User reviews

When you look up most underrated shows of all-time I guarantee you that you'll find Deadwood near the top of every list you find. This is truly a special show! Deadwood takes place in a fictional mining town in the U. S. post Civil War years. It's a lawless town that attracts people that like it doesn't have organized law and people looking to strike it rich after a huge gold strike. It is more than just a great western show, it's just a flat out great show in general! Everything about it is top notch. It's so good they even had to come back and make a movie over 15 years after it aired! Deadwood is not only on every most "underrated show ever" list that you'll find but you'll also find it on just about every "best show ever" list too. If you're a fan of westerns and looking for a great show to binge then give this a try.

If you want to experience the – real – old west first hand, look no further; you'll find it in 'Deadwood'. There has never been a show or a film that came as close to showing what life must have been like in those lawless young towns that got built nearly over night wherever gold was found. A magnet for all kind of fortune seekers (gold diggers, whores, outlaws – but also settlers who were just hoping to build a better life), the town of Deadwood was notorious even by the standards of the time. In the show, this "cesspool of vice" is brought back to life with great attention to historical detail. You'll find no romanticised view of pioneers who lived and died by "the code of honour", but real people whose moral standards are – in most cases – murky at best. And the world they inhabit is a rough, dirty, violent place where only the fiercest – and the most cunning – survive.

As far as the historical characters depicted in the show are concerned, the writers naturally had to take some liberties (after all, nobody knows exactly who said or did what at the time), but the depiction of the era and the historical background are very accurate. Yet this is not a history lesson; it's an immensely entertaining western-show blessed with some of the best writers and actors working in television and film today – and especially the cast of 'Deadwood' really can't get enough praise: there is not a single performance here that isn't excellent. Of course, the one who steals the show is Ian McShane. His Al Swearengen is one of the most morally complex and fun-to-watch characters I've ever seen (and he misses absolutely no opportunity to show you just what the first five letters in "SWEAR-engen" stand for). The power-struggles in Deadwood he is involved in – and since he wants to maintain his position at the top of the food-chain he's involved in all of them – are equalled in complexity and entertainment value only by those in top-notch shows like 'Game of Thrones', 'House of Cards' or 'Breaking Bad'. And the lengths Al is willing to go to achieve his goals secure him a place in the top ten of "all-time great bad-asses".

So my verdict: While certainly not for the easily offended or those who prefer a "sanitized version" of the old west, 'Deadwood' offers a fascinating look at a time we mostly know from myths and legends and gives us a chance to revisit those and see them from a different angle. Great, intelligent and informative entertainment. 9 stars out of 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

Just re-watched in 2023 after years. The brilliance of Ian Mcshane and Brad Dourif's performances as Al and the Doc continue to shine incandescently.

This remains in my top three shows of all time and casts heavy shade over the ordinariness of the streaming era dross that we trawl through in the vain hope of finding something of genuine quality.

The secondary characters are so well written and so consistent, and the stories of all are engaging. There is no filler and no worthless, disinteresting meandering. It all moves along seamlessly.

If you don't mind occasional swearing, if you rated Yellowstone, give this a watch to experience real quality.

Perfect is a word that should pretty much never be used. Yet, this series Deadwood is indeed perfect (in my opinion of course).

The long-awaited movie sadly doesn't meet the original series' tenacity or energy, As perfect as the series is, it too sadly fell prey to being cancelled before its time. Anyone who's watched it in full will know what I'm talking about, but anyone yet to watch it, I won't spoil it for you.

I watched Deadwood when it was originally airing back in 2004, when I was 15, and often found it hard to understand everything they were saying lol, due to it's Shakespearean eloquence that for many native English speakers requires English subtitles. I revisited the series in 2014 when friends of a friend starting talking about it, and so that late friend of mine (God rest his soul) and I re-watched it all on his projector screen, and we couldn't stop laughing and cussing and using the term "cocksucka!" in every other sentence of our every day conversations, haha!

