Deadwood: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

The pinnacle of modern storytelling.
Of all the TV series I have watched beginning to end, Deadwood is the one I keep coming back to. Even though I've seen every episode countless times, I still pick up something new with each viewing. It still makes me laugh. It still makes me think. It still gives me chills, and it still makes me cry. It is a brilliant man, executive producer and head writer David Milch, at the peak of his powers as a storyteller. Watching Deadwood is like reading a 1200 page novel from 150 years ago. Broad themes in a small setting, complex and conflicted characters, and detailed scenery make for a completely immersive experience.

The plot of the series revolves around where order and community come from. Deadwood was settled outside of U.S. territory in the 1870's after a gold rush, thus leaving it in complete anarchy. Each of the three seasons is well-structured in terms of conflict. The first season deals with how the inhabitants of the town arrange themselves in this lawless...
For Those Left Hanging...
...and bummed by the loose ends, don't worry. It all turns out well. As a lifelong South Dakotan and a history major I can tell you it all ends well. Yes, George Hearst did fix the election and steal the office of Sheriff away from Seth Bullock. Bullock had been a U.S. congressman from Montana before coming to Deadwood, though, and had friends in Washington. When they found out that Hearst had fixed the sheriff's race, they appointed Seth Bullock U.S. Marshall for the Dakota Territory. That gave him authority over all law enforcement in the area, canceling out Hearst's move. Bullock would meet a young Teddy Roosevelt in the Dakotas and they became lifelong friends. Bullock even led the inaugural parade when Roosevelt became President of the United States.
What's up with the packaging?
Deadwood is an excellent series. I'm not even going to debate the quality of the show. If you haven't seen it you're missing out.

There is something I would like to address though, the packaging of this box. It looks nice and it's quite small for 19 discs sure, but this comes at a cost. My mother is a huge fan of the show, so we bought her this very set for Christmas (via a local competitor). We are fanatically careful with DVD and bluray discs around my house, If they get scratched I get angry, and I'm not the only one. We've taken the 1st disc out of the case roughly twice, it's already got 2 scratches. Not because of misuse, not because of poor handling, just from sliding it in and out of the box. If you want to protect this investment I suggest getting some other cases to store the discs in. Whoever designed the packaging on this set was not firing on all cylinders.
Click to Editorial Reviews