It’s finally happened, hoopleheads. We may have waited 13 years for it, but HBO has finally blessed us with a conclusion to the beloved show. Though it may not have been big in its time, leading to an abrupt cancellation after its third season, Deadwood has garnered a cult following over the years. And for good reason.
The show’s depiction of the Old West was unique. As opposed to extensive shootouts, as you might associate with the Western genre, instead it focused extensively on its characters. There were strong female characters, like Molly Parker‘s Alma Ellsworth and Paula Malcomson‘s Trixie, and breakout stars like Timothy Olyphant’s Seth Bullock and the show’s most complex character, Ian McShane‘s Al Swearengen.
Now, all these years later, we are finally brought back to the characters we have come to love, providing us with a new conflict and ultimately giving us what we really needed all along: closure.
Time Hurries On
It’s 1889, ten years since we last saw the characters of Deadwood. Characters who had been witness to the town’s early days are now returning to the town to celebrate South Dakota’s entrance into the Union. We first see Jane (Robin Weigert) arrive on horseback, and then Alma Ellsworth (Molly Parker) by train. The two had left to pursue other endeavors after George Hearst’s seizure of power over the town a decade prior.
Back in town, they are reunited with old friends, including Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie), now an extensive land-owner; Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), now Marshall of the town; Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens), now owner of the Bella Union; and Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), still bouncing around (though more slowly now) as the owner of the Gem Saloon. Also newly arrived back in town is George Hearst (Gerald McRaney), now a United States Senator.
For those who have seen it, Deadwood season three left on a serious cliffhanger. In a way, its ending was much like The Empire Strikes Back, with the bad guy winning and the protagonists being forced to step down. What we ultimately needed from Deadwood: The Movie, then, was a conclusive arc to this story. And that’s exactly what we got.
After having rewatched the show only a day prior to seeing the movie, seeing the actors of Deadwood: The Movie age overnight was at first jarring. But it soon dissipated, as the movie was able to achieve a remarkable feat: it’s as if we never left. Characters may have aged, and Deadwood itself has matured up from a shanty one-horse town, but being back in this world felt much the same as it had before.
Much of this is likely due to the duo of screenwriter David Milch, who created the show, and director Daniel Minahan, who directed several of the show’s prominent episodes. The two clearly know just what about Deadwood compels viewers, and all the classic aspects are still here, including: the show’s long-winded, Shakespearean dialogue, the absurdist sense of humor, the bustling of an always-busy town, the special moments that bring the town together as one, the thrilling music, and much more.
The Gang is Back
Also just as important as the stylistic aspects returning, of course what we were really waiting for was the characters, the true life-blood of Deadwood. Though a couple actors have unfortunately left us in the time between the end of the show and now (RIP Powers Boothe and Ralph Richeson), the ones that returned step right back into their roles with ease.
Robin Weigert is just as fun to watch as the foul-mouthed Calamity Jane, while Dayton Callie, now even grizzlier, is just as likable as the shaggy Charlie Utter. Kim Dickens, recently seen in the show Fear the Walking Dead, makes a welcome return, while Paula Malcomson‘s Trixie has the most gratifying arc. Molly Parker also returns as Alma Ellsworth, and she has easily the most triumphant moment in the film, fitting since she had been bruised the most by the events of season three. Speaking of which, Gerald McRaney is back as the vile and hateful George Hearst, and he hasn’t lost a beat.
Especially welcome returns were also two of the show’s breakout stars, who went on to extensive careers both in TV and film: Timothy Olyphant as the foul-tempered yet good-hearted Seth Bullock and Ian McShane as the brutally charming Al Swearengen. Bullock, whose family has grown, now has a lot more to lose in facing down George Hearst, while Al’s past seems to have finally caught up to him, leaving him in a wearied state. Where Deadwood: The Movie ultimately takes both these characters in particular is what really makes the film a triumphant success, especially with each of their final moments. Their sendoffs really couldn’t have been more fitting.
Brisker Pace
In providing fans with what they desire, both Milch and Minahan thankfully also refrain from fan service or formulaic story-lines. What sets the movie apart is not only a brisker pace, since we now have much less time to conclude a conflict, but also a couple of adrenaline-pumping shootouts as well. It’s as if the show had been setting up this moment for so long, only for the movie to finally deliver.
The film also provides a few unexpected surprises and even a cameo towards the end that fans of the show will be sure not to miss. All in all, unlike some conclusive stories (ahem, Game of Thrones), Deadwood: The Movie provides us with enough reason to go back and watch from the beginning (a task that I surely will do in the coming years).
Conclusion: Deadwood: The Movie
To conclude, Deadwood: The Movie is a remarkable achievement. It not only reintroduces us to the characters we have grown to love, showing the passage of time, but it also brings in a new conflict, resolves it, and leaves us with some long-awaited and well-deserved closure.
David Milch and Daniel Minaham may also have rewritten history in the process. But with a show like Deadwood, which always sought to create compelling stories and characters in lieu of recreating history, the ending that it ultimately provides is perfectly aligned with the spirit of the show. Even with high hopes, the film surpasses what I could’ve hoped for, marking Deadwood, much like the town itself, as one for the history books.
What do you think of Deadwood: The Movie? Were you a fan of the show during its run on HBO?
Deadwood: The Movie is now available on HBO.
https://youtu.be/s0WrXmhvXTA
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