Almost a century ago, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle showed The Lost World (1925), a film filled with prehistoric creatures, to a meeting of the Society of American Magicians, and impishly refused to disclose the origin of the film. Willis H. O’Brien’s stop-motion dinosaurs were impressive enough to convince at least some of the audience that […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 37 “Deadwood: The Movie” with Emily VanDerWerff
Deadwood: The Movie presents an overtly contrasting final message to the one it gave us over a decade ago, each finale borne of its political moment.
Hoopleheads: Episode 36 “Tell Him Something Pretty” with Harry Edmundson-Cornell
Deadwood concludes with “Tell Him Something Pretty,” a challenging finale which refuses to give its scrappy underdogs any victory, moral or otherwise.
Hoopleheads: Episode 35 “The Catbird Seat” with Ben Siler
“The Catbird Seat” releases the pressure valve on Season 3’s tension as the town coalesces on one side of the thoroughfare, Hearst and his goons on the other.
Hoopleheads: Episode 34 “A Constant Throb”
Hoopleheads Podcast: W. Earl Brown pens one of Deadwood’s most focused episodes, “A Constant Throb,” the thrust of which concentrates on Al regaining his faculties in his existential contest with George Hearst.
Hoopleheads: Episode 33 “Amateur Night”
“Amateur Night” closes off several storylines as it consolidates its focus on broiling conflict between the camp and George Hearst.
Hoopleheads: Episode 32 “Leviathan Smiles”
Hearst greedily chases new gold mining opportunities, Steve’s horse-minding career comes to an end and the Earps arrive in Deadwood as “Leviathan Smiles.”
Hoopleheads: Episode 31 “Unauthorized Cinnamon”
“Unauthorized Cinnamon” is a fantastic episode that provides some of the most exciting revelations and funniest moments in Deadwood thus far.
Hoopleheads: Episode 30 “A Rich Find”
Deadwood winds itself up tight in “A Rich Find,” placing newcomer Odell square in the lion’s den as he seeks out Hearst against his mother’s wishes. Esther and Søren discuss.
Hoopleheads: Episode 29 “A Two-Headed Beast”
“A Two-Headed Beast” is a showdown between Deadwood’s two chief rivals – but it also features the conclusion to one of the saddest, and most prescient, storylines in the series so far. Esther and Søren discuss.
Hoopleheads: Episode 28 “Full Faith and Credit”
“Full Faith and Credit” delicately balances Deadwood’s racial dynamics while offering some deeper introspection about who its leading characters really are. Esther and Søren discuss.
Hoopleheads: Episode 27 “True Colors”
On a technical level, “True Colors” is often bizarre and always interesting; narratively, this is some of the most exciting material we’ve seen in Deadwood.
Hoopleheads: Episode 26 “I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For”
“I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For” is an episode that makes a frightening declaration about who Hearst is and what Seth and Al are up against.
Hoopleheads: Episode 25 “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood”
In “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood,” director Mark Tinker revels in Deadwood’s brewing conflict between George Hearst, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen. Esther and Søren discuss.
Stark Contrast: Episode 33 “The Iron Throne”
However (un)satisfactorily “The Iron Throne” concludes Game of Thrones, it also brings our podcast series, “Stark Contrast,” to a bittersweet end. This week, Esther and Søren close out Stark Contrast.
Stark Contrast: Episode 32 “The Bells” with Josh Lewis
In Game of Thrones’ “The Bells,” Miguel Sapochnik once again uses every visual trick he can find to try reanimate a show long past its prime. Esther, Søren and guest host Josh Lewis discuss.
Stark Contrast: Episode 31 “The Last of the Starks” with AJ Ajetunmobi
“The Last of the Starks” struggles to justify its own existence as Game of Thrones meanders in the wake of its climactic battle with Death itself.
