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.
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 […]
Gracepoint: Episode Eight
After every tragedy there comes a time when we have to pick our lives back up once again. In its eighth episode, Gracepoint and its citizens attempt to do just that – even though Danny’s killer is still on the loose. This week the Millers get back what the Solanos did not: their son. Rev. Paul (Kevin Rankin) […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Seven” Review
We’ve all lost someone before. In a mall, a crowded street, a fair or even at the grocery store. You search frantically over the heads of people in the crowd, retrace your steps and finally breathe easy as you find your friend, partner or child. Even if the moment lasts for only a split second, the […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Six” Review
The way people respond to secrets is intriguing. We can fall head over heels for a person romantically or platonically, but the moment we find out they’re hiding something from us, we immediately change our view of them. It’s a classic trope used in everything from thrillers to romantic comedies. In the latter especially, the […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Five” Review
Last time on Gracepoint, inn owner Gemma Fisher (Sarah-Jane Potts) aptly remarked, “Everyone’s got something to hide.” This statement, while obvious, became oh-so relevant this week. Some of the many secrets Gracepoint’s citizens have to hide come to the surface in Gracepoint‘s fifth episode. We have reached the halfway point of this Fox series, and […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Four” Review
We’ve established that secrets are a ubiquitous factor in our lives. But we also like to assume that those closest to us will share their skeletons. Discovering the true malevolent nature of people you thought you knew is an unimaginably scary thought. The fourth episode of Gracepoint preys on this innate fear along and communicates it through the show’s voyeuristic lens. Carver […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Three” Review
There is a sense of camaraderie and community in small towns. But in aid of maintaining that picturesque setting, dark secrets begin to grow because everyone has something to hide. Small towns can be scary, a theme this week’s episode of Gracepoint seeks to prove. Apparently Danny knew his killer well. The implication of that knowledge is astounding. If Danny knew […]
Gracepoint: “Episode Two” Review
Grief is a funny emotion. Everyone suffers through it differently. Some hole up and shut everyone out, others act as if nothing ever happened and some blame and point the finger at those they care about the most. My hometown has a population of about 10,000 people; that’s not tiny, admittedly, but it’s small enough that […]
Gracepoint: “Episode One” Review
The first episode of ten episode Gracepoint miniseries opens with a lazy pan over a sleepy town of the same name. With a quick cut, we see a boy standing on the edge of a cliff. Everything is quiet – too quiet. The slow, rhythmic music combines the ambient sounds of the town to give us an ominous […]
Breaking Bad and the Protagonist Problem
This discussion began with a focus on the episode “Ozymandias,” but then extended to a broader debate on Breaking Bad, Deadwood, and Game of Thrones. For the record, both Søren and I enjoyed this show – I just liked it a bit more than he did. And this should go without saying, but this conversation […]
