Deadwood, TV series

HBO Series, Deadwood
If You Listen, You Will Hear Something Never Before Presented in a Western
Publish Date: 08/14/2010
Thousands or tens and maybe hundreds of thousands of viewers discovered this series 6 years ago. Not having HBO, I discovered it three weeks ago via Netflix-on a PURE chance guess

I am not quite sure what I stumbled across but it is a combination unlike anything else in the entertainment world-especially a visual/verbal presentation. When I began watching it, I was just “moseying” along,
watching a threatened sheriff and his deputy be subjected to a hanging and then, knowing when they were out of their strength league, they “hightailed it” out of Dodge, so to speak.

This pair wound up in the cow town -mud village of Deadwood-with the normal village “starters” and good and bad men as any village in the world is want to have.

As I listed and watched, captivated, I realized something “didn’t fit” but, ironically, this which did not “fit” was NOT irritating, it was not garbage, it was not Tom Foolery. What I was sure I had stumbled upon was a show that had the courage to combine the finest photography I have seen in a western series with great sets eeked out of mud and canvas. But more than that, being a teacher, I listened and my ears were almost buzzing; it was sort of like watching a cop show with a medical show thrown in-it was articulation mixed with ruffians and scofflaws. Instead of “go get the horses” and “get set to ambush him”, it honest to God mixes Shakespearian language/dialogue with things a ruffian leader would say to his men. To make sure that the audience does
not get purposefully misled, and knowing that the world of cowboys and ruffians was often violent and vulgar, this show loves to depict in great artistic detail when a person receives a bullet wound, a knifing, or sex! What the director is willing to bring to the screen forces one to say, often “am I really seeing what I think I am seeing?” In most cases, one is-using of course, sharp editing and slight of hand photography!

Thus, after watching for the first hour and then the second and then, the entire first and second season, I am captivated. Let me also forewarn those who feel intimidated with non-Shakespearian language, we are reminded of Catcher In the Rye’s language and this series has a monstrous over abundance of references to oral sex. In fact, what is in between exceedingly frustrating and cute, are the few very limited conversations between the main villain and the lead despotic Asiatic, “Wo” when Wo wishes to inform Swerengean that something or other is about to occur, especially when it has to do with Wo’s competition coming to his village.

Anyway, get the DVD if you have not seen this series and keep children away from the screening.

I am guessing you will be titillated, amazed, embarrassed and excited, concurrently.