Deadwood "Unauthorized Cinnamon" Review (3x07)
Aug 10, 2016 16:19:52 GMT -5
Albert Fish Taco, jerkassimo, and 1 more like this
Post by Pear on Aug 10, 2016 16:19:52 GMT -5
“As free men facing important challenges, we choose to be optimistic.”
This episode is about a lot of things–death, connection, and fear, among others–but I think the most powerful undercurrent is one of decency. It’s decency in the sense that people are finding strength in community, finding ways to care for each other and express humanity in the face of danger. That danger, of course, is embodied by the crushing force of George Hearst and his disregard for the Deadwood way of life.
Hearst is really interesting because though he can come across as a callous monster, there’s always that idea of him being a “boy” to take into account. Even if he argues that he was “disabused long ago of certain yearnings and hopes as to how he would be held by his fellows”, that doesn’t mean he’s right about himself. He sort of sees it, but he also sort of doesn’t, and it seems like his expressed desire for gold isn’t the impenetrable front he tells Odell it is. His argument that gold drives civilization is valid until you look at the contrast between Hearst and the rest of the town. His idea of “our species’ hope: that uniformly agreeing on its value, we organize to seek the color” is true to an extent–and relevant to the “lies agreed upon” theme of the series–but does he really stand for that wholeheartedly? Deep down, does he really give no fucks about who he’s perceived as? Hearst is mistaken if he believes that gold is the sole reason he is who he is today, and he seems to be assigning only external motivation when he should be taking a good look at himself. He’s shaking things up in Deadwood, but there are some cracks in his armor that can be exploited. There is still room for humanity in any picture of civilization, and there should be.
Maybe he can be defeated by the humanity that blossoms in this community. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the scene immediately following Hearst-Odell is that of the camp meeting, one in which Seth’s letter about Pasco is read aloud and contemplated. As Al says, “that’s a very nice fucking letter”, and its publishing in the newspaper becomes both a move against Hearst and an expression of community and decency. Other expressions of community and decency in the episode: Trixie and Sol talking about potentially taking Sophia in, Joanie and Jane kissing and finding solace in each other, and Al throwing the swatches down to Doc Cochran. Even if no one gets out alive, at least there’s something that might be worth living for.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Cocksucker count: 0 (this is simply unacceptable and the show should be ashamed of itself)
Total cocksucker count: 259
-Al’s reaction to Johnny knocking on the door–“Please god, come in”–is hilarious.
– “Shall I, as Mayor, initiate proceedings by giving my own opinions, however titular and insubstantial and merely honorific the position? …which argues against my doing so.” Oh, E.B., I love you.
– “Do not put unauthorized cinnamon on the Goddamn meeting table. That’s all the fuck we need.” “It’s available as a choice.” “Which is not your province to offer, Jewel.” “Well, if food’s not my province, then you can make your own fucking breakfast.” “I had best not come out of this Goddamn kitchen and find Goddamn cinnamon on the fucking meeting table!”
This episode is about a lot of things–death, connection, and fear, among others–but I think the most powerful undercurrent is one of decency. It’s decency in the sense that people are finding strength in community, finding ways to care for each other and express humanity in the face of danger. That danger, of course, is embodied by the crushing force of George Hearst and his disregard for the Deadwood way of life.
Hearst is really interesting because though he can come across as a callous monster, there’s always that idea of him being a “boy” to take into account. Even if he argues that he was “disabused long ago of certain yearnings and hopes as to how he would be held by his fellows”, that doesn’t mean he’s right about himself. He sort of sees it, but he also sort of doesn’t, and it seems like his expressed desire for gold isn’t the impenetrable front he tells Odell it is. His argument that gold drives civilization is valid until you look at the contrast between Hearst and the rest of the town. His idea of “our species’ hope: that uniformly agreeing on its value, we organize to seek the color” is true to an extent–and relevant to the “lies agreed upon” theme of the series–but does he really stand for that wholeheartedly? Deep down, does he really give no fucks about who he’s perceived as? Hearst is mistaken if he believes that gold is the sole reason he is who he is today, and he seems to be assigning only external motivation when he should be taking a good look at himself. He’s shaking things up in Deadwood, but there are some cracks in his armor that can be exploited. There is still room for humanity in any picture of civilization, and there should be.
Maybe he can be defeated by the humanity that blossoms in this community. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the scene immediately following Hearst-Odell is that of the camp meeting, one in which Seth’s letter about Pasco is read aloud and contemplated. As Al says, “that’s a very nice fucking letter”, and its publishing in the newspaper becomes both a move against Hearst and an expression of community and decency. Other expressions of community and decency in the episode: Trixie and Sol talking about potentially taking Sophia in, Joanie and Jane kissing and finding solace in each other, and Al throwing the swatches down to Doc Cochran. Even if no one gets out alive, at least there’s something that might be worth living for.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Cocksucker count: 0 (this is simply unacceptable and the show should be ashamed of itself)
Total cocksucker count: 259
-Al’s reaction to Johnny knocking on the door–“Please god, come in”–is hilarious.
– “Shall I, as Mayor, initiate proceedings by giving my own opinions, however titular and insubstantial and merely honorific the position? …which argues against my doing so.” Oh, E.B., I love you.
– “Do not put unauthorized cinnamon on the Goddamn meeting table. That’s all the fuck we need.” “It’s available as a choice.” “Which is not your province to offer, Jewel.” “Well, if food’s not my province, then you can make your own fucking breakfast.” “I had best not come out of this Goddamn kitchen and find Goddamn cinnamon on the fucking meeting table!”