I'm re-watching the first episode as I type out this review, and my god is it truly awesome.

Deadwood truly is a special show! It is more than just a great western show, it's just a flat out great show in general! Everything about it is top notch. It's so good they even had to come back and make a movie over 15 years after it aired! Deadwood is on just about every "best show ever" list that you can find for a reason...because it is!

This stands out for me as one of the best series I have ever seen hit the small screen. The attention to detail,story and character is second to none. Deadwood is brought to life by the good, the bad and the very ugly- with some of the most wonderfully theatrically profane, but ultra-realistic dialogue of any western. True, you could question some of the dialogue for exactly how accurate it is to the time it is set- but it sounds absolutely convincing in the world they have managed to build. Lets face it- not too many Westerns even bothered all that much in the first place! The 3 series have impeccable standards of production, weaving some of the real historical events of the time into a fictional Old West testament. The degradation, ill manners, costumes, dirt, mud and profanities are all present and accounted for.

Aside from the "real" characters we know of from Deadwood (Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and even the Sheriff Bullock), we have some of the most unsavoury villains of the time as well.

The various stories, historical events and personal issues of the characters interweave with no discernible template or pattern to formalise the show. The only thing that is certain in the old West is that where the desire for excess, fortune and greed are combined, human nature will see to the rest.

Stand out performances are plentiful in this series- but Ian McShane is incredible, a true tour-de-force, a foul-mouthed, back-stabbing bad ass villain- who manages to humanise a repellent character in Al Swearengen.

As the series wore on, the writers broadened his character and nature a little more so it was unavoidable but to side with him- even agree with his nastiest ideas.

This was not a compromise or sell-out of the principally dark natured and notoriously ill-tempered brothel owner! "Sparks" of humanity seem to have warmed his character, particularly from his confrontations with the flint-like moral code & core of Sheriff Bullock (Timothy Olyphant). However, even Bullocks is prone to questionable actions, as he wrestles with his own conscience to resolve things in a "civil" way, or resort to a pistol-whipping to get the job done.

If you have never seen this- look out for repeats or go buy the box sets and enjoy the best Western experience ever made. My only regret is that its all over after 3 series (apart from a couple of 2 hour specials they plan to make to round it off.) Short but ever so sweet!!

Absolutely superb. I don't think I've ever given anything a 10/10 before, but for a TV show, Deadwood is excellent - and given the crap we're generally subjected to on the box, absolutely outstanding. The sets, the research, the directing, the characters, the acting - all shine. And without wanting to sound gushy, the script is close to Shakespearian in its prosaic yet pragmatic tone. The juxtaposition of the grit and dirt and blood of the real 'Wild West' with formal Victorian language is genius. Even the opening credits are beautiful. It may not be everyone's cup of tea (the language and content can be a little 'strong' although entirely appropriate and in context) but anyone who's a fan of quality entertainment, shouldn't go past it.

Hands down the best show ever written! Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Wire are fantastic, well written shows as well but Deadwood beats them all hands down. The Deadwood movie premieres tomorrow night. I'm sure it won't disappoint.

Don't get me wrong, there have been great westerns to come before Deadwood, but none of them really got it right. There is just a reality that some people aren't willing to deal that after 50 years of our history being whitewashed through film and TV, we're finally starting to see the truth. David Milch has done his research and discovered the wonderfully bizarre contradiction of languages used in the old west. Watching the cast of Deadwood converse with a combination of old world English laced with profanity straight from the gutter is incredible and feels right for the first time. Where do people think our language came from? People always want to think that they were the first to do something, when things like profanity, substance abuse and prostitution have been around since before man walked erect.

Along with the incredible dialog and storytelling, David Milch has introduced possibly the greatest character to ever come to TV or film...Al Swearengen. Ian McShane plays Al with the same intense conviction and truth that the character himself lives by. In Al's world things are black and white and never apologizes for a second for living his life by a strict code of morals of his own making. I don't think we've ever seen a character go from crying after a mercy killing to watching a murder he orchestrated stone faced.

