Customer Reviews

Deadwood: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(174)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

Of all the TV series I have watched beginning to end, Deadwood is the one I keep coming back to. Even though I've seen every episode countless times, I still pick up something new with each viewing. It still makes me laugh. It still makes me think. It still gives me chills, and it still makes me cry. It is a brilliant man, executive producer and head writer David Milch, at the peak of his powers as a storyteller. Watching Deadwood is like reading a 1200 page novel from 150 years ago. Broad themes in a small setting, complex and conflicted characters, and detailed scenery make for a completely immersive experience.

The plot of the series revolves around where order and community come from. Deadwood was settled outside of U.S. territory in the 1870's after a gold rush, thus leaving it in complete anarchy. Each of the three seasons is well-structured in terms of conflict. The first season deals with how the inhabitants of the town arrange themselves in this lawless town. The second season has the varying factions band together to thwart an invasive government. The third season pits the town against the hyper-capitalism of mining magnate George Hearst. Within that structure is several smaller stories that both manage to stand alone and meld with the larger themes.

The real strength of Deadwood is the characters. Milch has created perfectly fleshed-out portrayals of historical figures and some made-up ones, too. Saloon owner Al Swearengen is a ruthless operator who cannot help but long for an easier, more peaceful way. Seth Bullock demands justice from those around him, but constantly surrenders to his temper and his libido. Calamity Jane is a many layered character, tough and kind, offensive and caring, vulnerable and impenetrable all at the same time. These are only a sampling of the many deep and conflicted characters in the show. By the third season, there were nearly 30 cast regulars, all of which were people you genuinely cared about.

The only thing that could keep people away from Deadwood is the language. Milch is a lover of dialogue, and he writes in complicated verse. More than one viewing is required to even catch the most basic plots and motivations. What can be equally off-putting is the vulgarity. Those with sensitve ears can expect to be bombarded with f-bombs on a semi-sentence basis. If you're having a hard time getting through the first couple episodes, check out the extras on the first season. Milch explains why he wrote the way he did in a way that made perfect sense to me, both from a creative and an historical sense. In those extras, he will divulge a lot of spoilers, but it's far better to experience the series than be turned off by its profanity.

The Complete DVD set, in addition to the many commentaries and extras included in the original single season releases, contains new material that makes the upgrade worth it. Milch explains where he would've taken Deadwood had he been allowed to continue it in the most valuable addition. A lengthy roundtable discussion with the actors is very entertaining. Also included is actor Titus Welliver giving a handful of convincing impressions of actors auditioning for the part of Swearengen. The size of this set also equals one single season release, so if your shelf space is limited, the complete series set gets another plus.

In closing, Deadwood affected me more than any TV show I've ever watched. I jumped out of my chair to cheer on Dan while he fought Hearst's man Captain Turner in a brutal fight to the death. I quote Calamity Jane's beautiful description of a revealing dream. I cried when Jewel asks Doc to "give her a whirl." I could feel the joy in the town after Tom Nuttal's big ride. For anyone who wants the most out of their TV shows, Deadwood is truly perfect.

...and bummed by the loose ends, don't worry. It all turns out well. As a lifelong South Dakotan and a history major I can tell you it all ends well. Yes, George Hearst did fix the election and steal the office of Sheriff away from Seth Bullock. Bullock had been a U.S. congressman from Montana before coming to Deadwood, though, and had friends in Washington. When they found out that Hearst had fixed the sheriff's race, they appointed Seth Bullock U.S. Marshall for the Dakota Territory. That gave him authority over all law enforcement in the area, canceling out Hearst's move. Bullock would meet a young Teddy Roosevelt in the Dakotas and they became lifelong friends. Bullock even led the inaugural parade when Roosevelt became President of the United States.

So, I must confess. I am a "Deadwood" junkie. I have purchased the complete series and look forward each evening to spending time with these bigger then life characters based on the gritty mining camp of Deadwood(Don't call or come over between 10 and 11 PM, I will not answer the phone or door!).I even love sitting through the opening title sequence each and every time.

