Deadwood: Season Three (2006)

Deadwood set the bar as high as it could go with the very first episode of Season One, and kept it close thereafter, right to the very end of this Season, which was to be the last because HBO cancelled it. Of all the TV shows that ever got axed, in all the years that I've been a viewer, I mourn the loss of Deadwood the most. The only thing it did wrong was be too damn clever.

The main story arc is the continued fight for control of town resources, a fight played out both diplomatically and via the business end of a knife. There’s a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but in Deadwood the enemy of my enemy is another fucking enemy waiting to snatch an advantage, hoping to profit from it either directly or indirectly. Multiple threats mean stakes are higher and casualties more notable. Not everyone makes it out alive. There are some quiet moments near the end, but only because tensions are purposefully buried.

The main cast members are unchanged. Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens) finally gets something interesting to do, which left just the character of Alma Garret (Molly Parker) as the only weak leak in an otherwise sturdy chain.

There’s not much of Brad Dourif this season. You get the feeling that he’s always around but he has less screen time.

I have to give special mention to Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert). Of all the women in the series, Jane is the most exceptional, for reasons I won't go into.

Let’s not forget the humour. William Sanderson had me in pains of laughter. His weasel attitude and ability to swing from self-effacing to self-important in the same sentence is pure genius.

Brian Cox joined the cast. He and his troupe seemed a little superfluous, but it’s Brian Cox, so even when he’s doing little of merit he’s still a joy to watch. I'm sure his role would've increased had it been given time to do so; there were definite hints in that direction.

There was the hope that some TV movies would get the green light to wrap up the threads of the story but that didn't happen.

12 episodes, approx 45-55 minutes each.

5 fights on the promenade out of 5

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

Deadwood: Season One (2004)

A violent Western set in 1870s South Dakota, home to prospectors and traders. Being situated in Indian Territory means the law has yet to take a foothold, so it also attracts the criminal, the corrupt and the trigger-happy outlaw.

Most of the cast are exceptional, not just some of the principal actors. Ian McShane plays foul-mouthed saloon owner Al Swearengen, the show’s main villain; although nothing is really that black and white in Deadwood. It's the role he was born to play. All thoughts of Lovejoy will wash away instantly.

Brad Dourif’s Doc Cochran is my favourite part of the show. If you’re familiar with Dourif from his film work you’ll know the power he can bring to a scene.

I should also mention Robin Weigert, who plays Calamity Jane; she steals most scenes she stumbles into with a lashing tongue and a wicked humour.

The presentation is flawless. The cinematography, particularly in the early episodes, helps it transcend the usual TV limitations. Every inch of the frame is purposefully lit. And the town bustles with life so it never feels empty.

It may take some viewers a little more time than others to become accustomed to the vernacular used, but pay close attention and you shouldn't have too much of a problem. It's certainly much more fascinating than what we use today. The excessive use of profanities isn't there just to offend, they help place people socially and are an integral part of characterisation. You should also aim to pick up on things implied though subtle glances and quiet movement because what's unsaid is as weighty and as important as what's overtly revealed.

Deadwood is essential viewing for Western fans, provided you don't baulk at the use of language. Alongside the violence, the double dealings and the remorseless aggression are moments of genuine sensitivity, often tinged with sadness, a combination that plucked an opera on my heartstrings during the finale.

12 episodes, approx 55 minutes each.

5 hungry pigs out of 5