I just finished watching Deadwood Ep8: Suffer the Little Children. GUH! Nothing has quite creeped me out or made me as uncomfortable as Cy's killing Kristin Bell and her brother, since probably Reservoir Dogs. Seriously nervewracking and harrowing scene. The tension was almost unbearable.

And the episode was one of the funniest so far. I also really liked the parrallells and contrasts between Cy's scene with Joanie, in which she begs him to either kill her or let her go, and Al's utterly wordless scene with Trixie. This show has a lot of fantastic wordless moments. Music can be as much about the music you don't play as it is the music you do, and these players play their rests with as much precision as they do their notes.

I just watched the first season of The Wire in 3 days.

Damn, it's admirable.

I admire how panoramic and inclusive it is. I admire its responsible revulsion in the face of violence. And I admire that while it's savvy to the workings of powers, the storytelling never bends to bitterness, the characters are never cynically portrayed nor is there even a touch of nihilism in the way the situations presented.

I suppose it's a consequence of really immersing myself in the show that other things that have passed through my mind are viewed in the light of it. I read about Aaron Sorkin and his romantic fantasies seem more lousy. I read some Annie Proulx and her beatings with the depression stick seem more ham-handed. I watch some Battlestar Galactica and its ADD is even more apparent. Over the last few days, everything is being seen through my why-can't-you-be-more-like-The-Wire? glasses.

So, yeah, it mightn't be the best show I've ever seen but it's definitely the least foolish.

Three days? Wow, that's hard core. (looking at Corwood) Ok, who gets this toaster, bunk? My favorite Presidential metaphor is in 1.1. I compare the Shrub to Snot Boogie a lot. (that was, presumably, unintended by Mr. Simon, but I think he'd be amused.) "Ok, so you knew he was gonna steal because he does it all the time. Why did you let him play anyway?"

"Got to. This America."

everything is being seen through my why-can't-you-be-more-like-The-Wire? glasses.

Be careful with those glasses. When you compare all else to the pinnacle, the rest naturally suffers.

This show has a lot of fantastic wordless moments. Music can be as much about the music you don't play as it is the music you do, and these players play their rests with as much precision as they do their notes.

That is so true. Deadwood does the wordless exchange better than most, and it's almost always a pleasure.

Ok, who gets this toaster, bunk?

That's up to up to the one who appears to be a spring, but is really not.

check it...cable Hamsterdam's first jurisdiction problem. Historical moment...maybe I'll get some more canned peaches. My mother and I talked about you yesterday, Corwood. King of the Hill brought to mind some little thing about your environs. I said "My friend(Your Real Name) says this or that." And she's like(Real name) sounds like a Mormon name....is he?
"Not sure, but he introduced me to Deadwood."

She said "Then he left the temple behind some time ago."

"If we're ever at a Buffista gathering and I scream out either "Swergin" or "You cocksucker," I want you to be prepared. That'll be him. I don't want you to think I do that all the time."

Three days? Wow, that's hard core.

Well, I was ill. And, well, it was fun. Which is another thing I admire about it: the story is led by its own casual rhythms but the casual rhythms are led by a constantly whirring plot, so even though everything is quite unhurried, you never feel like you’re not moving forward. The balance between plot and characters and portraiture of a inner city was just my speed.

Be careful with those glasses. When you compare all else to the pinnacle, the rest naturally suffers.

I’m careful like that; I mean, I’m no big fan of Sorkin, Proulx or BSG. Or, in Sorkin’s case, any kind of fan. I have to say I’ve been charmed with the telly and films I’ve gotten to see lately. Making up for all the cruddy plays, I guess.

Ok, who gets this toaster, bunk?

Really, were I to be fair, no-one would get a toaster but plenty would get filaments and plastic tubing. You and Corwood definitely did some heavy lifting though. So, thanks for that.

I hear Prop Joe can turn filaments and plastic tubing into a toaster in a few hours.

And she's like(Real name) sounds like a Mormon name....is he?

Raised Southern Baptist and named-by-proxy (being a Jr.) after 1950s Alabama basketball coach Hayden Riley, who was a friend of my granddad's. Got no idea about his religious bent, but there aren't a whole lot of Mormons in Alabama.

I don't want you to think I do that all the time.

You don't do that all the time?

Not so far... what, is your image of me blown now?

It's just because it's sort of last-name-firstish, like Mormon names can be. Nothing intended, one way or another. Indian guys end up with names like that, too, butr she neglected to ask if you're a partial dirt-worshipper like us. Gotta unload some of that salvage...I'm not wearing any pants.(/Bubbles) They're having a real problem with local fiends moving into ritzy neighborhoods and stealing the pipes out the ACs. And in local news teaser fashion they asked why. I got it right. Mom wasn't sure whether to get me a badge or an intervention.

Last night was Deadwood S1Ep9: No Other Sons or Daughters. Funniest one yet. Al's scene with Johnny, about Charlie Utter's new enterprise and Persimmon Phil, which causes Al to "flee his own office in horror," left me breathless with laughter. Particularly the look on Al's face as he leaves, boggling at the awesome level of Johnny's cluelessness. Then when Johnny comes down and asks Al right in front of Dan, "Any reason I can't share with Dan the proceedings of the talk you and me just had about me taking over for Persimmon Phil?" and Al responds "Yeah. Keep Dan in the dark." damn near killed me with laughing. And Dan too.

As if that wasn't funny enough, we are also rewarded in this episode with some of the funniest Jane moments yet. Every single moment she's on screen is an absolute treasure, and this episode was no exception. What kills me about Jane is how vulgar and insulting she is to just about everybody, and yet nobody ever takes umberage at her for her speech. It's just Jane's way. Her scene with the poor, fucked up reverend was a perfect example (though I don't think the rev would take umberage at anyone). When the reverend says he no longer feels Christ's love as he once did and Jane responds "Is that so? Well join the fuckin' club of most of us." Priceless.

As I was saying, the scenes between her and Doc, and her and Charlie, while she stands propping up a building with her head, were so very sweet and funny, and truly classic Jane. When Charlie offers her a position at his new business, and she responds that she's "in a fuckin position, you eternally meddling cocksucker," I just about died. And then she really did kill me with "I have seen some stupid fuckin' outfits in my time, Charlie Utter, but that one takes the prize."

Also priceless? E.B. Farnum blasted off hiss ass and getting hand jobs from the whores at the Gem, right out in front of everybody. Yes folks, that's the brand spaking new mayor of Deadwood.

Also, between this episode and the previous one, it has been made clear that, while Al is surely a dangerous, lethal hardass, it's Cy Tolliver who's the actually evil one.

I'm so absolutely enraptured by this show, I honesly have no idea why I didn't start watching it sooner. Oh wait, yes I do. I didn't have HBO while it was on.