Legendary characters Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane mix in with the fictional characters who are some pretty gritty and most often lecherous people, who speak like they were brought up on the King's English, but may also set a new record for the most swear words in any program. There is also quite a bit of sex, nudity and violence. And although all of that only add to the "ambiance" of the setting, it is certainly not one for the kiddies or anyone who cringes at 4 letter(and longer) words.

Here is a little about the opening of the series, from there I was completely hooked.
Episode 1: "Deadwood"
"No law at all in Deadwood...is that true?"
This of course, is the episode that will introduce you and hook you on all the fun and the characters that grow throughout the series and grow on you.It will be hard to chose a favorite. They are all shall we say "charismatic" in their own special way...
Ex Montana Marshall, has rolled into town with business partner Sol Star. They open a hardware business for the miners of the camp. It isn't long before Bullock meets up with the legendary Wild Bill Hickok, and also is at odds with the owner of the "Gem" saloon, the formidable Al "pardon my French" Swearengen. Swearengen seems to be the Godfather of the the camp. He has his finger in every pie, and nobody seems to make a move without his approval. Al may at first rub you the wrong way with his crude style, but I have to say, that he has become my absolute favorite of the series. This episode has commentary with writer/creator David Milch as an option.

The muddy midway of Deadwood comes alive in this very real series. The cast of the series is marvelous. Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Jim Beaver, Brad Dourif, William Sanderson, Powers Boothe, and Keith Carradine(Wild Bill), will all draw you in immediately.The music is so good I bought the Season 1 soundtrack Deadwood: Music From HBO Original Series(see my review for CD details) that mixes short quotes from the series(also explicit) with some western style music and some great blues. Each episode runs about 50 minutes.

My 5 stars rating is for the entire series, each and every episode. By the way the clarity of the picture is excellent and the sounds of the Old West will come alive in your living room.

I bought each season individually as soon as they came out, but if you haven't got around to buying them yet, or if you know someone who would kill or die for this series for Christmas, now is the time to pre-order. The deal is a good one at this time(I paid much more buying them separately). Prices do change though so check each season separately as well when you are ready to order(take shipping, if any into consideration)

Check out this great series..be careful though, it's addicting!
Saddle Up for one heck of a ride and..."A Hell of a Place to Make Your Fortune"......Laurie

By the way - you can also get the single discs with 2 or 3 episodes on each disc - so if you just wanted to check it out, you could start with:Dead Wood: The First Season, Volume One(the first 2 episodes), but then again, watch for a good deal - buying them one disc at a time can get expensive, but nice to know they are out there in case any need replacing or you just want to check it out.

Here is another place to check for best deal going at your time of purchase:Deadwood: The Complete Seasons 1-3

More for western lovers:
The Outrage paul newman(new on dvd)
GORE VIDAL'S BILLY THE KID(val kilmer is billy)
Rage At Dawn / Abilene Townoldies but goodies for randy scott fans

This is simply the best television show ever created, as far as I'm concerned. I have watched Season One 7 or 8 times by now, and Seasons Two and Three close to that many times, and I am still in awe, every time. I still feel the same thrill when the theme music kicks in, and I gain new insights every time I watch it.

The dialogue is not easy to follow, but it is well worth the effort. This is a show full of grimness, violence, and oppression, but also some amazing humor, most of it hidden in a tangle of words (EB Farnum's monologues are some of the funniest ever written). As others have pointed out, the profanity is extreme. The first time I watched an episode, I was shocked by it (though not particularly offended -- to me they're only words). Beyond that, it's complex, varied and rich in vocabulary. I've seen reviews on here by people who say that the dialogue in Deadwood shows the "dumbing down" of America. It's obvious they only watched the first 15 minutes -- the language is so incredibly elaborate and well constructed that a lot of people compare it to Shakespeare.