This is indeed a special show that is continuing to pave the way for the facts of our history to finally be told with truth...Instead of the whitewashing we've seen our whole lives to make us feel better about ourselves.

Ian McShane as the evil Al has established himself as one of the greatest actors of the moment and of the time. He's up there with Pacino, DeNiro and Keitel. The magnificent writing and directing of Deadwood support him completely in mesmerizing the audience. This is for my money the finest work being done on television today. The show has a sure moral compass and a daring to take the violence to the level of Shakespeare or the Greek Tragedy while maintaining verisimilitude with brilliant dialogue and perfect art and set direction, as well as a flawless supporting cast each of whom engages us immediately and convincingly no matter how intimate or distant the focus might be. I can't get enough of this show. I want to see it all in reruns, to cherish it later on DVD. Each episode is fresh and surprising and at times astonishing. But Ian McShane steals the show, no question of it. His face is profoundly expressive and his lines are so marvelous that some of them surely must be ad lib. The guy's a scoundrel but my heart's breaking for him. The Season Finale was the single greatest television drama I've ever seen. We have here a villain who isn't morally bankrupt. And thank heaven, we have a show runner and a writer who isn't morally bankrupt either. Bravo!! I've run out of superlatives. Please, more. And more. And more.

Deadwood is my favorite television drama of all time. I can't think of another show with such depth, complexity and humanity. Throughout its original run I was consistently surprised and impressed. I return to the series every few years, and my fondness for it just grows. Every performance on this show is a revelation. It has the most consistently talented ensemble cast I've ever seen. My only regret is that it was cancelled before it came to a proper resolution.

Deadwood is the Apex of the western genre. It is absolutely the best series ever written, acted and directed. The character development is simply astonishing. Gritty, realistic, and true to life this series most likely will never be topped in many categories. Al Swearengen represents probably, the greatest character in TV series history. Ian McShane is simply magnificent in unraveling a complex character over the course of the series to be not what you think he is at the beginning to who he really is as a man. I've watched Deadwood 10 times and still enjoy every minute and unravel new things about the complexities of human nature each time I watch this magnificent series.

I watched DEADWOOD during its original run and have been evangelizing it, and regularly revisiting it ever since. For a series that I originally thought to be "Excellent", it's astounding to me how much newness and elevated greatness I find in the series with each subsequent revisit over the years. The success, and beauty of this story telling is the community that is "Deadwood". Creator David Milch set out to tell a story about a burgeoning civilization and in his quest to do so, unlocked a universal beauty, an absolute truth, community begets family, begets, progress begets endless storytelling. The never meant to be final third season is peppered with promise of future connections and stories that we never got to see. This writer would personally have been delighted to see how supporting characters John Langrishe further worked his way into the council of elders. Or, the continuance of dear, defensive Charlie Utter's coming to understanding, and cracking a smile when dealing with Al's heavy seconds at the Gem. Growth and build are constants in this story. I would have loved to have seen more of it. I would have loved if it never ended.

Watching an Old West movie is fine but if you truly want to go in depth; the very core of the everyday life of a COWBOY, please looks no further, DEADWOD is your destination. From the moment the sheriff made the move along with his partner to that small little town, you could anticipate the drama coming. I would like to praise all the actors who tool part in this special project, a masterpiece of events after on anther. Imagine combining the adventures of Josie Wells with True Grit boom, instant impact, some characters will have you latching on to them, but please understand that you will be surprised, so please try to enjoy each episodes with attentive care. I'm hoping that they find a way to reboot this show again in the near future.

I felt I needed to write after reading the comment made of the show. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but the individual the wrote the comment "Falls Short" does not know anything. I live in Deadwood and with the exception of stuff added by Hollywood to quicken the story it is quite close to our history. None of the characters are fictional, the all lived at one time. I admit the show in vulgar but cleans up as the show continues and the town grows from a miner's camp to a town. Don't let the first few episodes scare you off. The show is very good and quite close to the truth. If you like old west history you will love Deadwood.

