Deadwood: Season Two (2005)

With characters and motivations already well-established in the first season, all that was really needed was to further increase the levels of antagonism and the uneasy alliances between disparate parties for S2 to build upon and keep fans happy. A new arc, picking up on something that loomed at the end of S1, gave the writers that basis upon which to heap more of the same.

In theory that works perfectly. However, partway through there's a slow but obvious slide into the dirtiest of words: 'soap' and 'opera.' A large portion of the middle of Season 2 feels like a soap opera with small stories of residents that aren't as crucial to the drama as they’d like to be. They’re shuffled around so as not to interfere too much but still be sympathetic to the larger issue of annexation that threatens to tear the camp from the grip of saloon owner Al Swearengen.

Speaking of Al (Ian McShane), he has a subplot with Doc Cochran (Brad Douriff) that had me in awe of their acting abilities. It also had me cringing; not because it was bad, but because it was so very good and so very believable.

New faces arrive in town; some of them set about trying to ingratiate themselves to one or other of the opposing parties, while some even feel it probable that they could position themselves above the established order.

Despite the middle section having some filler, the remainder retains the same level of quality writing that Season 1 showcased. When it gets back on track it again excels in every way. The wonderful 1870’s vernacular is used to even more comedic effect, often at the expense of E. B. Farnum (William Sanderson).

12 episodes, approx 45-55 minutes each.

4½ relative conditions out of 5