The characters are almost as rich and complex as the dialogue. Al Swearengen has got to be one of the greatest anti-heroes ever created and he is played brilliantly by Ian McShane. (In the first episode, watch poor Tim Driscoll talk himself down from a swindler's share of $6000 to a mere $20, withering under Al Swearengen's pitiless gaze.) Swearengen goes to great lengths to supress any hint of compassion in his soul (and usually succeeds), but it leaks out around the edges sometimes, in a way that is occasionally very nearly heart-breaking (his moments with Reverend Smith, for example). On the other side of the coin, Seth Bullock, the former marshall from Montana, is a man who struggles to supress his dark side but cannot entirely manage it. There's the shell-shocked Civil War doctor, Doc Cochran, who is so tragically frustrated by his limited abilities; Al's oily rival Cy Tolliver, whose charming smile hides a nature far crueler than Al's; the peacemaker partner of Seth Bullock, Sol Star, one of the quiet wonders of the show; and of course that mega-celebrity of the Old West, Wild Bill Hickock, portrayed so beautifully by Keith Carradine that it's a pity Milch had to stick to historical fact in his case.

And then there are the women: the whore, Trixie, and her love/hate relationship with Swearengen, her cranky and suspicious nature endangering her chance at a different life; the rich widow, Alma, whose struggle to break free of societal expectations and conventions is hampered by her addiction to laudanum and her cultural indoctrination; the madame Joanie, whose brutal life has somehow not pummeled the compassion completely out of her; and the pitiful drunk Calamity Jane, who wants so much to be a bad-a$$ but just can't quite manage to get herself out of a bottle long enough -- even she, though, can rise unexpectedly to meet a crisis.

On top of all this the sets and the costuming are simply incredible. I've since watched Westerns, even modern ones, that have just made me groan with impatience -- it's so obvious that they're filming inside a sterile set -- and yell at the screen, "Haven't you watched Deadwood?" Where's the filth? Do you really think those cowboys and miners took baths more than a few times a year? And don't you know that horses poop all over the place? (And as for the costuming, I would pay a LOT for some hats like the ones that Joanie Stubbs wears. Such a shame that those clothes were so impractical and uncomfortable, because day-yum! they look good!)

This is the true history of the west -- fictionalized of course, but not romanticized and prettified, here explored in all its ruthless grime and blood and pathos and sex, severed Indian heads and random murder, bloody fistfights to the death, unabashed and ugly racism, serial killers, opium addicts and degenerate titlickers, beaten-up whores and children trampled to death by horses -- and amidst all this, moments of transcending beauty, compassion, and kindness. You can practically smell the horses**t, the booze, and the vomit -- and Alma Garret's rosewater.

All my life I have loved "The Little House on the Prairie" books (not the TV show, mind you) and I reread them regularly and still love them. This show made me seriously re-examine those books, among many other things. It boggles the mind to think that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote them in the same place and era that this show occurred, and it makes you wonder what she left out of her books (admittedly they were written for children, so you wouldn't expect her to include everything, but still). This is definitely an NC-17 series, but it is one that every adult should watch who has an interest in the history of how our country was settled and what it was really built on (witness George Hearst in Season Three).

I introduce this series to people every chance I get and an am always happy to make a new fan. It still breaks my heart that HBO killed the series so abruptly. There was so much gold still left to mine. I cancelled my subscription to HBO when I knew it was final and will never subscribe to HBO again (so take that you c***s***ers).

I wish I could give this six stars out of five: I would.

HBO personifies the "Peter Principle" and killed itself by canceling a proven series to dish out cheaper, low overhead crap!

Another media potential bites the dust!

I know, this is a TV series and the Godfather is a movie. But in both it is the strength of the characters that make it seem real. Once a year I watch the Godfather and now with this set I can do the same with Deadwood.

At the end of every episode I say the same exact thing to my wife, "How did they ever cancel this show". It is absolutely brilliant!