I'd been hearing about Deadwood from my friends for some time and figured they must be wrong; nothing could be that good. Guess what?... I was wrong! Deadwood is without doubt the most enjoyable series I have ever watched. It's gritty, course, violent and foul, that's what makes it great. I have a brother who worked in mining camps in Canada in the 1970's. When one camp was being struck they found three bodies of guys that had never been missed! He reckons Deadwood is right on the mark. The quality of script and acting is top-shelf. The fact that (allowing for the necessary poetic license needed ) it is a true story makes it absolutely fascinating. I have no hesitation in recommending this wonderful series to anyone.

If you want an antidote to the overblown and hyped up garbage that poisons the box nowadays then David Milch's "Deadwood" is sure to be the perfect remedy.

Milch's scope is nothing short of breathtaking, coupled with absolutely brilliant writers and the fantastic direction (Walter Hill did a great job with the pilot) this show stands head and shoulders above practically everything else on TV.

The real ace up the sleeve for "Deadwood" though lies in it's characters, all of whom are developed to the point where it's seemingly impossible not to care about them despite how you may feel. Performances are also almost uniformly excellent with special praise having to be given to a select few who really take acting to new extremes.

Ian McShane in particular stands out as the charismatic and ruthless "villian" of the piece Al Swearengen, right up there with Tony Soprano as one of the greatest television characters of all time. McShane absolutely knocks it out of the park, taking Al's initial despicable nature whilst gradually adding layers of humanity to create a spellbinding performance.

William Sanderson also excels as the sleazy yet compelling E.B. Farnum, a strange character who haunts his scenes with a foreboding and sometimes unwanted presence that becomes uncomfortable when the viewer is unaware of his intentions, an incredible performance.

Finally Garrett Dillahunt gives a tour de force as not one but TWO characters, both of which couldn't be more different from each other, Dillahunt grunges himself down and completely disappears into both roles to a frighteningly convincing degree.

First of those being the infamous Jack McCall, Dillahunt captures the insecure and ruthless nature of the assassin with a perfect balance, chewing up his scenes with a delightfully overstated performance. He perfectly underplays his second character however and gives an equally terrific performance as the cutthroat Francis Wolcott, with an intimidating presence and an educated outlook (which was an intimidation of it's own back then) he yet again steals most of his scenes.

The most important character however is ultimately Deadwood itself, starting as a tiny prospector's camp the small settlement flourishes and grows along with the characters before your very eyes throughout the series as law and order comes to Deadwood, as the characters decrease in power and status, Deadwood rises.

One of the best shows to have ever been put on our screens, then the gremlins who supposedly know "good shows" went and cancelled it, they did the same thing with Arrested Development (which ironically also lasted only three seasons with talk of a film soon) guess the idiots in charge decided people wanted to see more Skins and CSI on the tube instead.

10/10...Like a great novel.

I've been a fan of HBO since I saw Band of Brothers on Dutch television. Unfortunately, the Dutch television companies don't know anything about good programming. Most television series are cut short during the season so that the second part of the season can be shown the next year. Sometimes when they stop mid season, the rest of the episodes aren't shown at all and they start all over again. This is one of the reasons that I don't watch series on Dutch television. I usually rent or borrow the DVD's. Although we get to see most popular HBO series (Carnivàle, Sopranos, Six Feet Under) I never watch them on television. Although I'd never seen the show, I decided to buy the DVD after reading some reviews. Thank God I did!

Deadwood is a very very good show. The setting of this drama is the town in the title. Deadwood is a town where there is no law and where anything goes. Seth Bullock, sheriff in Montana and his partner Sol Star, decide to leave Montana and depart for Deadwood after hanging their last prisoner. When arriving in Deadwood they set out to buy some property so that they can build their hardware store. Before they've actually purchased the ground, you've met all characters including E.B. Farnum (hotel owner), Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. This show's strong point is its character driven storyline. The characters are so well cast that you have no problem accepting them. The foul mouth of Al Swearengen, the short temper of Bullock or the preaching's of the reverend are features that you'll come to love. All characters have certain features that you love about them, even the bad guys. In addition, all characters have certain features you really hate, even the good guys.

