Deadwood and Wild Bill Hickok

Yeah, I know, I’m late to the Deadwood party. I had heard about this HBO series back when it was airing, but since I didn’t have HBO, I just put it out of my mind. But it’s been out on DVD for a while now, so it’s about time I actually check it out.

Many years ago, I did a great deal of study on the American “Wild West”—I was a big fan of the time, the territory, and the people. I even wrote a role playing game based on it all. Because of my knowledge of the real Old West, I’m often disappointed by many Western genre movies and TV shows, especially if they are based on real people or events. (I have the same situation with World War II genre movies and TV shows.)

Deadwood, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota) was a real gold rush boom town of the 1870s, and I’ve read some about it and its notable “citizens,” including Wild Bill Hickok. So I approached this series somewhat apprehensively. I’d either love it or hate it. Hollywood’s track record for showing real historical characters did not make me excited for the prospect of loving it.

But I was surprised. I love this show. I remember just enough about the time, place, people, and circumstances Deadwood presents that I get a little giddy when I recognize a name or event. Now, I have no illusions that this series is anything like an accurate historical documentary. I understand the details are probably 90% fiction. But still, there’re just enough nods to the real history and people to make someone like me excited. Even the characters I don’t recognize fit in so well that I want to look up the old books and see if I can find reference to them.

So far, I’ve only watched the first two episodes, one hour each, of the first season. (Each DVD has just two episodes.) A plot item that has me really interested is one that has only vaguely been hinted at so far—and the vague hints are probably only noticeable to someone with knowledge of the character and the town.

Wild Bill Hickok is one of my favorite characters of the Old West; he was a legend in his own time, head and shoulders above the other legends of the Old West, and he understood it. His presence in Deadwood, and the presence of the man named Jack [McCall] at his poker table has built a suspense that has me watching every nuance of their interchange. If this show is following the true history of Hickok in Deadwood, I know exactly what will happen and how it will happen. I’m just on pins and needles waiting, sadly, for it to happen. I actually don’t want it to happen, as if it not happening in this TV series will change anything about the real history. But then again, if it does not happen, I think the show will loose my interest, because it will be departing from the little historical ties that have bound my interest to the show.

In movies, a bomb exploding at the table is surprise, but showing the bomb under the table several times before it explodes is suspense. This Deadwood plot item can be both surprise and suspense, depending on the viewer’s knowledge of the characters and time. Those who don’t know the characters’ histories will be surprised; those who do know the characters’ histories watch this in suspense. That’s an interesting position for a filmmaker. The writers and directors of Deadwood seem to be trying for suspense by showing little hints of the plot, but I wonder if anyone other than those in the historical know actually pick up on those hints. I mean, the real historical outcome of this plot point defies the standard Hollywood style.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com