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'Deadwood' gets a 4th season!

steveo21

By steveo21
in The Tailgate

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steveo21

steveo21

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David Milch is saddling up for a fourth season of "Deadwood."

HBO is nearing a deal with the creator-exec producer to lock up the western for another go-round, several months before the third season hits the air.

Production, in fact, is still under way on season three's 12-episode batch, which is slated to bow in June.

Premiere had originally been scheduled for March, but was pushed back to make room for frosh dramedydramedy "Big Love," about a polygamist, played by Bill PaxtonBill Paxton, and his wives. HBO execs are hoping to give "Love" a boost by pairing it with the network's strongest lead-in: the hotly anticipated sixth season bow of "The Sopranos."

Last fall, paybox signed Milch to a two-year production deal that called for him to continue work on "Deadwood" and develop projects for the cablercabler. He's at work on a police drama based on the real-life experiences of his "NYPD Blue""NYPD Blue" collaborator Bill Clark.

Second season of "Deadwood" averaged 5.7 million viewers per episode (over multiple airings). Milch exec produces with Mark Tinker and Gregg D. Fienberg.

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Brave

Brave

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Got a little tired of this show in about the middle of the 2nd season. Didn't even watch the last 2 episodes. Don't know why ... I really liked season 1.

I cannot wait for season 4 of The Wire, though. That's been my favorite show on HBO since about season 2 of the Sopranos.

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Tarhog

Tarhog

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If they fix the incredibly stitled dialogue, I'm interested. Otherwise, I'm not that psyched.

I love Deadwood :)

Great characters, no matter the dialogue. Just my opinion though. The wife refuses to watch it because of the language. Thats a shame in my book - I think its a fascinating show.

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iheartskins

iheartskins

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I love Deadwood :)

Great characters, no matter the dialogue. Just my opinion though. The wife refuses to watch it because of the language. Thats a shame in my book - I think its a fascinating show.

Sweringen is a fantastic character and by far the most interesting. If it weren't for him that show would fall apart, IMO. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for Western shows, especially those with high production value (such as HBO is famous for). But I've found the dialogue to take it a little too far. The way that people converse strikes me either as sentimential historical fallacy or if, authentically reflecting how people spoke, then too real. I just can't get my head around people speaking in that way. To be clearer than I was initially, I'm not talking about the foul language as much as

the fact that people just seem to be exchanging monologues.

And the Sheriff character is a little too one-dimensional for my taste.

I'm still going to tune in, it's just takes a little more suspension of disbelief than I'd like. :)

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Tarhog

Tarhog

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Sweringen is a fantastic character and by far the most interesting. If it weren't for him that show would fall apart, IMO. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for Western shows, especially those with high production value (such as HBO is famous for). But I've found the dialogue to take it a little too far. The way that people converse strikes me either as sentimential historical fallacy or if, authentically reflecting how people spoke, then too real. I just can't get my head around people speaking in that way. To be clearer than I was initially, I'm not talking about the foul language as much as

the fact that people just seem to be exchanging monologues.

And the Sheriff character is a little too one-dimensional for my taste.

I'm still going to tune in, it's just takes a little more suspension of disbelief than I'd like. :)

I know you're no prude :) And I actually got what you were referring to. The show is almost 'Shakespearean' in the diaglogue. In fact, I've struggled to enjoy the Bard for almost the same reason - struggling to follow exactly what is being said at times. And its especially bad with some characters. EB Farnum, for example, is almost impossible to follow. I also find a couple of the characters a little tiresome. How many times can you watch Trixie smoke, and prepare to have sex before it gets old? :)

I really enjoyed watching Tolliver get his due though :) And I think Bullock and Swearengen are two of the coolest characters to come to a TV screen in a longtime - particularly because its never been absolutely clear who the protagonist is supposed to be.....

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iheartskins

iheartskins

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I really enjoyed watching Tolliver get his due though :) And I think Bullock and Swearengen are two of the coolest characters to come to a TV screen in a longtime - particularly because its never been absolutely clear who the protagonist is supposed to be.....

That's actually a fantastic point. It's still totally ambigious who we are supposed to root for. I have to admit I'm partial to Swearangen ("S") because I think he's a better actor and just has had a much more interesting role in the show thus far. Bullock's ("B") infidelity I found more distateful than S's whoring--I guess because I expect as much from S given the fact that he runs a whore house and he seems to fit the part generally. With B, I felt like he was going against what he knew was right when he cheated with the widow, which while interesting as a concept, made me a little disappointed with his character.

I guess that, in part, how I feel reveals how I, like, I think, a lot of people, am more sympathetic to "bad" people who show a little good than "good" people that show a little "bad." I think this tendency shows itself in they way that people tend to root for the "bad" people to do the "right" thing, but they aren't discouraged when the "bad" people don't because one can always allocate the "bad" people's regression to the fact that they are "bad"--which is at least inconsistent with our feeling when they do something good (which makes us question whether they are actually "bad," and maybe, in fact are actually "good.") With "good" people, the only thing that comes from any bad acts is judgment--pure and simple.

One scene where I was rooting for S was when he made it clear to one of his hands, (the actor who sort of looks like TK :)), that the hand was important to him and his loyalty meant something. And I think that sentiment is always there: a sense that S is actually very loyal to his people, even if it annoys him at times.

Now that you got me talking about it, I realize how I actually do really like the show. :)

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PleaseBlitz

PleaseBlitz

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Tarhog and Iheart, that is one of the best and most intelligent descriptions of a television show i have ever heard.

