Sad news for "Deadwood" fans

[Bob Ducca]

Deadwood may be done

[Honey]

Originally Posted by HelloNinja

Deadwood may be done

Cocksuckers!

[Askia]

We'll still see the upcoming third season ; it's the episodes beyond THAT that are in dispute. This screams "contract renegotiation tactic" to me. Huh. We'll see.

As long as the third season opens with an obscenity laden fellatiating soliloquy by Al Swearingen, all will be right with the world.

Deadwood is probably the first western I've watched regularly where I'm not rooting for the Indians to kill the cowboys.

[Beadalin]

That's a bummer.

Speaking as someone who no longer gets HBO, just when in the hell are they going to release Season 2 on DVD?

[ScoobyTX]

Originally Posted by Askia

This screams "contract renegotiation tactic" to me. Huh. We'll see.

I sure hope so. I was going to come in here and scream "What?!?!? They want to get rid of Deadwood, but they'll keep a stinker like..."

I couldn't think of any of HBO's current programming (except for crappy movies not made by HBO that they play over and over and over) that I would get rid of in favor of Deadwood. I never got into Carnivale or Oz (didn't have HBO of my own at the time), but those are both gone and almost forgotten.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by Beadalin

That's a bummer.

Speaking as someone who no longer gets HBO, just when in the hell are they going to release Season 2 on DVD?

May 23

[AuntiePam]

Damn.

Well, as long as the third season doesn't end with a major cliffhanger, I'll live. I won't like it, but I'll live.

I've read a little bit about Deadwood's history, and whenever the series does end, the potential is there for a great final episode:

SPOILER:

There was a huge fire in 1879 and a flood in 1883. And didn't Cy and Eddie talk about Al setting a fire, when they first met?

[RogueRacer]

Sopranos is ending. Six Feet Under is done (and had lost it's original quality anyway). Carnivale got cancelled early. I haven't heard anything about Rome's status. Now Deadwood may be done? I might finally be able to ditch HBO. Ok, probably not, but I haven't heard of anything to keep me watching on a Sunday night once Deadwood season 3 is over.

[Frylock]

Originally Posted by ScoobyTX

I couldn't think of any of HBO's current programming...that I would get rid of in favor of Deadwood.

I think this says the opposite of what you meant it to say. Take show X /= Deadwood. Assuming you thought of X, what the sentence above says is that you would not get rid of X in favor of Deadwood. This means you would rather X be kept on and that Deadwood be cancelled.

What is it about this sentence that makes it hard for me to think through, I wonder?

-FrL-

[Bob Ducca]

Originally Posted by AuntiePam

Well, as long as the third season doesn't end with a major cliffhanger, I'll live. I won't like it, but I'll live.

I imagine they'll wrap things up nicely. Season two seemed to end in a way that could go either way ... setting up a few new storylines, but mostly wrapping up everything and bringing all of the major characters together at the end. To me, it very much had a Series Finale feeling to it. I imagine if they've already wrapped the end of season 3 that it would be similar.

[Trunk]

Originally Posted by RogueRacer

Sopranos is ending. Six Feet Under is done (and had lost it's original quality anyway). Carnivale got cancelled early. I haven't heard anything about Rome's status. Now Deadwood may be done? I might finally be able to ditch HBO. Ok, probably not, but I haven't heard of anything to keep me watching on a Sunday night once Deadwood season 3 is over.

The linked article did say this. . .

"Deadwood" creator David Milch is shifting his attention to "John From Cincinnati," a one-hour project he is writing for HBO.

While I really like Deadwood, I also prefer my series to go away before they get stale, and I'd look forward to another Milch/HBO project.

[AuntiePam]

Originally Posted by RogueRacer

I haven't heard anything about Rome's status.

Season two is filming now. It's probably too soon to speculate about a third season.

Hello Ninja, that's true. Season one ended nicely too.

I wonder about the "other projects" excuse. Hell, they've all had time to do other things. We saw Jim Beaver on Supernatural, Olyphant did My Name is Earl, John Hawkes did a movie.

I think Askia is right -- some of them probably want more money.

[Push You Down]

I can't imagine a Season 4 of Deadwood being as exciting as the first three (assuming season three is on par with the first two). The whole show is about civilization out of lawlessness.. by a season 4 we're going to have civilization. Fuck that.

[DMark]

I really love the show and am looking forward to the upcoming season.

However, I can sort of understand. The series is base on real people and real events - so keeping the series going on for much longer would turn it into Gunsmoke or something, with contrived plots and new characters that would most likely not be based on historical fact.

Deadwood has succeeded because it is telling a part of history in an earthy, gritty and very realistic format. To drag it on simply because of ratings would be unfair to the historical aspects of the series.

I would much rather see the same type of series done with another period of history - and I am sure there are even other Western stories that could be fleshed out in other towns, with other factual characters.

Actually, I was just thinking it would be cool if the same writers did an update of the Al Capone/Chicago mobster period. I think they would do that period justice - sort of Sopranos meets Deadwood.

