EVill TV: Deadwood 8/20/06

3X11: "The Catbird Seat" written by Bernadette McNamara, directed by Greg Feinberg.

Man... And I had trouble sleeping after last week's episode. This week, I noticed my heart start to thump in my chest when the "HBO Original Series" brand card appeared. "...mmmoooiii..."

I'll have to check, but I feel quite certain this does not happen prior to screening an episode of Entourage (as much as I like Entourage).

The season's overall theme of unification in the face of the outside threat posed by George Hearst continues to strike dramatic gold (ooooh--bad pun), creating opportunities to pair the unlikeliest characters--Utter & Dority, Swearengen & Star, Swearengen & Blasinov ("Please don't hit me!"), et al.

But the highlight last night (if I had to pick just one) was Swearengen & Alma. There is such power in that relationship... which makes sense, since they're the mother and father of this society... the King & Queen on the chessboard of this season's main storyline... and they both know it. (Does Hearst have a Queen? Aunt Lou? Hmmm...)

Anyway, I really wanted Alma's gratitude to boil over into an actual embrace, just to see that look on his facde, like he'd rather get stabbed. (Less painful). I don't think Al Swearengen is wired to deal with being a respected, let alone beloved member of society, but for the first time last night, I caught myself daring to hope that he might get a happy ending.

(Silly, silly me).

Wouldn't it be nice if he got to croak on his balcony at the ripe old age of 75, tin coffee mug in hand, surveying the city he, more than any other single person, was responsible for building? (And perhaps in the middle of a speech to his Heathen in a Box?)

...What?

Next Sunday's season finale is, in fact, the last ever episode of Deadwood.... which is fucking criminal... but HBO--not wanting to alienate its small, but cultish core audience--has commissioned a pair of two hour wrap up movies that will deliver closure by departing from the series' one episode=one day format.