Cool F@#$ing TV Shows That You C%&*@suckers Ain't F&%#@ing Watching

Hello Gentle Readers and my apologies if the title of today's post offended the sensibilities of those of you who would consider yourself more genteel. I had to pose the title in such a way as I have decided to sing the praises of one of my all time favourite TV shows, Deadwood (2004-2006). Deadwood is truly one of those occasions when television becomes truly great.

Granted, Deadwood is not for everybody and those who have not see it, be warned, it is crude and very, very foul-mouthed. For example, the "F-word" apparently appears in the 36 episode series a total of 2,980 times. Not to mention the other "colourful" phrases that are peppered throughout the show. Looking beyond that, however, Deadwood is also a super well-written, smart and brilliantly acted show that brings the "old west" to life without the sentimentality that often occurs. The characters are rich, complex and immensely watchable and you can damn near smell them and the environment in which they live. As a historian, I am impressed at the lengths the producers and directors went through to get the proper look of the town and the characters and the manner in which people would speak. Liberties have been taken of course, such as the use of modern swearing. However, as writer, producer and creator David Milch (NYPD Blue) has pointed out, the use of period appropriate swearing, would have appeared comical to modern ears.

Deadwood premiered on HBO in March of 2004. A western set in the 1870s, Deadwood tells the story of the town of Deadwood (now in modern South Dakota) during the period of it's annexation to the Dakota Territory. Deadwood shows the town's development from a crude mining camp to a crude mining town, and touches on themes including the formation of communities, the rise of organised cartels and western capaitalism. Many of the main characters in Deadwood were based on actual people, such as Wild Bill Hickok, Seth Bullock, Sol Star, Calamity Jane, Al Swearengen, Charlie Utter, E. B. Farnum, George Hearst etc. The plotlines include elements of historical accuracy in addition to fiction and some of the characters are fully fictional, although they certainly may have been based on actual persons.

Although an ensemble piece, there are two stand outs that essentially drive the show and must be noted. British actor Ian McShane (We Are Marshall) plays the owner of the Gem Saloon and de facto ruler of Deadwood, Al Swearengin. McShane is such a good actor and his portrayal of Swearengin is nothing short of amazing. McShane's portrayal draws you in and creates a sense of, "what is he going to do next?". American actor Timothy Olyphant (Hitman) portrays Seth Bullock, a former marshal from Montana and co-owner of Deadwood's hardware store. Olyphant is such an under appreciated actor and his portrayal of Bullock goes beyond the mere "good guy" role. Olyphant plays the character in such a way that you can see the struggle going on inside him written all over his face.

Once again, this show ain't Bonanza (1959-1973), but if you like a gritty realism to your westerns and TV in general, checkout Deadwood. All three seasons of Deadwood are available on DVD. Once again, it is loaded with violence, nudity and extremely course language, so be warned. The clip that I've included is an amazing exchange between Swearengin and the editor of the Deadwood newspaper. It takes place after the newspaper office has been ransacked in order to send the editor a message. It does contain strong language.

Enjoy!