This show is so well written that you'll be on the edge of your seat with suspense or you'll be laughing your ass off because of the brilliant and funny lines. An example; Commissioner Jarry has been imprisoned to keep him safe from a mob. Calamity Jane is guarding him.

Jarry: I'm thirsty! Jane: Lie on your back, take aim and p!ss!

This show has so many great lines that it is hard to pick a favorite. One thing people might not like about the show is the amount of swearing. Some may think it's too much but I'm not bothered by the amount of swearing. Most great lines are delivered with a couple of swear words and yes you'll get used to the swearing and I found myself even using some of them on my friends... Euhmm, anyway, about the language, some may also have problems following the show because of the use of Western Period English. My native tongue is Dutch and although my English is pretty good (don't have to watch movies with subs :P) I had a hard time following the show without the English subtitles. I don't have problems with the English itself, but a lot of the dialogue is very specific for the period. Words like, Hooplehead, Squarehead and sentences like "My bicycle masters boardwalk and quagmire with aplomb" got me stumped for a while. Just turn on the subtitles or you might miss some of the amazing dialogue.

One last thing about this show. The last episode of season 1 has to be the best finale to a season I've ever seen! Sold Under Sin is so good you'll certainly shed a tear.

This show is brilliant! Just, brilliant!

10 out of 10 stars.

Someone has claimed to be a Deadwood resident and that the characters of Deadwood actually existed.

Some of them did, true.

Seth Bullock is probably fairly accurately portrayed. His wife was Martha Bullock (his childhood sweetheart, not his brother's widow). They had a daughter (Madge), not a son. His partner Sol Star also existed and the characterization is probably fairly accurate.

Albert W. Merrick, Tom Nuttall and Reverend Smith are all real characters. Each's history is dramatically misrepresented in the series. Con Stapleton also actually existed... he was elected Sheriff (not appointed by Swearengen).

Johnny Burns and Dan Doherty (not Dority as the show spells it) existed and worked for Swearengen, and yes, Al Swearengen existed (but he wasn't born in England - nor is the Gem accurately portrayed).

Calamity Jane, Hickok, and Charlie Utter were all real people and probably fairly accurately portrayed (except that Utter was fastidious in real life). So is Jack McCall.

Wyatt Earp did come to Deadwood. For one week. Is his portrayal accurate? Unlikely.

E.B. Farnum was a real character. His portrayal is definitely not accurate.

Samuel Fields was a real person, but not likely to have been much like the character in the show.

George Hearst was a real person too. The show takes great liberties with known facts in how Hearst is portrayed, and the same is probably true of the portrayal of John Langrishe (Langrishe temporarily operated out of the Bella Union, not a bordello). Aunt Lou also existed, but she didn't work for Hearst.

Fictional Characters:

Cy Tolliver (Tim Miller owned the Bella Union) Alma Garret Doc Cochran (possibly the amalgamation of a couple of camp MDs) Joanie Stubbs (possibly the amalgamation of a couple of madams)

Many others.

As for the language, anyone who thinks that it is accurate? Isn't thinking very well. In an environment without law, people would tend to be very polite rather than overly obscene. Historic evidence from the era does indicate that obscenities of the time were in common use between people who were comfortable with each other. Between those who didn't? Saying the wrong thing could get someone killed. And did. An armed society is a polite society. This was an armed society. Idiocy like Swearengen's "F*** You" to Seth Bullock not long after meeting him? Is the kind of stupidity that would have got him killed. The real Al Swearengen lived a fairly long life. He was a brutal man. He was not stupid.

Deadwood is a mix of history and fiction for entertainment's sake. Anyone who thinks it reflects the reality of frontier life, or of historic Deadwood is kidding themselves. It's entertaining. Take it at that.