Stark Contrast: Episode 30 “The Long Night” with Diego Crespo
Release the confetti, folks: Miguel Sapochnik is back for “The Long Night.” This week we’re treated to 80-ish minutes of Game of Thrones‘ best remaining director choreographing the largest and most complex battle sequence in the show’s history. The results are immediately evident as a striking opening shot of Sam Tarly’s (John Bradley) shaking hands […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 29 “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
After a rough season premiere, Game of Thrones veteran Bryan Cogman turns the show in a positive direction with “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Cogman is responsible for writing some of the show’s best episodes (including Season 1’s “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things” and Season 4’s “Oathkeeper”). His dialogue and character work shows a […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 28 “Winterfell”
Welcome back to Stark Contrast! We’re happy to return to our perennial podcast show where we discuss Game of Thrones. This week, we’re kicking off with the Season 8 premiere, “Winterfell.” It’s a slow burn re-introduction to the denizens of Westeros and Essos that never managed to get J and me excited about the series […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 24 “Boy the Earth Talks To”
After last week’s dirge, Deadwood closes out Season 2 with the fantastic “Boy the Earth Talks To.” Director Ed Bianchi is back and it’s immediately apparent. His clever use of depth of field and of framing immediately permeate event he more mundane scenes. Tonally the show also strikes a contrast with its predecessor, trading day […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 23 “The Whores Can Come”
Watching “The Whores Can Come” in such proximity to the finale, “By the Earth Talks To,” draws a striking contrast. This episode is a funeral: a sunny daytime tale where black clothes contrast with a bright backdrop. The joy of its successor is nowhere to be found; Seth (Timothy Olyphant) and Martha (Anna Gunn) languish […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 22 “Advances, None Miraculous”
J and I both enjoyed “Advances, None Miraculous” from writer Sarah Hess and Deadwood film director Dan Minahan, J going to far as to call it their favorite episode. The episode features a distinct technical touch, embracing techniques like rack focus and dolly shots to set emphasize characters and set scenes, respectively. These little moments […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 21 “Amalgamation and Capital”
Director Ed Bianchi does excellent work with “Amalgamation and Capital.” The episode focuses on Seth’s (Timothy Olyphant) nephew and adopted son, William (Josh Eriksson), whose amiable interactions with different players in the camp put a lighter spin on the Deadwood cast. To build the tension of several plot threads, Bianchi uses clever editing reminiscent of […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 20 “Childish Things”
“Childish Things” is outstanding television. Director Tim Van Patten and writer Regina Corrado offer beautiful vignette-like portraits of human relationships within Deadwood. Meanwhile, the denizens of the camp — enemies and allies alike — coalesce around a charming wager as to whether or not Tom Nuttall (Leon Rippy) can ride his newfangled bicycle across the […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 19 “E.B. Was Left Out”
“E.B. Was Left Out” is a generally fantastic episode of Deadwood, even if both J and I found the subplot about the new prostitutes in the Chinese part of camp to be distasteful in presentation. Director Michael Almereyda adds small touches here and there to keep things interesting, particularly in his framings of otherwise ordinary […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 18 “Something Very Expensive”
“Something Very Expensive” is an explosive episode that finally delivers on the foreboding promise of Mr. W (Garret Dillahunt). Here we finally see his truest colors, only hinted at before. He sees the world as transactional; there are proclivities he would like satisfied, and George Hearst provides the capital to cover for his indulgences. Sometimes […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 17 “Complications” (Formerly “Difficulties”)
Following a more by-the-numbers episode last week, Deadwood is back with a vengeance in “Complications” under the excellent direction of Gregg Fienberg. Al (Ian McShane) has risen from the near-dead and summoned Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) back into the fray. But as their yin and yang begin to take shape again and set the camp to […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 16 “Requiem for a Gleet”
“Requiem for a Gleet” lives up to its name this episode, highlighting a deeply agonized Al (Ian McShane) as he struggles to hold on to consciousness in the face of extreme pain. Indeed, this episode serves as a finale to the Kidney Stone Arc, as it were, finally offering Al a gleet-ful release from his […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 15 “New Money”
After a two-part transition from Season 1 to Season 2, we’re finally off to the races with “New Money.” This episode sees the unlikely return of Garret Dillahunt to Deadwood. He previously portrayed the coward Jack McCall, but here he debuts an equally consequential character: Mr. Wolcott, also known as Mr. W. He enters the […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 14 “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 2”
If “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1” is the mountain of conflict, “Part 2” is the valley. The episode plays like a series of deflations. As Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) slowly makes his way across camp to retrieve his weapon and badge from the Gem, he’s waylaid by friends and supporters who do what they can […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 13 “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1”
After a literal year away from the mic, J and I are very happy to be back! For the next few weeks, we will be covering Season 2 of Deadwood, beginning with “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1.” Since last we entered the frontier town, a lot of news — both positive and negative — has emerged around the show. This […]
Ghostwood Radio: Episode 5 “The One-Armed Man”
In contrast to the previous episode’s elegiac tone, “The One-Armed Man” is a heated affair. Several plotlines kick into gear, and the lives of the town’s residents begin to intersect. Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) spends most of the episode following up on the leads from his dream. He meets up with the eponymous one-armed man, who […]
