I Still Miss Deadwood

I was a latecomer to HBO's Deadwood, but I quickly became a fan and never understood why David Milch decided to move in another direction with the soon forgotten John from Cincinnati.  Three seasons of Deadwood were not enough, but maybe Mr. Milch feels he told the story he needed to tell.  But I still miss the musing of tavern owner Al Swearenger (Ian McShane), the moody law enforcement by Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), and the colorful swearings of Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert).  

Well now you can learn a little more about the making of Deadwood in this short video at OpenCulture called  A Lie Agreed Upon: David Milch's Deadwood.  In addition to seeing some of your favorite characters, you can hear how Mr. Milch really wanted to tell a story about Ancient Rome, which he more than successfully remade into a story about the Wild West (or in this case, South Dakota).  We also learn how the 1971 Robert Altman film McCabe and Mrs. Miller was a source of inspiration for Mr. Milch's own story.

Just seeing all the Deadwood characters and story lines reminded me again of the art and violence HBO brought to our living rooms, as if one needed the other for the series to be as memorable as it is.  You cannot step into the same river twice, but I hope more brilliant series will flow from the talents of Mr. Milch and those who follow.