My every recollection of Deadwood is not pleasant, if by pleasant, you mean, say, restful and you can turn your brain off and watch and fold laundry in confidence that love will conquer all. But I enjoy it anyway.ETA: Although at first, I found it kind of...nasty. But you totally have to watch Ian McShane, even as you hate him. And it's nice sometimes, when you're broke like me and you feel that your life is not working in some way, not to be again watching pretty people you envy get off, which of course sells a lot of soap to the hooples. Once I stayed, I found more to appreciate, but I'm talking about initial impressions.(And apparently, I'd been waiting my whole life for the word "hooplehead" but I didn't know.)

I just got my mother addicted to Dexter.

Not sure she's ready for Deadwood, though.

Anybody else excited for Rome to start back up?

I am, but I don't have HBO so I didn't watch last night. Am attempting to gain access through other means as we speak.

I am already very much NOT happy about the recasting of Octavian. I don't care if Master-and-Commander-boy was too young, he was perfect, damnit.

They didn't recast Octavian. It's the same guy. He just grew up. Caught the screener last week, and holy crap was it good to watch the show again. Vorenus and Pullo were amazing, and Octavian lit up the screen. It was a pleasure to watch.

They didn't recast Octavian. It's the same guy. He just grew up.

Seriously? Because according to the NYTimes, it's a different actor.

(Granted, Alexandra Stanley is batshit crazy most of the time, but that seems like a pretty major thing for the fact-checkers to miss.)

[eta: Huh, Max Pirkis is still in the opening credits, with no mention of Simon Woods anywhere -- he was supposedly the new actor. I wonder what the Times was smoking that day?]

I saw a promo picture with what looks like the other guy leading an army, so maybe they go with him at some later point. That would be too bad, I think Max is rocking it.

Loved the ep last night. Really good stuff. All these years later, this treatment redeems Antony's "I came to bury Caesar, not praise him" speech for me. Eat their livers!

I saw a promo picture with what looks like the other guy leading an army, so maybe they go with him at some later point.

Yeah, I'm thinking they'll probably jump ahead in time at some point in the season.

[eta: Huh, Max Pirkis is still in the opening credits, with no mention of Simon Woods anywhere -- he was supposedly the new actor. I wonder what the Times was smoking that day?]

He was still listed in the cast credits at IMDB for at least the beginning of the series. And he was just stunning as Octavian in Passover--showing that incredible mix of legal/military/political intelligence while still retaining that sense of being on the threshhold of manhood. Really fantastic. I'll be very disappointed if the actor is changed, because Picks carries the role like he was born to it.

I love Rome! Also love Octavian and am sad at the thought of recasting. That was a kick-ass premiere. Why did they cancel this show??? Poor Vorenus.

Very. Very. Excited.