Bl**dy brilliant
I'd heard of Deadwood but wasn't really interested in watching a western series. But the guy who recommended The Wire : Complete HBO Season 1 to me put Deadwood on the same pedestal. So I had to try.
I was sucked in from the beginning: Great actors, complex characters (not just the big beasts like Al Swearingen but also smaller second line roles like E.B. Farnum, the Doc, Charlie Utter), gripping story lines...this series has it all.
And yes, it's dark and violent and not always easy viewing, but at times it's very, very funny. And one of the great things is: The baddest guy in the piece also sports the wickedest sense of humour (and on the downside, as happens from time to time, the supposed hero (Bullock) is by comparison quite boring, bland and lacks any humour).
Enjoy!

To be or not to F**king be you C**ksucker.
You've seen your Ford westerns, Your John Wayne Westerns. Your Spaghetti westerns. Simply put this is Shakespearian Western. With lots of modern profanity. Why not? Shakespeare told human interest stories modernised for his then sophisticated Elizabethan audience. So it is with Deadwood. You can watch it as a very entertaining high adventure or enjoy the powerful subtext and character interaction. Monologues from the characters worthy of Macbeth or Hamlet or Richard III lace the tales and give a rich tapestry to the story of Deadwood. True love mirrored in moral abiguity. The profanity is as much of poetic license as used in many a 'foul' Jacobean drama. Contrasted with the almost Jane Austen politeness in certain interactions this is a powerful use of language in every sense. Best of all, it never patronises the audience in presuming you are not grown up enough for this. Potent.

Dark & Intriguing
Ian Mcshane is excellent in this Dark Drama........not a typical western....no blue skys, powder puff clouds, blue gingham shirts etc....but a dark, cruel rollercoaster of a ride ....that makes compulsive viewing..l was pleased to be rewarded with a fine set of actors in this thought provoking series.

Essential viewing
Over the past few years, there have been a few very good TV shows such as Lost, 24 and Prison Break which have made compulsive viewing. Another name that fits alongside these shows is Deadwood. I won't run into the story as you will be well aware from other reviews what it is all about, I will tell you though that this is a must see.

Most of the main characters are loosely based on real life people who did indeed live in Deadwood and what great characters they are. Ian McShane won an award for his performance and it is very well earned, he is magnificent as Al Swearagen, the foul mouthed Gem saloon owner. My wife is even a massive fan of the show and she absolutely hates Westerns!! For the money you would be mad to miss out on this DVD set.....order it now.

Fantastic!
I'm amazed this series didn't get as much exposure as the Sopranos. The acting is universally terrific, the plot is great, dialogue totally convincing, sets and production excellent. Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant are stand-out stars, but everybody does a wonderful job.

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