“Dr. Bombay” is good with this series. Other opinions appear to be in line. USA Today gives it 2.5 stars. Entertainment Weekly gives it an A-. I’ll be watching. Can you resist?

Deadwood 1.1 FAQ

Isn't it weird that HBO is doing a western? I mean, aren't those usually left to TNT or CBS?

As you might imagine, a western from the people who brought us "Oz" and "Hookers On the Point" is not like anything you'd see on TNT or CBS.

What do you mean, Bombay?

Let's put it this way. You know how most westerns look too clean? Sergio Leone's fabulous spaghetti westerns were about the grungiest ever made, but you still came away from them thinking that things in a world of much violence, little law and less deodorant would have been nasty beyond belief. "Deadwood" attempts to capture why it is any normal person would not want to go back in time and live in the old west. Put your cowboy fantasies away. This place is awful.

How so?

I won't get into a history lesson, but basically Deadwood (in the late 19th century) was a real place in what was then known as the Dakota Territory; a mining town on Sioux land that was outside the laws of the United States. Not quite a town, it was a community that sprung up around the discovery of gold. But as the show's tagline say: "It's a hell of a place to make your fortune."

So it's a historical drama?

Only in the sense that it's set in a real place and features some real characters, including Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. As series creator David Milch ("NYPD Blue") said when asked about historical accuracy: "I want to make it clear I've had my ass bored off by many things that were historically accurate." That in mind, I do not know whether dead bodies were actually fed to pigs in Deadwood, or if entire families were actually wiped out for their meager belongings, all of which happens in the first two episodes. That's just the beginning. This is the foulest place on Earth.

Hmm. So what's good about it?

Plenty. First of all the cast. We meet the aforementioned Hickok in his declining years, played magnificently by Keith Carradine. He's one of the good guys. Also good is Timothy Olyphant ("Go") as Seth Bullock, a former lawman and fast gun who's come to Deadwood to open a hardware store. As his partner, Sol Star, actor John Hawkes is just wonderful. A bit of trivia: Hawkes was the guy in the roadside store who got shot up and burned by the Gekko brothers at the beginning of "From Dusk Till Dawn." The great Brad Douriff is also on hand as Doc Cochran, the town medic who initially gives us the impression he's a mad doctor. By episode 2 however we want to be his friend. Another character to watch is Calamity Jane, played by Robin Weigert. The famous sharp shooter and roper has, like Hickok, seen better days, but can still scare the crap out of most men. And speaking of scaring the crap out of most men, Ian McShane, who was so chilling as the gangster Teddy in "Sexy Beast," is Deadwood's devil incarnate -- a villain among villains named Al Swearengen. In the absence of any real law, he's the closest thing Deadwood has to a mayor by virtue of sheer strength and willingness to kill someone over nothing. A classic struggle begins to take shape the day Wild Bill Hickok and Seth Bullock arrive seperately in Deadwood. As good guys they bond right off and pose an immediate threat to Swearengen's evil empire. Beyond that what's good about "Deadwood" is great writing, pure and simple. I made much earlier of the grunginess of the town and its people, but as with all great, compelling drama the secret to this show lies in the authenticity of its characters. The show is perfectly cast and extremely well written.

What's bad about it?

Nothing, really. The episode is directed by Walter Hill and it's a fine one. But it's the second episode that really makes me believe this show will be something special (more on that next week). If you watch "Deadwood" try to reserve judgement until you've seen at least two episodes. Trust me. Some have given the show bad reviews for its language. My ears aren't all that sensitive but I will admit I think the language does go over the top. The prisoners in "Oz" had better manners. The guys in "Reservoir Dogs" were more erudite. David Milch, who's something of an academic, swears (no pun intended) that people in the real Deadwood spoke this way.

The show premieres right after "The Sopranos," so comparisons are inevitable. Go on record, Bombay. Which is the better show?

I refuse to compare them after just one episode of "Deadwood." However the more logical comparison might be to "Carnivale." Both shows are period dramas and they have similarly heavy tones.

Dr. Bombay’s rating for “Deadwood” 1.1?

***

The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
***** better than we deserve
**** better than most motion pictures
*** actually worth your valuable time
** as horrible as most stuff on TV
* makes you quietly pray for bulletins

9 p.m. Sunday. HBO

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