Ghostwood Radio: Episode 4 “Rest in Pain”
“Rest in Pain” is a melancholy installment of Twin Peaks. This week we see many of Laura Palmer’s friends and family cry out in anguish as she is finally put to rest. Meanwhile, Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) uses the funeral as a litmus test as he continues to scope out suspects for her murder. Prior to the […]
Ghostwood Radio: Episode 3 “Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer”
Twin Peaks continues to juggle the jovial tone of last week’s episode with the crime serial seriousness in “Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer.” In this episode, Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) employs a special technique for identifying the next lead in his case. His bizarre antics lead him to Leo (Eric DaRe), an abusive and violent […]
Ghostwood Radio: Episode 2 “Traces to Nowhere”
In this week’s episode of Twin Peaks, we see a shift from the pilot. A lighter tone has begun to seep into the show with “Traces to Nowhere,” with obvious moments of levity, a bouncier soundtrack and a brighter, more colorful visual palette. For my part, I welcomed the change from the dour season opener […]
Ghostwood Radio: Episode 1 “Pilot”
Grab some of that damn good coffee, folks — we’re headed into Twin Peaks! Join us for our new series, “Ghostwood Radio,” in which we’ll be discussing the wildly influential show from David Lynch and Mark Frost. J is a longtime fan of Twin Peaks, a show which in many ways changed the landscape of […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 12 “Sold Under Sin”
“Sold Under Sin” reveals the shattered backstories of several key character in Deadwood. From Joanie’s (Kim Dickens) abuse at the hands of her father and subsequently Cy Tolliver (Powers Boothe) to Alma Garret’s (Molly Parker) chattel-like status in Otis’s (William Russ) eyes, we begin to see how Deadwood tells the story of characters breaking free of […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 27 “The Dragon and the Wolf”
Game of Thrones caps off a landmark season with “The Dragon and the Wolf.” Jeremy Podeswa’s feature-length conclusion certainly exceeds the episode that came before, although it never quite matches the import of its reveals and final moments with the level of filmmaking we know the show can achieve. “The Dragon and the Wolf” finally […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 26 “Beyond the Wall”
Game of Thrones finally lives up to its namesake novels with “Beyond the Wall” as the forces of ice and fire clash. Josh and I waste no time diving into the episode’s particulars. We generally skate past the timeline issues (1, 2, 3) discussed and debated elsewhere, instead focusing on inconsistencies with characters and narrative. I continue […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 25 “Eastwatch”
Every episode this season of Game of Thrones has in some way involved a battle sequence, the biggest among them arriving last week. In “Eastwatch,” the show slows down and instead focuses on the fallout of last week’s conflict. In some ways this is to Game of Thrones‘ benefit: we see Davos (Liam Cunningham) demonstrate his smuggling […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 24 “The Spoils of War”
Game of Thrones throws some kindling on the fire this week with “The Spoils of War.” Unlike “The Queen’s Justice,” Josh and I found myriad plots and emotional arcs to interrogate this time around. We pay particular attention to family reunions and how context and time have shaped characters we’ve known since Season 1. We […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 11 “Jewel’s Boot is Made for Walking”
After a drawn-out hiatus, “Hoopleheads” is back with our second to last episode covering Season 1. This week we discuss “Jewel’s Boot is Made for Walking,” an engaging episode that hints at Al’s (Ian McShane) backstory as another side characters take center stage. The titular Jewel (Geri Jewell) gets a particularly intriguing storyline as she […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 23 “The Queen’s Justice”
J and I enjoyed last week’s “Stormborn” as it both drove the plot forward at an explosive pace while offering something more for us to chew on as viewers. This week, the pace hasn’t let up — but “The Queen’s Justice,” alas, never digs deeper than the surface. In fact, the episode undercuts the enormity […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 22 “Stormborn”
Game of Thrones hits hard this week in “Stormborn” as major houses begin to band together and devious enemies already begin making their moves. Before we get into the episode itself, J and I open this week’s podcast discussing the controversy around Confederate, a new show recently announced by HBO from the creators of Game of Thrones. […]
Stark Contrast: Episode 21 “Dragonstone”
“Stark Contrast” is back! Following an unusually long delay, J and I are once again discussing Game of Thrones. The Season 7 premiere immediately strikes a positive note as Arya (Maisie Williams) executes the family that killed her own. We discuss the bizarre magic of the Faceless Men and how the show missed a chance […]
Luke Cage: Season 1 with Hailey and Okwudili
This week, Okwudili and I delve into Marvel’s latest Netflix original series, Luke Cage. We unpack every nook and cranny of the show. We give particular attention to its highs (particularly its exploration of black culture) as well as its faults (at times weak writing and inconsistent in pacing). Though Luke Cage seemingly has the […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 10 “Mister Wu”
“Mister Wu” opens up the Deadwood universe to some of the most iconic characters and lines from the show. This week introduces Richardson (Ralph Richeson), Hostetler (Richard Gant) and, most notably, a fully fleshed-out Mr. Wu (Keone Young). For many fans of the show, these names are inextricable from the fabric of the frontier town. I’m terribly excited […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 9 “No Other Sons or Daughters”
“No Other Sons or Daughters” puts the brunt of its focus on the new ad hoc government of Deadwood. As the United States begins to move further westward, Al (Ian McShane) and the other leaders in the town worry about what sort of outside forces and order that might bring to the town. In the meantime, Reverend […]
Hoopleheads: Episode 8 “Suffer the Little Children”
“Suffer the Little Children” earns its darkly ironic title. Flora (Kristen Bell) and Miles (Greg Cipes) finally reveal their true colors to the townspeople and the fallout affects everyone differently. Cy Tolliver (Powers Boothe) immediately reacts with unbridled rage, while Joanie (Kim Dickens) finds herself pitying Flora for her chosen path. Al (Ian McShane), on the other hand, […]
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