I thought she was surprised that he supposedly had mentioned her in his letters home. Seth did bring it up first.
I think you misundertstood what I was saying (or, more likely, I wasn’t clear). While the dialogue soliloquies may be accurate in terms of slang, tone etc. the indivdual soliloquies didn’t seem right to me. Conversations don’t work like that. This was particularly evident in the conversation between Al and Seth. Al would go off on a little rant, then Seth, then Al etc. The pacing was far too formal.
“Friends, Romans, Cocksuckers, lend me your fuckin’ ears!”
My thoughts exactly. Al wants more of that money in Deadwood, where some at least would make its way to him. In his usual subtle manner, he made that point to Bullock.
I hope that squirrelly little shit that shot Charlie and Sol gets his ass whipped pretty soon. It was bush league of Dan and him to jump into the fight just b/c they were in the street. For that matter, I was surprised and disappointed w Dan in this episode, period. It seemed like last season he was starting to develop a conscience and a bit of honor - still a crook/murderer type, but a remotely respectable one. So whats he do? He damn near kills Bullock by shooting him in the back. Sissy.
Possibly the only more disappointing part of the show was Sol packing that wuss-ass Derringer and going to a fight w it. He compounded his error by letting his would-be damsel see that gun - she HAD to lose respect for him on that account. I was hoping he’d pull it on Dan and Dan would start laughing so hard that he’d drop his own gun.
I think Cy has had some serious, serious maternal issues that will come up during the season. That dude does not like women. And is it smart of Bullock to build a house on top of a creek in an area that gets quite a bit of rain?
And the one part of the ‘Rome’ advertisement I saw led me to believe it should be shown on the Spice Channel - not that there’s anything wrong w that.
- Oh, my new tagline. Thanks!
or …
- So now I’m confused. Is Ian McShane starring in HBO’s new series also?
Take your pick.
Word! Especially if he has any of those Army Colts that the deserters traded in last season. A head shot with one of those would be pretty impressive on HD.
Heh - I got the same vibe while watching the show today (it was on too late for me last night). I even said something outloud (to myself) about it. Not that it felt too scripted, or anything, but that there was a very Shakesperean feel to it. I meant it as a compliment. I love this show.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I figured the guy had actually changed gears and was growing a conscience. The only thing I can surmise is that he’s not comfortable anymore because he isn’t the only one in Swearingen’s camp anymore and has to play it hardcore because of the other dude in the picture.
As for Sol, I understand the derringer. He’s not a violent man at all and never figured he’d have to use it (he does have Bullock on his side). He keeps it in the drawer for thieves and such. It must’ve been a dire circumstance for him to take it out of the building.
Actually Sol did a much better job in the series premier.
Didn’t he have Bullock’s back when that lynch mob came for Bullock’s? That’s why I was surprised he only had a derringer.
If Sol had carried a shotgun into the Gem, Swearingen’s men would have killed him on sight. He was trying (badly) to look nonconspicuous, which makes the derringer somewhat more appropriate. I’d think a six-shooter would be a lot more appropriate, but loading up with the BFG would not have been the best move.
BTW, what was up with Swearingen’s guy shooting two men with a shotgun at point blank range, and they both live without much trouble? Was that gun loaded with rock salt or what?
As to the episode itself, count me in as underwhelmed. It was great to be back in Deadwood, but what was sorely, sorely lacking was motivation. Bullock and Swearingen fighting is not an interesting episode unless we know why they’re fighting and what the stakes are. “He looked funny at me” doesn’t cut it.
As to the suggestion above that Swearingen wanted to bust Bullock out of complacency or whatever, that might be interesting if we had the slightest indication that Bullock really was laying down on the job. Since we haven’t seen anything that’s transpired for the better part of a year, that’s an excuse, not motivation.
All that said, I eagerly await next week’s episode. Bullock’s apparent attempt to walk back into the Gem looks ballsy as hell.
