Oh did anyone catch what Sol said to Trixiethrough the window? I got “I bought the house. But that doesn’t-” Then I couldn’t make out what he said.
I think it was ‘…that doesn’t mean we have to live together’ or something along those lines.
I thought it was more like “I don’t have to live in it”…
But as noted above, if you look at it from Hearst’s POV, it definitely looks like Bullock is Al’s man. Or at the very least has a measure of influence and control over him. Which actually appears to be true, in a limited fashion - Bullock seems to accept Al’s superior strategic ability ( as well he should ). But while from our vantage point it seems likely that Al would be treading over a line in trying to use Bullock to manipulate Alma, Hearst may not be familiar enough with either of them to figure out just how complex their alliance of convenience is.
For one example, Bullock tips his hand about his affair and starts beating down E.B. and Herst witnesses that it’s Al who is summoned and arrives gets him under control with a shout. Al comes out of his meeting with Hearst beaten and bloody and Hearst witnesses that it’s Bullock that is the first to meet him and is rather obviously restrained by Al.
To Hearst, Bullock probably seems to be just another of Al’s agent. A volatile, autonomous one, perhaps. But from Hearst’s standpoint, possibly amenable to manipulation in Hearst’s favor via Al.
- Tamerlane
That makes so much sense. Thanks.
What you said illustrates the brilliance of the writing. Whenever you think you’ve found a plot hole, or that a character is doing something improbable – there’s an explanation.
Wonderful episode. Just saw it on “In Demand” tonight so I didn’t get any spoilers. So is this the last season?
Yes, however two two-hour films have apparently been approved to finish out the storylines.
- Tamerlane
Maybe I’m stating the obvious here, but everyone does realize that the two guys Al killed this week are the same two that killed the Cornishman last week, right?
You remember last week, Al demanded Hearst placate him - make up for staging the murder in his joint. So Hearst sends the guilty men over there, telling them to start trouble, so they’re not suspicious. They think they’re just going over to cause more trouble at Al’s place. But behind their back, Hearst sends Al the cryptic map which, if he can figure it out, will allow him to settle things between them. This is a very sweet setup since it not only gets the murderers off Hearst’s hands, but allows him to take futher measure of Al, while leaving his own hands completely spotless.
You’ll notice that when they were first puzzling over the map, Al says the Xs represent “the murderers,” and when Al and Hearst started their conversation, Hearst said something about how he hoped Al was now fully placated. It was that last line that made it all click in my head. Great writing.
That’s gotta be it smeghead. Nice pick up.
That’s would also explain why Al made a big deal about the two extra guys who didn’t draw.
Yeah. Al saw through what was going on and figured out those two had been sent to observe and report.
Yeah, the two guys who didn’t draw were there to keep an eye the sacrifices. The sacrifices probably thought the other guys were backup. That’s cold-blooded, innit?
I don’t understand what’s to keep Al from having Hearst killed.
Hearst, being the big shot that he is, has no boss back home to seek retribution. I gathered that was the reason noone wanted to mess with his agent.
Why not kill Hearst and whatever top flunky’s he has with him and let Gabriel’s horn produce them…?
I think that it’s just a sense that killing a person who is somewhat famouse and respected would bring much un-needed attention to Deadwood. They’re already worried about Yankton annexing them.
Further, it doesn’t look like Hearst is necessarily easy to get to.
Interesting interplay between Alma and Seth. Seth makes it hard to like him but I still think that, fundamentally, he’s one of the better people of Deadwood.
Al and Seth are interesting. Al does not talk to Seth the way he talks to Johnny or even Adams. Of course, none of them nearly beat him to death the way Seth did.
Very good season so far, very good indeed.
…nobody cares that I explained it nearly 20 posts ago? Sad times.
I appreciated your explanation.
Smeghead was being complimented on noticing a detail not in your explanation, which was that the two guys were the ones who killed the cornishman.
The writers aren’t fudging too much with actual historical characters, like Hearst. They’ve deviated from history with Seth and Sol’s personal lives, and with Rev. Smith in season one, but they aren’t going to make huge changes, like killing them off.
If Hearst dies in Deadwood, there’s no Citizen Kane. 
Because the LAW back East would care about Hearst getting killed. You’d have Marshalls in Deadwood within days. And since Al already has a warrant for his arrest for murder. Why would Al want to bring that trouble to bear?
…I thought that went without saying.
Not for some of us Hooples. I didn’t recognize Mr. Parp until the third viewing. And I’m just now deciphering some of the dialogue, thanks to the on-line transcripts.
And isn’t this poetry?
“I come in April to sell a string of horses
and try my luck in the streams.
What I got for the stock
I lost at the wheel,
and the flake I washed up
I drank the fuck away.
I don’t know as I’ll get home at all.
I sold my boots.
I owe $9 to a whore.”
That’s good enough to be set to music. Where’s Hank Williams when you need him?
And then he died of a broken neck. If that isn’t the definition of pathos, I don’t know what is.