Deadwood – The World According to Al, and Thoughts on Emmys.
I had planned to write something about last night’s Deadwood episode, but I could not possibly have said it better than LeeAnn did.
Speaking of Emmys (Topdawg was in LeeAnn’s comments to the above post), here are my Deadwood Emmy candidates:
Ian McShane as Al Swerengen
William Sanderson as E.B. Farnum “Your repast awaits your mouth.â€
Ray McKinnon as Rev. H.W. Smith – His portrayal of the Rev with creeping madness and physical debilitation brought about a brain tumor makes me physically uncomfortable. Absolutely masterful work.
I think that David Milch, the creator, executive producer, and head writer, also should get an Emmy, as should whomever does the wonderfully grubby costumes.
The season finale, “Sold Under Sin,†will air next week.
My mom refered to Al Swearengen today as a “reverse onion”. He started as a rather one-note evil power figure and added layer after intriguing layer to his character as the series progressed. It says a lot about him, and the writers, that he’s gone from a simple villain to a quasi-sympathetic anti-hero.
But E.B. has taken stuffy pronouncements to an impressive level. And yes, the Reverend is disturbing to watch, yet you can’t look away.
I predict someone will be putting him out of his misery at Al’s behest. And it will be hard to fault Al for it.
Comment by LeeAnn — June 8, 2004 @ 12:02 am
LeeAnn’s Mom (hi!) has certainly called that one right, IMO. And Jim: yep, yep, and yep re: the nominations and the work of Ray McKinnon being hard to watch.
I’ll say it again: This series is unbelievably good; better than most films I have seen/rented/bought the last couple of years.
Note: DW lines have now infected my daily life. I stood at the window yesterday looking out at some activity going on in the street and said, aloud, “I’d like someone to tell me what in f**k is goin’ forward in this camp.”
Dog, in the role of Dan Dority, just blinked at me and continued to pare a piece of fruit with a sharp knife.
Comment by topdawg — June 8, 2004 @ 7:33 am
With all the Hype about being true to history, they missed the fact that REV. Smith was in his 50’s, And he was shot to death after a sunday morning church service. He never went mad from a brain tummer.
Maybe someone at HBO should read the biographies on Google, lol Also according to Google Bio, Wild Bill moved to Deadwood, WITH his wife.
Comment by bob — June 17, 2004 @ 4:23 pm
also, to site other hbo misunderstandings, seth bullock had three daughters, wasn’t married to his brother’s widdow. and fyi there is the “bullock hotel” in deadwood, sd. this was transformed from a hardware store to a 60some room hotel after a fire in the late 1890’s. this being said…i love the show, watch it every sunday (and re-watch it on demand) and am anticipating the return on the 8th.
Comment by amy — March 3, 2005 @ 10:39 pm