuck. Ellsworth expresses frank concern for Trixie, paying attention to her and willing to listen to what is troubling her. Bullock pushes a greedy scammer away from his customers. And a random citizen is willing to ensure Clell's last words reach his family.
The struggle of maintaining order, as well as the necessity of it, and the components needed for it and in turn creation of true civilization, have begun to be asserted even as we become situated in this near-completely chaotic nest and its many inhabitants, this land of opportunity and business that Clell dies dreaming of, that inspires Bullock to struggle between the urge for making a living and pursuing justice and protection for the people around him, and that attracts those with many regrets and complicated histories.
And that brings me to Ellsworth. Out of all the characters that stand out most in the series opener**, Bullock, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill, Doc Cochran, Trixie and Brom, and even the immensely compelling Al Swearengen himself, Ellsworth possibly makes the strongest impression (at least equal with Al), and communicates the most about him with so few words compared to silver tongued Al. My god, that brief speech of his. He resents the many outside obstacles met throughout his life, but recognizes his own hand in the evidently numerous mistakes he's made, and despite a worn in life is still capable of compassion and dreaming of something better.
Grade: A-
Side Observations:
** And look at the sheer variety of natures in that handful of characters alone.
* So many great fucking lines in this series. "I enjoy the way you lie." "I never thought he'd live long enough for me to meet him."
This incredible pilot episode manages to precisely introduce various themes and characters to be gradually elaborated upon while moving at a brisk pace, resolving one plot and setting several in motion, without at all feeling overstuffed or overwhelming. The strong thematic establishment at work here begins with the stunning opening sequence and branches out from there, bringing the audience from that setpiece into the loosely assembled, chaotic town of Deadwood alongside several of its major characters. There is so much that could be analyzed here, but I will focus on only a handful of the cogs in this machine and chiefly on the aforementioned opening sequence due to the sheer volume of thematic threads from it alone.
We're only allowed to know the man Clell Watson for a few moments, but the complexity of him, standing in for any person that could be wrongly reduced in nature if only seen for a few minutes, is made greatly apparent, and from his circumstances this series deftly illustrates the ideas it will explore going forward in what is possibly the best establishing moment for a series that I have ever seen. In Clell, there is everything from the most primal of feelings, such as fear and resulting desperation, and bitter rage, to deep regrets and desires, and concern for his family. The hope that his child will grow up well. Clell sees the promise of freedom and benefit for himself in the idea of Deadwood, reflecting the personal appeal of lawlessness and absolute individual independence even as he is protected by Bullock from the physical and moral consequences of it. This danger is manifest by Byron Sampson and his mob, who are dissatisfied and horrified upon being confronted with the reality of what they were pursuing, of violence and death.
Humanity and life are as capable of immense savagery, as demonstrated by the murders ordered by town baron Al Swearengen, as they are decency and beauty. The latter has perhaps not yet been seen, except maybe in the initial sheer joy of the Garret couple upon Brom's purchase of a gold claim, or the tenderness of Jane in holding the Metz child and joining Doc in caring for her, but decency is abound even in this harshest and most disorderly of environments. The Metz child's life is saved by a few while most drink and fuck. Ellsworth expresses frank concern for Trixie, paying attention to her and willing to listen to what is troubling her. Bullock pushes a greedy scammer away from his customers. And a random citizen is willing to ensure Clell's last words reach his family.
The struggle of maintaining order, as well as the necessity of it, and the components needed for it and in turn creation of true civilization, have begun to be asserted even as we become situated in this near-completely chaotic nest and its many inhabitants, this land of opportunity and business that Clell dies dreaming of, that inspires Bullock to struggle between the urge for making a living and pursuing justice and protection for the people around him, and that attracts those with many regrets and complicated histories.
And that brings me to Ellsworth. Out of all the characters that stand out most in the series opener**, Bullock, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill, Doc Cochran, Trixie and Brom, and even the immensely compelling Al Swearengen himself, Ellsworth possibly makes the strongest impression (at least equal with Al), and communicates the most about him with so few words compared to silver tongued Al. My god, that brief speech of his. He resents the many outside obstacles met throughout his life, but recognizes his own hand in the evidently numerous mistakes he's made, and despite a worn in life is still capable of compassion and dreaming of something better.
Grade: A-
Side Observations:
** And look at the sheer variety of natures in that handful of characters alone.
* So many great fucking lines in this series. "I enjoy the way you lie." "I never thought he'd live long enough for me to meet him."