For those who didn't like this series solely due to the swearing, are you kidding me? What are you doing watching HBO then? Tune into the Disney channel instead.

DEADWOOD was one of HBO's finest series and was certainly the best western television series ever produced. It had a compelling storyline based on actual events, fascinating true-to-life characters, gritty, realistic production values and the most X-rated dialogue ever heard on the tube.

When the show was suddenly cancelled after the 3rd season without giving the story or characters a proper conclusion, viewers were not just upset. They were angry.

Now, HBO Video is trying to make partial amends by releasing DEADWOOD, THE COMPLETE SERIES, a 19-disc box set that not only contains all 36 episodes of the series, but also a Bonus Disc that has series creator David Milch strolling through the DEADWOOD set and talking about how he would have ended the series had there been a 4th season.

Like the rest of the series, most of that final season would have been based on actual historical events and would have included a huge fire that destroyed the town.

Also on the extra disc is a documentary about the real Deadwood after the fire, plus a hilarious audition reel featuring series regular Titus Welliver.

© Michael B. Druxman

David Milch is one of the most brilliant and gifted writers in history. One only needs to see the discussion/interview with Keith Carradine to realize this man's true talent. This is the way it was, folks. This is history and entertainment at its best. However, the script of Deadwood is masterfully written as if William Shakespeare wrote it himself. The inhabitants were not this educated and certainly couldn't embellish English as well as David Milch. The classic Westerns many of us grew up with in the fifties were white-washed milk toast. They were not authentic, but the carnage and the constant barrage of profanity and savage brutality of Deadwood can be a shock to tender eyes, ears and hearts at first, especially those attuned to the eternal spirituality of Judaism or Christianity. I certainly was jolted. However, having been in Vietnam and places even worse - and knowing the history of Deadwood - this is the kind of society that emerges when there is no law. Keep in mind that in June, 1876, most of the 10,000 inhabitants of Deadwood were running from U.S. authorities. For the most part, with some exceptions, it was a cramped society of hardened criminals more resembling a Federal prison population void of guards than a lavish Hollywood production set of Wyatt Earp. Deadwood reveals the epitomy of both good and evil in mankind. It illuminates the heart of the fallen man and bodly shouts that evil is - and will be - king in a lawless land.

Deadwood is set in the 1870s and is based on the mining town of the same name in South Dakota before the annexation into the Dakota Territory. The real life town saw the likes of Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine), Wyatt Earp (Gale Harold), Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), Sol Star (John Hawkes), and George Hearst (Gerald McRaney), father of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst whom the movie "Citizen Kane" was based on. These and many other historical figures litter the various episodes intermingling fact with fiction.

The town is a microcosm of how civilization develops as various peoples come together. Initially lawless, parameters become established that allow the town to survive and prosper with the various individuals and factions competing for their share of the wealth in this gold mining town. Perhaps what is most interesting are the various dynamics and power shifts that develop, initially between the two main town employers, the Gem and The Bella Union saloons, and then between them and the newcomer, the successful California businessman and prospector, George Hearst, and how these dynamics shift given the various circumstances that unfold. Being a small town these dynamics are very volatile, and felt by each and every one of the town's inhabitants. For a rich and moving characterization of an emerging town and its various people, Deadwood offers a vivid and visceral recreation of the how civilization develops.

This blu-ray set is elegantly packaged, though some may not like the fact that the discs are fit into cardboard sleeves instead of the typical plastic holders.

HBO killed this series and Rome in the same year and I canceled my subscription soon after. Deadwood was a gritty, in your face portrait of life in a mining town of the "real" wild west. Did they take dramatic license? Sure. Were the characters over the top sometimes? You bet. Was the language something out of a sailors wet dream? Hell yeah! It sure did tie together as a great show though and when it came up as a Deal of the Day on Amazon I decided I had to have it. The DVD transfer is great and the from the first episode I was right back into the series. If you can take the language, carnage, and occasional bit of nudity I would definitely suggest you give it a try!