Ladywood

New arrivals to camp this week bring odd sorts of confidantes to both Hearst and Swearengen, in the form of Hearst's longtime cook and maid "Aunt Lou" and Al's old friend Jack Langrishe (along with his troupe of actors). Hearst's tensions with other characters also increase as his meeting with Alma and Ellsworth becomes a disaster, Cy finds himself pulled back in to do his bidding, and Seth fails to put him "on notice."

This week, many of our beloved characters find themselves calling on their inner bravery. Whether facing a dangerous medical procedure, a violent enemy, or a classroom full of inquisitive children, it's peril around every corner. All that, plus the long-awaited election speeches, oooh!

As the third and final season of Deadwood gets underway, it feels like many characters have taken a step back in the six weeks that have passed since the season two finale, especially our girl Joanie. Won't someone help her deal with her grief and give her something to do that doesn't involve Cy? Meanwhile, elections are imminent (finally), violence is going down in the Gem (shocking),  and suddenly there are children all over town (huh?).

Deadwood's second season closes out with perhaps our favorite episode so far, as George Hearst finally rolls into town against the backdrop of everyone preparing for the Alma & Ellsworth nuptials. There'll be murder! There'll be dancing! There'll be attempted murder in the middle of the dancing! This is Deadwood at its best.

As the camp comes together for the sad business of saying goodbye to young William, other unsavory business continues in the background, with Lee taking his most unforgivable actions so far and Commissioner Jarry plowing ahead on annexation terms with no regard for anyone's grief. Meanwhile, Alma makes a big decision.

The first trailer for the Deadwood movie has arrived! We are excited!!!

The camp sits in the balance between life and death this week, as collective hopes, prayers, and despair color all other interactions. We admire the excellent acting on display during this sad episode, as well as the smaller moments layered into the slower narrative. RIP William, RIP boyhood, etc.

This week, all roads lead to the one a wild horse runs down, potentially changing the lives of several characters forever. Whether Young William lives or dies will have to wait for next time, but there are plenty of other developments this week: the staring contest between Al and Isringhausen, the lead-up to the bank's first deposit, much ado about the Montana Annexation Rumor Plot, and--best of all--a pair of new roommates that we're very excited about.

It's an episode with several satisfying (mostly) Bechdel-test-passing scenes, as Jane and Joanie finally formally meet, Alma and Martha have a cryptic confrontation over their fraught circumstances, and Alma takes out her frustration on Miss Isringhausen. Meanwhile, the men converse with dogs and dead people, and the camp experiences the rare event of coming together in the thoroughfare for something other than an ass-kicking when Tom Nuttall takes on a challenge involving his new bicycle.

As we enter the second half of Deadwood's original run, this cast of characters still has delightful new combinations to present. No, we're not talking about Al and a head in a box -- but the very first face-to-face between Al and Alma. We're much bigger fans of that meeting than the one between Alma and Seth, whose passive attitude particularly bugs us this week. Meanwhile, both Joanie and Jane are reaching new low points, and someone who deserves an ass-kicking receives it in a most satisfying way.