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I either lack the intelligence or the pretension to be a true T.V. critic; I don't know which. For me, it's not about character development or fidelity to genres. It's way more black and white. I either like it or I don't. And I really liked Deadwood.

The award-winning show was an original HBO series and has received critical acclaim. Originally conceived to take place over four seasons, the show was cancelled after the third season due to apparent money and power struggles. The news of Deadwood's cancellation spawned outcry, even HBO boycotts. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who liked it.

Deadwood takes place in the 1800s in the mythical, but entirely realistic, outlaw gold-rush town ofwellDeadwood. The aesthetic is brilliantly-conceived western with a script that comes out of gritty inner city. The best description I've heard of the show is that it was a "Shakespeare-in-the-mud, swear-word-marathon-mix of bloody drama and dark deeds of men (and hookers)" - thanks Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

I have a confession. I don't subscribe to HBO. I rented the DVDs for the first and second season and watched them all at once. Actually, it wasn't my plan to watch them all at once, but I could stop after I started. In fact, when that dreaded last episode of the second season ended, I was darn near in a tizzy. I think that's the way Deadwood has to be watched. Once a week, twelve weeks a year, doesn't cut it for a show like this. Watching it has to be excessive, like the show.

If you haven't seen an episode yet, or if you quit because of the violence and language of the first few got to you, give it a chance. It gets even better (and slightly less violent in my opinion) as the series progresses. Of course, I can only vouch for the first two seasons. The DVDs aren't out yet for season three, but I've already got them reserved at the local video store.

Learn more about this author, Joseph Hazelbaker.
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