|
McNutty posted:Just rewatched it all for the fourth time. Deadwood is such a profoundly important show. While I would never disagree with someone saying The Sopranos is a more vital show in general Deadwood is firmly my favorite show of all time. Sopranos is a show about the end of things, its literally one of the first lines of the show, while Deadwood is about the beginning. Deadwood is clearly, and contrary to its "hard edged western" aesthetic, a show about the power of radical empathy in burgeoning communities. Al Swearengen is obviously the focal point of this thesis and no character, other than Homicide's Frank Pembleton, has ever struck such a resonant chord in me. He defines both the grotesque inhumanity of cis white male oppression, both in how it damages him and his "employees" and the restorative healing that comes from genuine long term community engagement. Capitalism is the greatest villain of the show as exemplified by Hearst, but in general I've never seen anything understand the toxic nature of capital as well as Deadwood. All of the cast is perfect but I draw out special commendations for Brad Dourif's plea to God, Ray McKinnon's almost unbelievably kind portrayal of Reverend Smith, and Robin Weigert as Calamity Jane who never for a second slips into parody. This is a very good post and it's making me want to rewatch Deadwood again even though I watched it all again last year. I can't really rank shows, but thinking of some of the other big ones that have more going on than simply being entertaining like Sopranos or The Wire - they have their criticisms, but in comparison to Deadwood they feel myopic and cynical to me. Deadwood really gets into it, having the overarching conflict of the show being community formation against the interests of capital. You see the various characters and interests in the show picking their sides, or having sides picked for them. It plays into almost everything the show does. I don't think there is another TV show which has been as interested in the positive alternative to individualist pursuit of wealth as Deadwood is. Many shows portray the misery that ideology creates within individuals and their surroundings, but Deadwood really makes it feel like there was a chance here for something far better than what eventually took control. Like you said, the redemptive power of radical empathy in burgeoning communities. Something very good was beginning to happen in Deadwood before it was crushed under Hearst's boot. Not killed, but kept under control and only allowed to operate within the limits of irrelevancy. It's a sad ending for the story but I think anything else would have been dishonest.
|
#
¿
Jul 30, 2022 07:06
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 11, 2024 12:27 |
|
|
I think it's a misread that Deadwood is a particularly bad place which makes people worse. There aren't really any examples of that happening in the show - awful people come, and if they remain awful, they are rejected. Sometimes successfully, sometimes their acceptance is irrelevant like with Hearst who gets what he wants regardless, but everybody hates him. Al on the other hand becomes more and more civilised as the show goes and goes from the ruling crime boss to almost the mayor and patriarch - standards of Deadwood re: violence and theft being what they are. Cy's a counter point to Al because he and Al start off in similar places but Cy rejects the civilising influence of society and he becomes more and more marginalised, desperate for any angle - like when he attempts to court Hearst, who has no need for him and hates him like he hates everybody. If Cy would just make an honest attempt to benefit the town, or at least give it consideration like Al does, he'd be fine, but he's too selfish and short-sighted for that. He's stupid, and legitimately nasty. Al's nastiness is an adaptation to a harsh world and he will use it, but he's happy to put aside when possible, because he's not stupid.
|
|
#
¿
May 5, 2023 21:16
|
|
|
i'd probably read it but i've got two other books i'm enjoying on the go right now so i'm just putting this down as a reminder to myself for when i check this thread again later: david milch has a book
|
|
#
¿
Jul 11, 2023 20:03
|
|