[AuntiePam]

Or it could get even better, watching them adjust.

Like this past season, Al's machinations with Ms. Isringhausen -- as confusing as that was, it was way more interesting than having Dan cut her throat.

How's Al going to keep his thumb on everything? He's going to have a lot more competition for the Deadwood dollar. He's not the smartest guy in town anymore.

I'm psyched to see what's up with E.B. this season. It looked like he was having a mental breakdown last time we saw him.

[BabaBooey]

OK, let's try this once more and hope it's not a triple post.

I'm catching up on S2 with S3 coming up soon. I seem to be missing my recording of Ep 4, so it may have been explained there (don't recall much about it), but episode 5 shows the Nigger General making use of a very large amount of money. Was it explained how he got this? I understand he is dressed poorly because he wants his position in the army to be known, but I figure it wouldn't be very easy for any man, much less a black man, to get that much cash through legitimate means at the time.

[AuntiePam]

It wasn't explained. I checked the transcript, and he's telling Hostetler that he'd been in San Francisco, delivering diamonds and emeralds for a dry goods big shot.

Maybe he caught and sold some wild horses to the army. Isn't that what he and Hostetler were going to do with that wild horse the General caught? Geld it and sell it to the army?

[BabaBooey]

Gotcha ya, I hadn't caught his mentioning the work in SF. Is that implying a relation to Hearst? I hadn't caught that the first time watching the season, though this time I'm watching with a lot more attention and a lot more of the dialogue is sinking in.

[AuntiePam]

Heck, the dialogue in that show goes by so fast -- I'd be lost without the transcripts. As far as I know, the General and Hearst have no connection.

It's so easy to miss stuff. I'll bet I've watched the pilot ten times. Watching it again tonight, and just picked up on Brom telling Alma that the deal he made on his gold claim would be good material for an article. So Alma planned to write about their adventures?

I love seeing Rev. Smith again. He was so sweet.

[Phantom Dennis]

It's my fault. I'm jinxed. Every show I end up liking suffers an early demise.

I'm going to stop watching TV so I don't kill off any more quality shows.

[AuntiePam]

Here is a link to the site that has the transcripts.

Dennis, it's not your fault. But stay away from My Name Is Earl, please?

I read somewhere that Milch wanted to do four seasons, because the original Deadwood only lasted four years. But we've only had what -- about a year's worth of story? Hell, the actors could write their own lines. Let someone else produce it.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

It sounds like part of the problem is that Tim Olyphant and Ian McShane both want to be free to do movies. McShane, in particular, has been a Deadwood's best discovered actor (not that he's the only good one) and I look forward to seeing how he does in his film career. I'll sorely miss Al Swearengen, though.

Apparently Milch has already begun work on a new HBO drama called John from Cincinnati which is being described as "surf noir." I'm sure it'll be worth a look. HBO is really going to need something good to replace both The Sopranos and Deadwood.

At least they've confirmed that there will definitely be another season of Rome.

[BobT]

Ian McShane wants to start a film career? The guy's been in films for over 40 years! It's not like he was a nobody when he started.

[What the .... ?!?!]

Originally Posted by Honey

Cocksuckers!

You know those HBO spots where all the characters are shown with voiceovers of some eloquent dialogue .......... Al is the last one; anybody else want him to throw in a "cocksucker" at the end?

[Moirai]

Originally Posted by BobT

Ian McShane wants to start a film career? The guy's been in films for over 40 years! It's not like he was a nobody when he started.

Exactly what I was thinking... Although he'll always be Lovejoy to me!

[brownie55]

Originally Posted by EJsGirl

Exactly what I was thinking... Although he'll always be Lovejoy to me!

As much as he was Lovejoy in our house, he has become and will probably remain Swiggen!, as pronounced by Wu.

[brownie55]

Originally Posted by HelloNinja

I imagine they'll wrap things up nicely. Season two seemed to end in a way that could go either way ... setting up a few new storylines, but mostly wrapping up everything and bringing all of the major characters together at the end. To me, it very much had a Series Finale feeling to it. I imagine if they've already wrapped the end of season 3 that it would be similar.

Season Two ended with at least one cliffhanger I'd like to see resolved...

SPOILER:

Cy had taken a knife to the belly and we don't know how badly he is wounded.

[BabaBooey]

I was thinking the same thing brownie55, that's not the kind of thing I'd like to see in any series finale.

[Pushkin]

Originally Posted by RogueRacer

Sopranos is ending. Six Feet Under is done (and had lost it's original quality anyway). Carnivale got cancelled early. I haven't heard anything about Rome's status. Now Deadwood may be done? I might finally be able to ditch HBO. Ok, probably not, but I haven't heard of anything to keep me watching on a Sunday night once Deadwood season 3 is over.

