HBO TV Series 'Deadwood'.

[mawnansmiff]

A couple of years ago I watched a couple of episodes of an American TV series called Deadwood shown very late at night (in the UK), likely due to the profanity laden dialogue.
What little I saw I really enjoyed and ever since I have waited for the series to be shown again but had no luck. I casually looked up the series on the web and found out it ran to an astonishing 36 episodes, I also found out it was available on DVD via Amazon.
Last week I lashed out a very reasonable £15 for the boxed set and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.
Has anyone here watched the entire series? If so what did you think of it and how faithful to true life in 1870's America was it?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[davet]

A great show. Be aware that it was cancelled and ends in a end of season cliff-hanger. It is definitely worth watching though. As far as authenticity, the language, swearing, is more modern but from what I've read the language in those days would be hard for us to follow, understand.

 

[indianafrank]

GREAT series! And like davet said, the language and swearing is more modern.

 

[sablebrush52]

I LOVE the series! Yes it is profane beyond imagining, but it is also rich with humor, pathos, superb performances and luscious detail. The DVD set comes with extras, including material pertaining to the language used in the series, which, according to the research the series creators did, is historically accurate.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I just found this...
"On August 12, 2015, it was reported that talks between HBO and Milch have resumed regarding a Deadwood film. In January 2016, HBO gave Milch the green-light to write a script for the film. On August 1, 2016, Casey Bloys, HBO's new head of programming, stated that David Milch is writing the script for a Deadwood movie."
"Yes it is profane beyond imagining, but it is also rich with humor, pathos, superb performances and luscious detail."
I couldn't agree more Sable, of the handful of episodes I managed to catch, I realised I was watching some quality TV for a change. I wasn't aware of the DVD extras so that's a plus.
With a bit of luck my set should arrive early this week ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jazz]

I loved this TV show and tend to watch it every couple of years or so. One of my favourite things about it was the language was not over modernised. Honestly, I don't think it was modernised at all. It was a quality production and agree completely with Sable above when he wrote of it being rich with humour, pathos, superb performances and luscious detail. There is a beautiful and heart-wrenching scene involving the reverend that always touches me. It is difficult for me to understand how stuff like this gets the axe while so much utter pish gets series after series.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I love westerns, but never got around to watching Deadwood. I've been recently thinking about downloading the show off of Itunes, but knowing the show ended in a cliffhanger I probably will not. I absolutely detest cliffhangers.

 

[buckaroo]

Swedgin!

 

[davet]

knowing the show ended in a cliffhanger I probably will not

Still very much worth watching :clap:

 

[dochudson]

It's available free via Prime.

 

[philobeddoe]

Anything with Ian McShane is at least worth a try, he is a very underrated actor and I was disappointed that he wasn't used longer on GOT.

 

[fnord]

One of the very best TV series ever produced, Jay. You're going to fall in love with it all over again. I watched it real time, once more on re-reruns and then twice more when I bought the boxed set. (I'm not surprised so many of the actors reunited on "Sons of Anarchy" and also on Timothy Olyphant's series, "Justified.")
@Doc: Prime must have an exclusive with HBO. It seems to be the resting place of most HBO series.
@Anthony: Watch the series, man! (I'll even loan you my set.) The series creator, David Milch, got bored and walked away to produce another HBO series, "John from Cincinnati." He took a huge hit from the "Deadwood" fans and his follow-up show was an enormous fail. Still, Milch followed a fairly accurate historical timeline with "Deadwood." Ian McShane's character, the real life Al Swearengen, died in a knife fight six months or so after the series ended. Take my offer, bub. It'll knock your socks off.
Jay, I wish I was starting "Deadwood" for the first time. Yep, it's incredibly vulgar. But there's still an almost lyrical quality to the profanity laced dialogue, unlike anything I've ever heard before. The characters almost seem larger than life, maybe even outrageous - but they weren't.
This series was played true to form.
Fnord

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Fnord, the dvd player seems to be on the fritz, but thank you anyway. Maybe I'll go ahead and download them off Itunes though. I do love westerns. Another good one was Hell On Wheels. I still haven't watched all of the final season of that one either, as Netflix only has the first half. Looks like I'll be downloading that one as well.
Also I did some reading and it looks like there's a Deadwood movie in the works so they can end the story correctly. Knowing that can help get me past my hatred of cliffhanger endings.

 

[oldreddog]

A sublime show.Savage script and stunning acting.

I understand that contemporary swear words were used as 19th century profanity would not have the same impact.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Sat here twiddling my thumbs waiting for the set to arrive...apparently today is delivery day ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[fishfly]

But there's still an almost lyrical quality to the profanity laced dialogue, unlike anything I've ever heard before.

Iambic pentameter blank verse. (Maybe not perfect scansion, but close enough) Think Shakespeare.

 

[curl]

We watched the heck out of Deadwood at my house. Both the wife and I grew up in Yankton which is mentioned a few times since it was the capitol of Dakota Territory back in 1876.
I don't understand the cliffhanger part of the last episode. The main story of the final season came to a conclusion.

 

[lucidleaf]

That was a great show. Lots of cuss words in it which was heard on the Mrs. but still a good show. Worth the watch!

 

[curl]

Actually, I don't understand why some of you think the last episode ended with a cliffhanger. I thought it wrapped up the main storyline of the season.

 

[ember]

Used to think the widow was hot The actress is Molly Parker and if you felt the same way as I did you should see the movie The Center of the World ... oh yeah