slabinskia

I just got around to watching Deadwood after picking it up in one of the secondspin sales. I have only watched the first episode and I am already hooked on the Al Swearengen character. Nobody else on the show really interests me yet but it's only one episode.

I just finished season 5 of The Wire a few weeks ago so DeadWood is next. What should I expect from the series ? After watching The Wire, Oz, and The Sopranos, I am really impressed with these HBO series. It's almost like I don't even care about shows on basic cable anymore.

Axeramm

To here the word Cocksucker 25+ times an episode. Its a good show, I wish it had could have continued.

MrX

The scenes with Swearengen and Wu together make the entire series worth watching.

BravesMG

I enjoyed it a lot, but wish I didn't go in with such high expectations. There are unbelievable episodes, but there were also a lot of episodes that really felt like filler.

JMLEWIS1

Absolutely loved the first season...looked forward to every episode....I don't really, know what happened about halfway through the second season though.....the dialect became very hard for me to follow and there were so many characters, I couldn't keep the stories straight....it just sort of lost me. I never really watched any of the third season.

TheBigDave

I really loved Deadwood.

That being said, it's a bit like a western version of The Sopranos. There are some amazing scenes sandwiched between long stretches where almost nothing happens. I didn't mind watching Tony Soprano wander around his mansion in a bathrobe, because I knew that sooner or later someone would get wacked.

Deadwood is the same. Something good is going to happen eventually. But it takes a while to get there.

My Other Self

That would've been my first response, too.

bluetoast

Expect an amazing series. You're right, Al is the best character, but you will get to know and love many others as the series progresses.

JasonF

If you can't trust the recommendation of a guy with an Al Swearengen avatar, who can you trust?

Add me to the people who absolutely love this show. It's amazing. Rich, complex characters, intriguing plots, wonderful dialogue.

As an aside, you might consider checking out Rome when you finish Deadwood -- based on the other HBO series you've enjoyed, you'd probably like that one as well.

Bateman

Couldn't agree more. Along with what you said, I think the intricate plotting for power of the characters is very similar with both shows and possibly why I found them both so engaging.

True, you could say Deadwood was slow at times but for the most part but I never really saw that since there were so many great subtle moments.

Ravenous

Long drawn out spoken monologues that can barely convey something as simple as "Gimme a fucking whore"

Fandango

I also recommend Carnivale, very underrated show but one of HBO's finest.

RKillgore

Taking at least a minute to say you'd like some pancakes.




/I apologize

Mike86

Not trying to derail the thread but this was one HBO show I couldn't get into at all. Just sorta too weird for my tastes I guess and sorta hard to follow at times. On topic though I haven't seen Deadwood except for the odd episode here and there but what I've seen seems like its a quality show. I'm waiting for the complete series to go on sale sometime and will probably pick it up blind.

Red Dog

Fantastic show, and this comes from someone who can't stand Westerns.

marty888

Wow - we can say dirty words whenever we want! And we want to say 'em every chance we get.

Even David Mamet shows more restraint ...... it's not offensive, simply boring!

JasonF

I love Carnivale, but it's definitely not a show for everyone, particularly given the cancelation-induced unfinished nature of the story.

JasonF

They also say the word "the" a lot. Not offensive, just boring. Pick a new word, Milch!

(I understand being offended by the language. But if you're not offended and simply accept that words like "cocksucker" are part of these people's everyday voccabulary, what do you care whether they say it once every day or a hundred times?)

Easy

How is that different from Deadwood? I never watched Carnavale but Deadwood was simply dumped and as I recall it, left a hell of a lot of continuing plotlines unresolved.

JasonF

Carnivale was clearly building toward something bigger than what we ultimately got. Deadwood was open-ended, and we were left wanting more information about where these people were going, but ultimately it was not telling a larger (unfinished) story to the same extent Carnivale was.

Easy

Well if Carnivale was building to a reveal that never happened, I see your point. That really does suck. HBO dumping Deadwood like Al would dump a body in the pigpen was pretty bad too though... I hate it when shows get dumped with no resolution.

story

What I still can't discern, and anyone is welcome to help me understand, is whether Deadwood has a satisfying finale or not. I've seen a few episodes and they're entertaining and well-made, yet the complete series (and even season sets, for that matter) are a pretty penny for no "ending."

TheBigDave

There were a number of story arcs that come to a conclusion throughout the series. It's been a while since I watched it. But I don't remember any unresolved cliffhangers. I mean, it's not like the town blows up and everyone moves away at the end. Many of the characters and locations are real. Life goes on.

EdTheRipper

Something similar happened to me as well. I LOVED the first season but had a tough time getting into the second season. I watched just a few episodes and haven't gotten back to the series at all yet.

Easy

There was no conclusion.
http://medialoper.com/hot-topics/tel...ion-screw-you/
Google deadwood conclusion for lots more.