Wednesday, July 9, 2014

TV Reviews #2 - Deadwood Season 1 (2004)




















            A show set in the old west is definitely a concept that can go far. It’s probably been decades since a show has had this setting. This series is about the town of Deadwood, a place where there is no law and almost anything goes. As such, there are great opportunities and great danger. The show has a varying range of characters, from a former sheriff to a brothel owner to a window running a gold claim. Each character brings their own perspective to the town in question. 

            Some of the characters, like Al Swearengen (played by Ian McShane) are so interesting and deep. It is difficult to establish heroes or villains in this show as everyone that we get to spend time with we end up sympathising with to some degree. Most of the characters have good development which helps making the show more relatable. The problem though lies with the story and pacing. It feels very slow and without much development. There is not much change to the status quo and even when a big event happens, the overall coming and goings of the show do not alter much. 

            Deadwood has a great production value. The sets look just like I would imagine the old west to be. Everything has a feel of dirt and grime over it. It always feels like its nasty and that the smell is just awful. Even when there’s nudity it’s not even sexy, it’s just too gross in this town for that to turn anyone on.

            Season 1 isn’t bad at all. The characters are interesting, the setting is spot on and you fully fell like you’re in the old west. The pacing and story progressing though just don’t move fast enough for me and given the extremely high quality of television we’ve been blessed with in the last decade or so I have to say Deadwood would not figure in the top ones.

Score: 6.5 / 10

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