Tuesday, April 15, 2008
(5:20 PM) | Brad:
More TV Blogging
I've only seen the first two seasons of Deadwood, and I've heard very mixed reviews of season three, but right now I'm convinced it rivals anything else I've seen on tv. (Yeah, I know, it's been out a long time now, but we at the Weblog have never claimed to be "of the moment" culturally.) The complexity of its character development is, in my judgment, unparalleled. (The only deficiency in this regard, it seems, involves the black characters, which have thus far seemed a little token.) I'm also impressed by the rigorous fidelity to its chosen theme, the emergence of community, and how this very neatly parallels the evolution of those involved in the community. I suspect season three will incorporate a far more blunt criticism of Wild West capitalism, but so far I've really appreciated the subtlety of its critiques. And, yes, of course, there's the tremendous use of language. The final season could be a piece of crap, and I'd still crown the first twenty-four episodes as tv royalty.The clip below is one of my favorites. It is also one of the most vulgar, and definitely not safe for work.