My opinion of Deadwood: I love that ****ing show, c***suckers!

ps I edited that last word myself, the real thing WOULD have gotten past the filters, I previewed my post to make sure. :)

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Tarhog

Tarhog

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Tarhog and Iheart, that is one of the best and most intelligent descriptions of a television show i have ever heard.

My opinion of Deadwood: I love that ****ing show, c***suck**s

You always did remind me a little of Jane :)

Now pass that bottle.

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spanishomelette

spanishomelette

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Swearingen trying to pass that kidney stone was quite enjoyable ..yeeeeeoowcha.. I'm curious to see how the Swearingen/Bullock alliance works out.

I had no judgement to render on Bullock for his indiscretion as he took his late brother's wife, and really hadn't had the chance to solidify this new family situation. Then he happens upon someone else's widow in near vicinity who fancies him no less, and he forgets himself and does what comes natural. Perhaps he's as close as anyone can get to a paragon of virtue in a town called Deadwood.

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Bang

Bang

Posted
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Yes, and let's not forget how much of a certified BADASS Bulluck is.

Dragged Hearst off to jail like a five year old. :laugh:

I love this season. Last year kind of bogged down a bit, but man, this year is just great.

~Bang

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skinstzar

skinstzar

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Very good show! That eye popping out was pretty intense scene.

Next weeks show looks good as well.

Oh, and what is up with Elssworth turning her down? :doh:

That and I think he holds out feelings for a lost love. He never really took to the whores before Mrs. Garrett came along. What happened to Elsworth's dog?

Deadwood is by far the best show on television. The sharp witted dialogue and extremely non meticulous violence are always entertaining. Throw in characters that really existed and you've got a combination for success. HBO is the Utopia of television and Deadwood sits on the thrown.

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Cool Hand Loki

Cool Hand Loki

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This is my favorite show. The freedom HBO has given Milch is incredible, and the result is the best writing that's ever graced the small screen. The dialogue is transcendently good; I actually enjoy having to watch an episode two or three times to catch all the profane beauty.

Several of the actors on the show post on the HBO message boards, and they have tons of fascinating things to add. Here is W. Earl Brown's (Dan Dority's) account of how the fight was planned/executed:

The Fight

Posted: Jul 10, 2006 4:31 PM (4015 of 4069) Report

I've been away from a computer for several days, and once I finish typing this, I will be away for several more. So, to answer numerous questions/comments I've read in the past 1/2 hour:

The fight was created by basically five people: Mike Watson (stunt choreographer), Dan Minahan (Director), David Milch, Alan Graf, and me.

Ken Clark was my stunt double, Derrick Graf was Alan's. They were used in the long shots where Hearst/Al were watching from their balconies. In tight shots, they did the roll through the tables where the glass was breaking and they did the back flip over the meat table. Otherwise, it was Alan and I rolling through the muck.

Milch had three parameters for the fight: 1) must be realistic -- "No Cowboy roundhouses, flying through ****ing plate glass" 2) the audience must never be allowed to draw their breath, just when they think it is going to ease up, it escalates in intensity. 3) "I want something I've never seen before"

We rehearsed for three days and created the fight. We'd toss in suggestions, try things out. I can't remember who exactly suggested what, other than what I contributed. My suggestions yeilded the facial bite, the mud-drowning and subsequent puking, and the eyeball was a combination of three factors.

The idea was to be as primal as possible. Orginally that had me bashing his head with a oxen yolk. I wanted a stick instead.

I'd written a story arc (not used) that had Dority hitting someone in the forehead so hard that their eyeball popped out (my Grandfather did this to someone once -- it can really happen). We have an advisor on the show who once worked for a Vegas casino interest as an enforcer. His specialty was (if you owed big money and didn't pay) was to gouge an eyeball out with his thumb. David wanted to use the eyeball bit. As we were in the midst of creating the fight, I stumbled across a story. I am a part of a weekly poker game at Jerry Cantrell's (the rock guitarist) house. We were talking about the eyeball bit when Jerry told me the story of his brother in a fight in a biker bar. His bro was getting his head slammed into the pool table. He was getting tunnel vision as his lights were going out. Merely by chance, as he tried to push his opponent off of him, one of his fingers stuck into the eye of his opponent. Sensing he was about to die, his bro just shoved that finger with all his might. End of fight.

The next day we had fight rehearsal. I told David, "I have an idea about that eyeball..."

So, yes, Dority was dying. He was but a few breaths away from losing permanently. By chance, he got a finger into the Captain's eye. Not one to simply let the gouge be a final move, Dan plucked out the eye. After all, "if an eye offends thee, pluck it out..."

Dan's post-fight response was a combination of many things folks have speculated about on here. Dan almost died -- a new experience. He'd met an opponent who was stronger than him -- that had never happened before. He killed a man eye to eye with whom he had respect for as a warrior. He'd given everything he had to give, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. So as I sat there naked, refusing attention, all those things were going through my mind.

Speaking of nekkid -- that was my idea. The first version David had prepared had me in my muddied clothes. I thought by sitting there completely stripped in every way imaginable, the image could say more than the words. David agreed.

A day or so after we shot, Mark Tinker said he'd seen the dailies and he was going on and on about how emotionally involving the scene was. To show you how commited to authenticity I am, my response, "Yeah, that's cool and all, but did my **** look big?"

Someone questioned the reason for greasing up my groin for the fight. If you've ever had someone grab your nutsack in a tussle then yank on it, you'll know why I greased the boys up.

So... that's the fight. Glad yall liked it. I sure as hell did. I think we pulled off everything the Maestro asked for and more.

Earl

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