Sopranos is on late night here in the UK, Six Feet Under lost its charm for me a while ago, Carnivale is on an obscure Sky channel so I keep forgetting about it, Deadwood contains too many cuss words for my girlfriend so it looks like Rome is the only safe bet out of that list for me

[Rubystreak]

Deadwood might be my favorite TV show, ever. Al Swearengen is one of my all-time favorite characters. I will be very sad to see it go. Say it ain't so.! Someone needs his head examined over at HBO... fuck 'em all for the limber-dicked cocksuckers they are!

[Rainbowthief]

Originally Posted by ScoobyTX

I never got into Carnivale or Oz, but those are both gone and almost forgotten.

Not forgotten.

[AuntiePam]

Something that bugged me about the second season was the change in Trixie, especially her language. Everything was "fuckin' this" and "fuckin' that". She spent the whole season in high dudgeon (sp?).

Rewatching the first season, it makes more sense and seems like a natural progression. It seemed to start

SPOILER:

when she went back to the Gem, after helping Alma kick her habit and after she tried to kill herself. It was like she had a glimpse of another life, and when she went back to Al, she was angry at herself, and stayed that way.

Anyway, before that happened, Trixie seemed content, and her language maybe reflected that.

[ScoobyTX]

Originally Posted by Frylock

What is it about this sentence that makes it hard for me to think through, I wonder?

It's not like other networks, where I would say "You can't cancel "Family Guy" (or "The Simpsons") Get rid of that shitheap (select from about 95% of the other programming, the FOX stuff that sucks) instead!"

There's nothing in the HBO lineup that sucks, IMO. Well, except for the 1,056th showing of Short Circuit II (that movie was played at least 3 times a week the first time I had HBO, in the early '90s, and it's name became my shorthand for "HBO sucks 80% of the time.")

[AuntiePam]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

It sounds like part of the problem is that Tim Olyphant and Ian McShane both want to be free to do movies.

Could be. W. Earl Brown (Dan Dority) has posted on the HBO boards. Those boards are unreadable, but someone at TWOP quoted him, and Brown is saying the problem is money. According to him, Deadwood's expensive, and HBO's CEO is looking to cut costs to save his job.

They film for how long -- maybe three or four months? That gives Olyphant and McShane plenty of time to make movies. According to IMDB, McShane has finished one movie set for a 2006 release, and is filming two others. Olyphant has finished a film set for release in 2007. So they've had time to work on other projects.

But it must cost a small fortune. The extras and the animals in the thoroughfare scenes, Alma's dresses, Joanie's hairpieces, Trixie's torn stockings, Wu's pigs, all those great sets. We need all of that. If they have to strip things down or stay indoors, it won't be as good.

What I'd like to know is whether they're done filming season three. Anybody know?

[AuntiePam]

Here's HBO's response to e-mails asking about cancellation:

"Thank you for writing HBO.

Despite recent articles on the future of our HBO Original series "DEADWOOD", there has been no decision for the future of the series, and conversations regarding a fourth season are ongoing. Since "DEADWOOD" creator David Milch is working on another HBO Original series, we've granted our beloved Deadwood cast the latitude to pursue other projects, for the time being.

We appreciate your interest and hope that you will continue to find HBO to be a source of quality entertainment."

Well, so do I! That's why I wrote!

Am I wrong to be encouraged, since Milch still has a connection with HBO? If they want him to develop more stuff, maybe Deadwood's a bargaining chip?

[RogueRacer]

Originally Posted by AuntiePam

Am I wrong to be encouraged, since Milch still has a connection with HBO? If they want him to develop more stuff, maybe Deadwood's a bargaining chip?

It's sounding like this is more of a negotiating ploy, not a decision to cancel. Which isn't to say that it couldn't still be cancelled. I guess we'll have to make sure that HBO realizes how much we enjoy this show.

[AuntiePam]

Here's the latest, and the first article I've seen that quotes Milch:

"How [expletive deleted] is it that we're not coming back"? asked the show's creator and executive producer, David Milch, on the phone from Los Angeles this week.

With fans of the critically acclaimed western series gearing up for the start of the third season June 11, HBO last week decided not to pick up contractual options that would have obligated the cast to hold off on scheduling outside work that would have interfered with the
production of a fourth season of "Deadwood."

The move effectively puts the kibosh on a fourth season, which likely would have begun production this fall.

"If I were a betting man, which I am, I would say the odds are against ["Deadwood" returning]," Milch said."

There's more to the article, but I can't find the NY Post article to link it, and we're not supposed to quote entire articles here.

Despite this, maybe we can hope that this is HBO's way of cutting costs. They haven't officially cancelled -- they just didn't renew contracts. Maybe Milch's comments are intended to get viewers involved. ??

[RogueRacer]

The last I heard (sorry, no cite) made it sound like some sort of power struggle. Apparently HBO doesn't own all of the DVD rights for Deadwood like they do with say, Rome or Big Love. Now that's an issue for someone somewhere at HBO.

To steal a line from a fellow Doper... this fills me with grrrr! Get it straightened out you mother fucking limber dicked cocksuckers!