The Big Picture
- Deadwood set a new standard for TV westerns with its realistic depiction of life in a South Dakota community during the Reconstruction Era.
- The show’s foul-mouthed dialogue, including nearly 3,000 expletives, drew controversy for HBO, but it also added to the genre’s authenticity.
- Despite the initial cancelation, Deadwood gained popularity after its conclusion, leading to a 2019 spinoff film that provided a definitive conclusion to the series.
Although the Western genre is nearly as old as cinema itself, TV westerns never got better than HBO’s Deadwood. David Milch’s groundbreaking HBO series was very different from classical Western serials, as it attempted to depict a more realistic version of what life would have looked like in a small South Dakota community in the Reconstruction Era. Deadwood may have been canceled after its first three seasons, but the series quickly drew acclaim as one of HBO’s greatest drama shows ever. While HBO shows have been hit with many different controversies over the premium cable channel’s history, Deadwood got in some hot water, believe it or not, over its foul-mouthed dialogue. But all that swearing paid off for not just the Western genre, but the network as well.
How ‘Deadwood’s Swearing Got HBO in Trouble
Deadwood is inspired by the real annexation of small towns in American territories during the 1870s, in which “manifest destiny” had swept the nation. The series focuses on the new sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), who departs from his job as the marshal of Montana to serve as the new lawmaker of Deadwood. Deadwood itself is a literal gold mine and draws in a multitude of corrupt characters who want to take part in the area’s newfound riches. Bullock’s attempts to “civilize” a town that has never had a formal system of government (or any infrastructure for that matter) make up the bulk of Deadwood’s drama.
Among the shady characters that Bullock encounters in Deadwood is the brothel owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane). While Swerengen’s profession may be a salacious one, he’s one of the most influential members of the community. Surprisingly, Swerengen becomes an ally to Bullock as they ward off the advances of the film’s villains, including the ruthless murderer George Hearst (Gerald McRaney). While Bullock and Swerengen eventually find common ground, they live entirely different lifestyles; Swerengen makes no apologies for exploiting the seedy side of Deadwood. Swerengen’s foul-mouth became one of the most entertaining aspects of the show; as his last name suggests, the brothel owner has a particular aptitude for profanity.
The heavy use of profanity became one of the most frequently discussed aspects of the show. While Milch defended the use of swearing in an interview with New York Magazine, on the grounds of historical accuracy, it certainly took many viewers by surprise. Compared to the squeaky-clean version of the West in classic films starring John Wayne or Gary Cooper, the world of Deadwood felt particularly unnerving. Even indoctrinated HBO viewers may have been shocked by how filthy the show’s dialogue was; it was estimated by the West Virginia Surf Report! that the series included nearly 3,000 expletives at an average rate of nearly 1.5 per minute. Forty-three of these expletives came during the first hour of the show’s pilot episode.
Was the Swearing Historically Accurate in ‘Deadwood’?
In an interview with The World, David Milch stated in 2019 how he had poured extensive research into real mining communities in order to depict the world of Deadwood with realism, stating “everyone without exception said that in the mining camps, the language was of an unrelieved coarseness and obscenity.“ Although Deadwood’s coarseness certainly attracted the series some notoriety, it wasn’t enough to save it from cancellation. Despite earning heavy critical acclaim, including several nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, Deadwood was canceled after the end of its third season. While the show’s fans were quick to call out the series’ lack of a compelling conclusion, its critics made the easy association that Deadwood’s profanity had turned off viewers.
Despite initial controversies over the content, Deadwood was eventually regarded as one of the greatest HBO dramas of all time. While classic HBO shows like The Sopranos and The Wire drew acclaim during their original runs, Deadwood attracted more viewers after the series had been seemingly completed. As more television pundits and loyal HBO viewers discovered the series in the decade following its conclusion, Deadwood’s popularity spiked. This eventually inspired Milch to return to the Deadwood universe with a 2019 spinoff film that provided a definitive conclusion to the journey that Bullock, Swerengen, and the other characters had begun back in 2004.
The ‘Deadwood’ Controversy Started an HBO Precedent
While Deadwood’s frequent expletives seemed unprecedented back in 2004, the controversy surrounding the show’s language feels fairly minimal compared to the other decisive moments in the history of the premium cable network. Deadwood was hardly the first HBO series to inspire backlash; the explicit content in the prison series Oz laid the groundwork for the “prestige television” era, and The Sopranos often drew backlash due to its frequent use of graphic violence. But Deadwood’s profanity wasn’t its only mature aspect, as the series also incorporated graphic sexual content and shocking moments of violence in order to adhere to David Milch’s more realistic depiction of the West.
Deadwood set a precedent that the network wasn’t keen to shy away from controversy, and other creators were forced to defend their shows’ content. Game of Thrones frequently drew backlash for its depiction of violence, Westworld created headlines with its frequent sexual content, and Euphoria provoked discussion over its depiction of mental health issues and contemporary adolescent life. There’s perhaps been no HBO series more controversial than The Idol. Compared to the wild extremities that Sam Levinson’s pop star Odyssey got into, the profanity on Deadwood feels pretty tame.
What differentiated Deadwood at the time from other controversial television shows was the intent with which the offensive content was used. Deadwood wasn’t attempting to shock the viewers, as it merely adhered to what the era may have actually looked like. Those who were shocked by the violence, open sexuality, and swearing in Deadwood may have been surprised to learn that the show is much more authentic than the idealized version of the “Wild West” that is most frequently associated with the genre. Deadwood has aged rather well, particularly in comparison to other “realistic” Westerns that have emerged since its release. It’s notable that Western films praised for their authenticity, such as There Will Be Blood and The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, feel like they were crafted from the Deadwood template.
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