Deadwood, Season 2

Just got finished watching the second season of Deadwood, which, if not as enjoyable as the first, still had several sterling moments, and is again an example of how long-form television allows richer character development.

This season sees Sheriff Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) welcoming his wife (Anna Gunn) and son to Deadwood. She was married to his brother, and the boy is really his nephew. They have the kind of formality to their marriage that they call each other Mr. and Mrs. Bullock. Problem: he's in hot and heavy love affair with the widow Alma Garret (Molly Parker), and indeed she has become pregnant with his child.

Politics and economic maneuvering dominate the season, as the saloon owner and town poobah, Al Swearingen (Ian McShane, delicious as ever) maneuvers to have Deadwood annexed by Dakota, and plays a commissioner (Stephen Tobolowsky) like a fiddle. First Al must deal with kidney stones, and we watch in mutual agony as the Doc (Brad Dourif) inserts a catheter in his urethra. Without anesthetic, of course. In this season I learned the meaning of the word "gleat."

Another new face is that of Frances Wolcott (Garrett Dillahunt) an agent for millionaire George Hearst, who is in camp to buy up gold claims, after spreading rumors that they may be nullified. He also has kinky tastes, and ends up slitting the throats of three whores who work for the aborted brothel of Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens).

At first I found it hard to get accustomed to the rhythms of the speech--the writers of Deadwood have their characters speak in ornate prose, punctuated frequently by profanity. At times it seems like self-parody. But then again, it makes for some marvelous moments, usually spoken by the hapless mayor and hotelier, E.B Farnum (William Sanderson). I can't remember any of his lines in whole cloth, but I do remember one brief one, when he refers to Parker as a "haughty cunt."

The political wheelings and dealings are difficult to keep up with. I think it can be crystallized by Wolcott's phrase: "I am a sinner who does not expect forgiveness. But I am not a government official."

As usual, the acting is wonderful. Watching McShane expound is a thing of beauty, and Sanderson is a joy. At times Olyphant reads his lines as if from cue cards, but I think that's just the character.

One more season of Deadwood to watch.