jason_whitlock said:
totally disagree ... that was a great ending..... the whole setup of deadwood was about a lawless city before government and big money set up rules and laws.... the whole city rose up and tried to stop government and big money and couldn't do it. and now you're left with the feeling that government and big money are just as corrupt, maybe even more corrupt, than swearingen. there was less killing when there were no real rules. heck, charlie utter was making sure black men got to vote... milch is a genius and the finale was his best piece of work.
Sigh.
I don't really want to get into this, because I agree with a lot of what you said (Milch is indeed a genius, and this episode was better than some are giving it credit for). But once again, it seems like you're taking your point of view to a ridiculous extreme, just for the sake of being a contrarian.
I realize everyone has different tastes, but there is no way this was Milch's "best piece of work." It just wasn't. Yes, he proved that "The Man" (i.e., Hearst, or the politicians in Yankton, or the civilized world in general) is just as corrupt and just as heartless as Swearengen ever was. And yes, the stuff with Bullock showing restraint, then wondering how he was going to lay his head to his pillow that night, was poignant. Yes, Charlie Utter had a couple of great scenes. And as always, Al had his fantastic moments with his Indian head and his bloodstain.
But Jason, remember when you used to lecture all of us about how we were too stupid to realize when an episode of The Sopranos wasn't all it should have been? Well, I think the tables are turned here. Through 12 episodes, Season 3 of Deadwood was nearly perfect. But you have to admit, this finale doesn't stack up against the finales of the first two seasons. The payoff to the whole acting troupe storyline wasn't nearly big enough to justify all the time Milch spent on it. Same with the Joanie-Jane thing. The effect of Ellsworth's death on the Bullock-Alma relationship wasn't explored enough. The first two finales did a much better job of bringing everything together.
Again, I'm not disputing the fact that this was a good episode, or that Milch is brilliant. It's just that I find it funny you're taking the exact opposite stand on this than the one you took when The Sopranos slowed its pace and went for subtlety.
Look, Jason, I'm all for contrarianism. But when you disagree with the consensus every freaking time, it kind of loses its effectiveness. Sooner or later, people are going to stop paying attention. And then when no one comes to help you out, the wolf is going to smother you in Gates BBQ sauce and eat you alive...