One guy jacked Bullock in the back of the head with the butt of a shotgun. The guy who shot was carrying a rifle which looked to be pretty small caliber (not to say that it wouldn’t hurt like a bastard).
These shows almost demand repeat viewings. It’s like you have to get used to the rhythm of the dialogue before you can get all the substance. Particularly since the characters so rarely speak honestly.
Good to have the show back, I loved seeing Swearingen again.
I think we were supposed to get an inkling of that based on Al’s (subtle, so subtle I might be imagining it) complaints that he is spending more time boning the widow than doing his straight and narrow job. I agree that it was not laid out particularly well if that is supposed to be the motivation.
Haven’t had a chance to watch a second time yet, but I thought the motivation for the fight was Al’s open comments about Seth and Alma’s relationship. ?? Maybe I got that from one of the gazillion write-ups that appeared in various newspapers prior to the new season.
Even in the Old West, when people were having sex with just about anything convenient, it would still be improper for a guy like Swearingen to call out the Sheriff in public and accuse him and a woman of some breeding, like Mrs. Garrett, of having an illicit affair, even if it is true. It’s just not polite. Sheriff Bullock had to defend her honor and his. Even if he was doing what Swearingen said. (And vigrorously enough to make paint fall off the ceiling.)
What would be interesting is if Mrs. Garrett starts carrying around a little Bullock inside of her. Presumably, she would have to leave town.
Having just re-watched the premiere, I now agree that Swearingen was motivated by Bullock’s alleged complacency, which is exemplified by his unjustified exoneration of the bar owner for killing the kid whose brother pissed on him the night before. Not that Al gives a damn about pissant law and order, but rather that a man who should be a natural ally in securing Deadwood’s (and hence, Al’s) place in a new political order is too busy banging his girlfriend to stand up where he’s needed.
It now looks to me like Swearingen did not want to fight Bullock at all, but rather to prompt him to take his role more seriously in light of news from the new (non-Deadwood) government. The pivotal line in that respect was when he clearly backed off (saying he might have to rethink his position, IIRC) of his comments about the interchangability of [genetalia] as Bullock was taking off his gun and badge. Too late, but a concession nonetheless. Once Bullock starts the fight, it’s every man for himself, particularly those who happen to have knives in their boots.
And did anybody else think that the only stilted dialogue was between Bullock and Alma (except for the stilted dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Bullock, which was supposed to be stilted)?
I liked it much better the second time around (except for the fact that Sol should be dead after getting shot point-blank by Swearingen’s #3 man), which makes me very hopeful for the rest of the season.
I’m caffeine-impared at the moment, but wasn’t Bullock on the way to the bar where the piss-guy was shot, when Al insulted him?
Yes, but his lack of proper reaction to that shooting exemplified the problems that Al had been seeing. I don’t think anyone is suggesting that particular event is what set Al off on his course of action.
This is the only part I’m not clear about. It’s a perfectly plausible reading, but I think it is also possible that Swearingen was simply intending to make a threat with the knife. His reaction based on seeing the kid favors your interpretation to some degree, but that also may have been a bit of an excuse to back down (as Al may have wanted to do) while putting out the rumor that Al was going to run him through but that the kid threw him off.
My recollection of the first season is fuzzy. I thought it was weird that everyone did notice the gunshot. Weren’t gunshots in the first season commonplace?
He was.
I watched a second time last night. Seth’s motivation for the fight is Al’s comment, in public, about him being “midthrust in other business.”
Seth might also be angry at himself for not being more discreet. Do guys set themselves up for beatings they think they might deserve?
Al doesn’t care what Seth and Alma do privately, but he’s angry that Seth doesn’t use his influence on Alma to keep her gold in Deadwood. It’s her “civic duty”. Plus Al wants Seth to pay more attention to what’s going on with the government, help him with the outsiders.
I think the Al-Dan-Silas triangle will be more interesting to follow than the Seth-Alma-Martha one. 