# Deadwood: 4/17 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825 "2005-04-18T02:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/41 "2005-04-20T14:58:24Z")
**Deadwood** is why the nearly all the rest of the TV landscape sucks. Too much good writing, too much good directing, and too much good acting, when there aren’t nearly enough good writers, good directors nor good actors to fill the primetime schedule. I think _E.B._'s rant was as good as _Al_’s speech, and it got a laugh out of me. The ability to consistently pull grade A performances out of so many journeyman actors makes **Deadwood** true must-see TV. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/42 "2005-04-20T15:26:48Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I just watched the encore tonight and paid special attention to Al’s soliloquy to the box. Another part of the transcript I have to look for. Wonderful writing. And wonderful acting that it comes off as in-character, given that normally Al’s every other word is “fuck.” [The Number of Fucks in Deadwood](http://www.thewvsr.com/deadwood.htm) Jeff Kay, creator of “The West Virginia Surf Report” took it as a personal challenge to keep track of the number of times the word “fuck” is used per episode of “Deadwood”. Having never seen the show, I don’t have anything to add to the discussion but I thought that those of you who follow regularly might enjoy the link. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/43 "2005-04-20T18:01:38Z")
I’m so hooked on this show now, it’s hard to believe I had to \*make \* myself watch the first three, thinking I ought to give it a chance. I still can’t understand half of what they’re saying, but I just watch it twice and all is well. As for Wolcott’s behavior, Cy laid it right out: he thinks Wolcott sought out the beating due to guilt, and Cy offered to hire a guy to kick the shit out of him in private if he has any further urges in that direction, so he doesn’t accidentally get killed. I think Al sees in Merrick himself as a kid. Given the circumstances of his childhood, he had to decide whether to give up and let life fuck him over, or to try to fight back as much as possible. Favorite line: Al descending from Alma’s room, mopping his brow: “She’s some fuck, E.B.” ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/44 "2005-04-20T19:37:37Z")
> [@Al Swearengen](#): > > So including last night, that’s three fucking damage incidents that didn’t kill you. Pain or damage don’t end the world, or despair or fuckin’ beatin’s. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man—and give some back. My new personal credo. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/45 "2005-04-22T12:28:54Z")
Sorry for the late response. I had to tape it this week and just got around to watching this episode, this awesome episode. Best writing in an episode, yet, maybe. Ok, I copied this from the transcript. It’s not even the whole soliloquy, but if the writers of this show aren’t channeling Shakespeare this season, no one ever will. A guy like Ian McShane must just be savoring this stuff. . . > [@Al](#): > > A man, as it happens a rival of mine, learning the secret of a great man’s lieutenant, would make that lieutenant his slave. My rival knows that expanding the circle of the informed, dilutin’ his power, will confound his intention, so he takes precaution to be sole sharer of his secret. (chuckles) Then the world being the world…(drinks) along comes a half-assed knight-errant, Utter, Hickok’s ex-partner, to put all my rival’s plans at risk. I’d seek audience with Utter, verify my thinking. He earns his bread shipping packages. And as the dimwit nobility that made him intercede may now make him reticent, you, Chief, will be my prop and ploy. Whilst I seek to draw him out. I really liked the line when E.B. says to his sub-idiot, “two come this way.” And then, Utter ended up being all over what Al was trying, and Al gives the guy the aside, something like “not every fracas has a victor.” At this point, I can say without exaggeration. . .that I don’t think there’s ever been a TV show as good as Deadwood. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/46 "2005-04-22T15:46:26Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > At this point, I can say without exaggeration. . .that I don’t think there’s ever been a TV show as good as Deadwood. Certainly there has never been a show with better dialogue. Not even close. Each show contains several gems. As someone said earlier, it’s very Shakespearian. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825/47 "2005-04-22T17:23:09Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Certainly there has never been a show with better dialogue. Not even close. Each show contains several gems. As someone said earlier, it’s very Shakespearian. > > Haj True, but beyond that. . . There’s intrigue, love, violence, money, sex, and they’re all intertwined into compelling, believable, well-paced storylines. Nothing else like it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadwood-4-17/299825.md?page=2)