I read about this for years before being able to get a hold of a copy of the DVD set (first season), and how wonderful and unique and groundbreaking it was. Gee, what a letdown! There is nothing special or even original in this series, except perhaps for using the "f" word three times in every sentence. Unless you are a very juvenile type, this gets mind-numbingly boring after a few episodes. (Interviews with Mr. Milch, who swears about as much as his main characters, suggests that he is referencing his own behavior and not the norms of the Old West.)

The REAL Deadwood was a fascinating place that existed for a very brief time, before becoming a sort of ghost town tourist attraction. Some traditional westerns show the violent action set in places that eventually grew into sober, stable cities and towns -- not the case here. That sense that Deadwood is doomed is entirely lost in translation, though.

Is the profanity realistic? (The DVD even features a short documentary talking a bit about this.) In my opinion, NO. While rough miners and brothel owners undoubtedly used profanity in 1876, it was not identical to the profanity we use today. The "f" word dates back to the Shakespearean era (if not earlier), but it was used as a verb to describe sexual activity and NOT as an adjective, modifying literally every noun. This is entirely a modern adaptation of that word. As such, it is as out of place in 1876 as cell phones and i-pods.

There WAS a lot of profanity, but what was considered profane in the 19th century were phrases like "god damn" or "blast" or "tarnation" -- seriously, those were heavy duty, obscene swear words.

Another problem I have is with the depiction of women -- and I mean how they are dressed. (For the record, I studied both fashion and historical costume at the university level, with the intent of being a curator at a fashion museum.) Modern day filmmakers have long had a problem with the fact that prior to the present era (post 1960s), virtually all adult women wore their hair UP. The modern fashion of long, loose hair simply did not exist -- it would have been stranger to see a woman with her hair all about than to see her walking down the street naked. Part of the reason was that nobody had the resources (detergent soaps, unlimited hot water) to wash their hair on a daily basis as we do today. Nor did they have hair dryers! Washing one's hair meant taking many hours to let it dry -- and possibly in cold or windy weather...it would have been impossible.

Look at photos from the era: every woman, even whores, are wearing hair elaborately styled UP, often greasy looking to our modern eyes, but firmly arranged with lots of hair pins. Most women wore hats in public -- most men, too. It entirely ruins a period film for me when women are shown with long loose contemporary hair, not to mention things like eye makeup and lip gloss. Bad form and certainly not within the "ultra realistic" premise of "Deadwood".

On top of that, all the women depicted are rail thin, per the present desire for a very thin body. However, that style is fairly recent, and would have seemed very bizarre to anyone from the 19th century -- this was the absolute era of plump, curvy, corseted women (fat by our odd standards). Of course, some individual women were thin, perhaps sickly or even consumptive, but this would NOT be considered attractive.

I could go on -- no woman would have appeared on the public streets undressed, in short garments exposing her bare legs, in underwear, etc. -- not even a whore. (If you look at actual photos of 19th century prostitutes, they are wearing normal, if gaudy, clothing.) Any community of Deadwood's size (about 10,000) would have had some children. Where there are women, even whores, there are going to be babies -- that's simple biology. Birth control was non-existent at the time, and yes, prostitutes did get pregnant.

Basically, this is a stupid, badly researched show made largely for the kind of childish audience that thrives on potty mouth stuff like South Park, where genuine humor and cleverness is undone by a constant need to use shock swear words (in that case, coming out of the mouths of cartoon kids). On the positive side, some excellent performers, including the rightly praised Ian MacShane as Swearingen (based on a real life Deadwood resident, but how lame is it to take a character with such a name and have him "swear" a lot???), the excellent Powers Boothe, and Keith Carradine in one of his very best roles.

This would have been vastly better as a trimmed down, four-to-six hour mini-series...with swearing and costumes true to the era. A wasted opportunity and vastly overpraised. Don't bother to subscribe to cable for this -- I got the DVD set at my library for free.