Ladywood

The Deadwood movie is finally here! Our final chance to visit the world of Al, Seth, Alma, Trixie and all our favorite characters held many surprising moments, some beautiful bits of closure, and a few opportunities that fell through the cracks. Join us for this final trip to Deadwood.

We've reached the series finale of Deadwood, so it's time to reflect upon all the things we've loved as well as all the things we would have done differently. (Hey, you know the drill by now...because we're writers. Writers in LA.) The movie is nigh, and we thank you for listening with us this far!

A moment of silence for a Ladywood favorite as we discuss Deadwood's penultimate episode. Hearst takes violent action, and we mourn along with the characters for the ensuing loss. From there, retaliation takes things to another level -- and as we move into the final episode of the show's run, it remains unclear who will come out on top.

It's a stunner of an episode as we head into the home stretch of season three. When someone shoots at Alma during her daily walk to the bank, our regulars band together to scheme and strategize, tension rising all the time. Oh, and also the actors have some nonsense going on? And Cy is being a dick for no reason? But we're not gonna let those distractions ruin an otherwise great episode.

It's a bad week for season three's new side characters, as the Earp brothers end their Deadwood adventure without much fanfare and Odell meets a sad fate off screen. As we ask ourselves what the point of all that was, another questionable event looms: the town's first Amateur Night! What talents hide in the crowd of hoopleheads? We shall see.

The Earp brothers arrive, a-shootin' and a-hollerin', and if you think it takes us long to start trying to fan fiction it up and make a gay love match....you're listening to the wrong show. On a less sexy note, Hearst may be riled up by Seth's letter in the newspaper, but he still lets himself get vulnerable with Jack during a creative treatment for his bad back. And by episode's end, a different band of men are shooting their way into town....

It's The Meeting of the Patriarchy Part Deux as once again the gang at the Gem busts out the peaches (and cinnamon) and gathers the troops to discuss a common problem. Hearst has more men coming to town, but Al's delaying the plan to fetch their own back-up guns from Cheyenne. Will publishing Seth's letter about a victim of Hearst's violence finally bring things to a boil? And speaking of hot water....Joanie and Jane's relationship takes a leap as an intimate bathing moment becomes something more. We ship it, obvs, but we'll see if they can keep hanging on.

Inscrutable plots abound this week as Lou's son Odell rides into town with big news for Hearst about a gold claim in Liberia, while Cy considers ways to turn Alma's backslide into drug use to his benefit. We're not 100% sure how everyone's going to make their plans come together, but we're along for the ride. Meanwhile, Lynn makes a bold claim about Best Male Feminist for the episode.

It's the battle of the (19th) century as Captain Turner challenges Dan Dority to hand-to-hand combat in the thoroughfare. Which fighter will emerge victorious, and what existential questions will be raised by the violence? While this moment is Deadwood at its most iconic, elsewhere in town, another death has us very frustrated about how it's handled. Meanwhile, Alma slides backwards, endangering the balance of the Ellsworth marriage.

The doors of the Deadwood bank are opening and the hoopleheads are ready to deposit that gold -- if they can wrap their minds around it. As this dovetails with the return of Hostetler and General Fields with the horse that killed William Bullock, Seth tries to broker a deal to keep Steve the Drunk from inciting violence over ownership of the livery. And in other horrors, Con Stapleton gets laid. (My god.)

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.

This week, we bow our heads as we lose some of our female characters when Mr. W.'s madness reaches a bloody new peak. What consequences, if any, will a rich white man face for his actions? (Don't we all know the answer to that one....) Meanwhile, Al's back on his feet (even if he needs help being propped up), Alma makes plans for the town's future while Trixie makes plans for Alma's, and Seth continues his trend of extremely healthy choices to deal with his feelings.

Actions catch up with Alma when she finds herself deciding how to proceed with a pregnancy that she may want to go through with, even though she's unmarried and unsure of potential medical complications. Trixie and the Doc both have their thoughts on the matter, but we'll have to wait to see what Alma ultimately decides. Meanwhile, Isringhausen's mysterious plot develops, Cy and Joanie continue probing for usable information about Wolcott, and a new character faces some convoluted and upsetting danger.

The moment of truth arrives with regards to Al's health, and it feels like it's not just his fate on the line, but that of Johnny, Dan, Trixie, and the Doc as well. As that group walks through fire together, Wolcott continues sinking his plans deeper into the camp alongside the newly-arrived county commissioner, E.B. botches another clever scam, and Miss Isringhausen reveals that she has a plot of her own.

