The Shows We Love, part II

So at the moment we are watching the latest season of The Tudors, as well as wrapping up the latest Heroes season. We are also following Castle, Lost, and Dollhouse, as well as Fringe and Legend of the Seeker. Waiting on the next season of Dexter, True Blood, Burn Notice, and the new series of Caprica next year. Among others which I might have forgotten, since we follow so many.

In my spare time I watch older shows that I didn't catch the first time around. I'm in season 7 of Stargate: SG-1, but I watch that one by myself. And recently I decided to watch Deadwood, which I didn't watch the first time around because I was too busy with Rome.

I'm enthralled. Deadwood was an amazing show. I've only got a few episodes left in season 3, and I know it's the end of it because the show was cancelled, but I've been in awe over the acting and the dialogue since day one. Of particular note is Bard Dourif's epic rant at God in the end of season 1, when he is questioning God's motives for letting the preacher man live on despite his tumor, and remembering the cries on the battlefield when he served in the Civil War. His screams as he remembers the man crying out for his mother, "Mommy, mommy, they shot my leg off!" was simply breath-taking. I literally watched the scene twice because I was so moved by his performance. In all actuality I have to say it ranks in my top 3 performances of all time.

However, Ian McShane's role is simply beyond words. This is a character you love to hate, and hate to love. His dead-pan delivery of dialogue and the dry wit infused behind the most convoluted sentences laced with "fucks" and "cocksuckers", is simply a wonderment to behold. The speeches he gives while on the receiving end of a blowjob by the whores in his employ are enough to leave my jaw hinged wide. Here is an actor worthy of the title.

A lot of people have given offense over the amount of language in the film, but you have to consider the fact that it's a modern interpretation of the language back then. It was a lawless camp, not a civilized city or town, and it sounded corny to have the characters talking in period speech, using "goldarn" and otherwise. Instead, they updated it to a more modern variety, so that the modern audience would understand the nature of the camp, and the vulgarity of it all. The sheer rawness of the Wild West, the ruthlessness, the lack of human decency.

I have to say that Deadwood is ranking in my top 5 favorite shows of all time. Maybe even my top three. I have sat here and poured through the first two seasons in a matter of days during my spare time and I have been in awe the entire time. While many of the actors give standard performances, those given by Brad Dourif, Ian McShane, and William Sanderson are way beyond average. Sanderson's personal discussions while in character as E. B. Farnum are a dizzying wonder to watch as the character wanders from self-musing to loathing of the townsfolk, and McShane's character of Al Swearengen clearly carries the show. As for Brad Dourif, I honestly think this is one of his crowning achievements as an actor. He's done a lot of guest spots over the years, but I have never seen him act with such vigor as on this show. I'm tempted to see if I can find a way to contact him and write a message of adulation because I've been awe-struck by his scenes here.

In any case, what an amazing show.