Deadwood - TV-MA

Vivid Old West drama is way too gritty for kids.

TV Rating: TV-MA Network: HBO Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker Genre: Drama
Available on: DVDDownload

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this harsh, brilliant drama isn't a romanticized Western. It pulls no punches about the brutality of life in the Old West and isn't for kids. Murder, drinking, drugs, and viciousness toward the vulnerable (especially women) are common. People have ugly experiences, use each other horribly, speak with unrepentant racism, and die violently. In its grittiness, however, the show delves deeply into complex, sophisticated themes that might intrigue mature audiences.

Families can talk about the nature of good and evil as evident in each of the characters. For example, is Bullock "good"? How is he flawed? Is Swearengen all evil or just bent on survival? And what motivates each character to be in a place as difficult as Deadwood? Is the opportunity they seek worth the price? Why? Do they all have opportunity? What about Trixie? Also, how were women and minorities (including Native Americans) treated? How have their roles changed since then? Does any of that treatment occur now? What does it take for a whole society to change?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Brenda Kienan

The complexity and stark humanity of the characters in DEADWOOD -- along with the outstanding writing and outstanding performances -- make it an unforgettable series about how people live in a society utterly without law.

Deadwood takes place in the late 1870s, just after gold was discovered in the Black Hills of what is now South Dakota. Desperate adventurers flocked to Deadwood -- most were trying to reinvent themselves, and many were gamblers, gunfighters, prostitutes, or those who might profit from providing or using those services.

Ruthless town boss Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) is a cunning survivor, an over-the top brute whose minions (bloodthirsty henchmen, slithering drug addicts, and worn-almost-to-death hookers) do as he says. Former lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) came to town with Sol Starr (John Hawkes) to open a hardware store.

That these characters are villain, hero, and sidekick might seem obvious. But Swearengen's instinct for alliances and greed for payoffs put him less at odds with an ongoing drive to clean up the town than you might think, and Bullock often finds himself straddling right and wrong like a razor's edge. The almost comically angst-ridden Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) is a drunk with a gift for healing discovered by the very dedicated Doc Cochran (Brad Dourif), who turns out to have a medically checkered past.

As the rough-and-tumble town of Deadwood lurches toward becoming a civilized society, its people (many of whom are based on actual 1870s residents) grapple with change in themselves, as well as how they fit in. The roles of women are especially volatile; both prostitutes such as Trixie (Paula Malcomson) and wealthy widow Alma Garrett (Molly Parker) try to carve out more independence but are affected deeply by the conventions of the times.

Deadwood has won Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe awards, but has also been highly controversial for its use of language. Both to underscore the roughness of life in the lawless mining camp and to simulate how coarse language really was at the time, the dialogue includes rampant profanity and ethnic slurs. Similarly, the show depicts the racism of the times as a fact of everyday life. In the hands of less-adept writers, directors, and performers, this material might be offensive, but instead it's rich with realism.

Deadwood is a remarkable achievement. It sets new standards for the Western drama and brings to life an era of American history that, seen for what it actually was, is all the more extraordinary.

Fans might also enjoy other well-written shows with mature themes that include characters struggling with societal boundaries, including The Sopranos, Huff, and Rome.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Nudity, vulgar talk, some brutal and blatant scenes (including group and fetishistic sex). Breasts, butts, and male genitalia sometimes visible. Sex is dirty and rough, and prostitution is part of the everyday landscape -- sex was a commodity in lawless Deadwood.
Violence The body count (from accidents, disease, and disputes) is impressive. Murder (often bloody) and gunfire are common. Various depictions of rape and violent sex.
Language Never has "f--k" (and every other swear word under the sun) been heard so often or used in so many ways. Sailors would blush.
Message
	Social Behavior In a lawless era, some characters are struggling to impose order while others take advantage of everyone and every situation. Swearengen is the king of manipulators, and even the "good" guys struggle between right and wrong. Plenty of racism and sexism; Calamity Jane is a strong woman, but her behavior makes her a questionable role model.
	Commercialism No products, but lots of gambling.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Plenty of carousing, smoking, drugs, and drinking. Some characters are addicts.