The new arrivals to Deadwood continue, and we've got a feeling Francis Wolcott is about to shake things up (and not in a good way). As he sets up both his business interests and his... uuuhhh... personal ones, Cy, E.B., and Maddie all see their own monetary opportunities in him -- but they may be underestimating Mr. W. And with Al out of commission due to his bladder stones, who's capable of staying three steps ahead of this mysterious newcomer?

The two-part opener of Deadwood's sophomore season concludes, with a few anti-climactic moments, but also plentiful great quotes and character scenes. Will Alma and Seth choose each other over their responsibilities? Will Al let his beef with Seth go without further violence? What's up with Dan's existential crisis? And plus: JANE'S BACK FOR REALZ! OMG!

Season two begins! We're ready for all the new female characters riding into town (or mysteriously appearing out of nowhere). Plus, Alma's putting away the mourning wear and flashing some sexy hairy pits! Oh, and the men are there, too....fighting in the muddy streets like hooplehead hooligans. Welcome back to Deadwood.

The cavalry's in town! As we close out the first season of Deadwood, the business of the outside world continues to encroach on the camp as "Custer's Avengers" (eyeroll) pass through. Their visit coincides with climactic (in several ways...) events with Seth and Alma, as she snaps while dealing with her sinister deadbeat father and he takes action to protect her. Meanwhile, Al doles out two very different kinds of deaths.

Our happiness is fleeting this week, as the consummation of Trixie and Sol’s flirtation (woo!) is quickly followed by emotional retaliation from Al (boo!). Meanwhile, hope springs as the Doc agrees to try a new method to help Jewel with her mobility, but hope fades for what’s left of the Reverend’s quality of life. Oh, and another asshole rides into town -- it’s Alma Garret's daddy.

It's much ado about Mr. Wu as he must petition Al for some type of justice after the murder of a Chinese opium carrier, a hasty move by two addicts that could lead to a race war in Deadwood if not handled delicately. As if Al didn't have enough to deal with! Also, the corrupt magistrate's bag man Silas Adams rides into town, the Reverend continues to deteriorate, and Eddie comes to Joanie with a plan to be the backer of her new brothel.

It's time for another meeting of the patriarchy, as annexation creeps closer and it's time to plan for paying some bribes (or, tricking the hoopleheads into paying some bribes). We also contemplate what the hell's going on between Cy and Eddie, and what Shonda Rhimes could do with some of these sexual tension moments between Seth/Alma and Sol/Trixie. SOMEONE KISS, PLEASE.

The brief saga of Flora and Miles concludes in violent fashion, as both Flora and Cy Tolliver reveal the depths of their bloodlust -- leaving Joanie reeling in the aftermath. Meanwhile, another female character also looks death in the face, while the widow's gold claim *finally* gets that proper assaying we've heard so much about. Bing bang bonanza.

Deadwood's abuzz with the arrival of Miles and Flora, an innocent-seeming brother-sister duo searching for their missing father. But as many in town see opportunity in Flora's fresh....uh....face.... it soon becomes clear that she has plans of her own. Meanwhile, Seth rides back into town following his mission to track down Wild Bill's killer, and Trixie has some choice words for Alma as she *still* won't get on a train back to New York. (Seriously?)

This week, the "camp fathers" (side eye) come together to make a plan now that smallpox has shown itself in Deadwood. Al's level-headed reaction to the potential crisis reveals some depths about him, while Jane may also have a chance to show her best side if the Doc has his way recruiting her help. Meanwhile, Alma is still trying to get clean, Joanie is still sad, and could Trixie be headed for romance down the road?

This week, the residents of Deadwood experiment with building a justice system, as they organize to hold a trial following Jack McCall's killing of Wild Bill Hickok. Meanwhile, Jane and Seth have very different ways of dealing with their grief, the threat of illness continues its spread, and, in lighter news, more female characters get to actually talk to each other!

They don't call it *Dead*wood for nothing.... this week, the aftermath of Brom Garret's fatal "accident" plays out as events escalate toward yet another untimely death -- one that promises to cause big changes in the camp. And on a lighter note: shirtless Seth Bullock!!!

This week on Deadwood, the Bella Union folks are rolling into town, and Al is NOT happy about it. And before episode's end, someone else will be meeting their untimely demise....

This week on Deadwood, things are getting more complicated in the aftermath of an attack on a family leaving camp, pitting Swearengen and his lackeys against the Doc and Jane. Meanwhile, friendship continues to blossom between Wild Bill and Seth, and Brom Garret is in his own world fretting about his gold claim. Oh, Brom.

In the first episode of the new podcast Ladywood, co-hosts Ceda Xiong, Lynn Sternberger, and Brandi Sperry discuss the pilot episode of the HBO series Deadwood, the anticipation for the upcoming Deadwood movie, and get ready to re-watch (or, in Ceda's case, first-time-watch) the entire series.