Deadwood: The Complete Second Season
continues the Shakespearean brilliance of the landmark
first season, created by NYPD Blue head writer David
Milch. Milch either wrote or supervised the writing of each of the
12 episodes in this stunning follow-up, which contains more than a
few surprises for anyone who thought they knew the myriad characters
in the late 19th century town of Deadwood--a mucky, ungoverned,
exceptionally violent development in South Dakota. As with the first
season, Deadwood continues to be about many things--survival,
loyalty, alliances, duty--but all of them are happening against a
titanic battle between several parties to consolidate power and real
wealth in the territory. Despite his cutthroat ethics, astonishing
profanity, and bursts of cruelty, it's hard not to side in this bid
for a piece of America's future with saloon owner Al Swearengen (a
magnificent performance by Ian McShane), a visionary monster who is
nevertheless more recognizably human than his rivals.
Entering an uneasy partnership with Al is Seth Bullock (Timothy
Olyphant). Seth begins the second season by teaching Al a few
lessons in chivalry, and their brief but bloody feud commences
physical ailments for Al that become increasingly shocking to
behold. Yet Al's difficulties have the practical effect of
sidelining him for a couple of episodes while the story sets up more
complex power struggles. Al takes on Deadwood's other saloon-brothel
owner, the unstable Cy Tolliver (Powers Boothe), as well as an
off-screen millionaire who is intent on owning all the gold-mining
interests by buying out weary prospectors' claims. Meanwhile, Seth's
wife and son (actually, his late brother's widow and child) arrive,
an unsettling development for Seth's lover, the widow Alma Garret
(Molly Parker), who soon reveals herself to be a more complicated
person than in the first season. The prostitute Trixie (Paula
Malcomson) begins thinking about her future and asserts independence
from Al by having sex with Seth's friend, Sol Star (John Hawkes).
Best of all, Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) is back and more
endearingly uncivilized than ever. Special features include actor
commentaries on select episodes, the best of which finds Olyphant
and McShane cracking each other up while watching the season
premiere. --Tom Keogh
