Deadwood "A Lie Agreed Upon, Parts 1 and 2" Review (2x01/02)
Apr 3, 2015 16:23:31 GMT -5
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Post by Pear on Apr 3, 2015 16:23:31 GMT -5
“Welcome to fuckin’ Deadwood. Can be combative.”
For the most part, Deadwood’s operated on its own, just outside the reach of civilization and of those pesky things known as laws. It’s pretty clear, though, that change is coming, that the outside world is rapidly extending its influence into the town. On a larger scale, the construction of telegraph poles anticipates further contact with surrounding areas, and on a more character-driven level, the arrival of Bullock’s wife and kid causes conflict between desires and appearances. The two-part premiere handles that conflict beautifully, but that’s just one element of this engaging, layered, and entertaining opening to the second season. We’re back in Deadwood, and I can tell it’s going to be awesome.
“A Lie Agreed Upon” mainly structures its events around two characters: Al Swearengen and Seth Bullock. Their conflict thus far has been nothing short of intriguing, and it all comes to a head here when Swearengen calls out Bullock about his wife. Seeing as Bullock has a penchant for allowing anger to take over, it makes sense that he’d react with violence, that this would turn into an ugly and brutal fight between these men. Right now, Bullock’s in a tough place because he’s caught between the person he desires–Alma–and the people he feels like he needs to be with in order to maintain respectability; after all, he’s the type of guy who may first give into emotions, then attempt to save face by fulfilling his societal obligations. He’s trying to be a good father and a good husband because that’s what he believes is required of him, and it’s putting him at odds with himself. The final scene of the first part is a really beautiful encapsulation of his conflict, and Timothy Olyphant does his finest work of the series–so far–here.
Back to the fight, though, which is really interesting in and of itself. The very image of Bullock and Swearengen falling off the balcony–paired with the later image of Al walking down from the balcony to meet Seth–can be seen at first as a representation of Al losing his lofty perch atop Deadwood. However, I don’t think that’s quite what the episode is trying to emphasize here; if anything, Al is actually the one in control throughout the two episodes, and because he sees exactly how important Bullock is to the future of Deadwood, he’s the one who chooses to walk off that balcony. He’s the one who sees, from that high position, that he must go down momentarily in order to maintain Deadwood’s well-being. “That Bullock’s a fucking strategist, isn’t he?” he says. “Sets terms to publicly humiliate me, and my penalty if I don’t comply is he walks into the bar downstairs and takes 15 bullets to the chest.” Al realizes that Seth’s out on a suicide mission–“he wants execution cause he’s failed”–and he understands that that’s a no-no right now. So, after another amazing blowjob monologue, he heads downstairs, Deadwood lives another day, and civilization continues to creep in.
Yet, maybe all this civilization stuff is just a lie agreed upon. It wouldn’t be the first (see: the Seth/Alma relationship, Reverend Smith’s death). It’s an idea that forms the foundation for the final conversation between Al and Merrick, a conversation about what story to print for the public to see. The dynamics between Al and Bullock and Bullock’s family and the other townspeople are not only character conflicts; they’re also representative of the larger struggle that Deadwood is embroiled in, the struggle between past and future, between lawlessness and civilization. And at the center of it all lies the question of whether Deadwood can actually be “civilized”. The town can only adapt to the influx of civilization, and that’s a lot easier said than done.
GRADE: A-
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Cocksucker count: 9 for Part 1, 17 for Part 2
Total cocksucker count: 154
-Hey, it’s Anna Gunn! If what I saw in Breaking Bad was any indication, she’s going to do an excellent job in this show. Other new arrivals: Sarah Paulson as Miss Isringhausen and Alice Krige as Maddie.
– “Close the ass-flap. The entire area of my fucking asshole is now one gigantic fucking throb. I have no idea what’s transpiring in there.” “Shall I suck your prick?” “Please.” There are so many hilarious Al quotes in these episodes about his ass; it’s hard to pick just a few.
-Looks like Cy isn’t taking Joanie’s new business very well. I look forward to seeing Powers Boothe go berserk at some point; maybe he’ll top that Kristen Bell scene.
-Fart jokes never get old.
-I love Charlie Utter, and one of my favorite scenes in these two episodes is the uncomfortable Seth-Martha-Alma exchange. I love Charlie going along with Bullock’s letters lie, and Ellsworth is also fantastic in that scene.
– “WHOOOOO! MOTHER, IT’S THE OCEAN!!”
– “He is that fucking c***struck.”
– “Wish her aim was as good with her fucking thumb.”
– “Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face.”
-Al’s E.B. impression is the best.
– “Yes you will, you cocksucker! And I like saying cocksucker! What the fuck do you think of that?” Sol, I think that’s wonderful. Please keep saying it, and my cocksucker count will continue to add up.
– “Oh, he just 12-pointed Slippery Dan!” The scene afterwards between Al and Dan is actually kind of sweet.
-Seeing as I reviewed two episodes, I probably forgot a major plot point or something. Oh well.