 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Deadwood
Common Sense Media says
Vivid Old West drama is way too gritty for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
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.
What's the story?
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. 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.
Is it any good?
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. 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.
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.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the nature of good and evil as evident in each of the characters. 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? 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?
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Cannot get enough!
Deadwood is the greatest show to come along since The Sopranos. A show that is for 17 and older. It realistically shows how things were back in the 1870's, during the gold rush. It's violence, language, sex, and racism which existed makes it so believable. As well as the drug use. The acting is incredible and the way creator David Milch captures every scene with realism especially the drug use speaking from experience is exceptional. Each episode can be watched over and over without growing tired of.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Worthless
This show is not worth watching.
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Adult
September 14, 2009
AGE
What other families should know:
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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Amazing show
This is a fantastic show, incorporating true historical people into a semi-fictional show. Sure, there's a huge amount of violence, sex, drugs and language (to a laughable extent, in the case of language), but it doesn't detract from the amazing show in any way.
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Parent of 8, 9, and 11 year old
August 11, 2009
AGE
Amazing show, but the cursing is BRUTAL!
I agree with the synopsis above (if you haven't been using that word for more than 10 years, this show is not for you) is accurate. Moreover, I think that there are many adults out there who would be appalled by a lot of the situations in the show (the language being the first one that comes to mind).
That said, this is probably the BEST show I have ever seen. It has a depth and philisophicalness (I know that's not a real word) that is unparalleled. I was saddened by the end of the series, and I mourn the show often.
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Parent of 1 year old
July 1, 2011
AGE
AMAZING but too gritty for kids.
Amazing and Good for mature 16-17 year old's but NOT for minors the violence includes sexual violence (rape) bloodshed the cursing would make HAPPY GILMORE blush low REAL strong sex scenes and no strong drunkenness but the realism of the show will have product placement
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Educator and Parent
October 6, 2012
AGE
Objective view of Deadwood
Extremely graphic both in visual and auditory content, therefore not appropriate for young children. That being said, the series provides a realistic view of what life was really like in the old west. The characters are real; there are plots and subplots that are a part of real life. The viewer must be mature enough to relate to all the nuisances presented.
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Parent of 5, 9, and 12 year old
June 9, 2013
AGE
Graphic and raw western drama
Deadwood tells a fictionalized story of a frontier camp in the midst of a gold-rush in the wild west. Many adult topics are prominent such as assault, murder, profanity, racism, sexism, prostitution, drinking, gambling, theft, and general lawlessness. While there are characters that exhibit admirable qualities, terrible events are suffered by innocents, and many of the main characters are shady at best, with the lines between the good and the bad very transient indeed. This is not a show for kids, or for adults that enjoy a black and white good-guys vs. bad-guys western. That said, it's well written, well acted, and generally one of the finest western dramas ever produced for television.
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| TV rating: | TV-MA |
| Network: | HBO |
| Cast: | Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Timothy Olyphant |
| Genre: | Drama |
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