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2005-02-22 Entry: "Deadwood Night"

Deadwood night, and we have four episodes down, starting with "Reconnoitering The Rim" and Alma's husband is killed for threatening to bring the Pinkertons in to deal with the gold claim. Swearengen has other problems though, when the Bella Union comes to town, and he's got to negotiate terms for who deals in what - they'll both have whores and liquor, but the Union'll have craps and poker.

"Here Was A Man" sees Alma dealing with her husbands death. She enlists Hickok's aid in handling the arrangements, talking to Swearengen about the gold claim (especially after Farnham tries to buy it back for 12 thousand). Hickok tells her she should keep the claim until she's had a competent surveyor go over it, and suggest enlisting Bullock for the task.

And then Hickok gets shot and killed while playing poker...

"The Trial Of Jack McCall" sees aforementioned trial being held in the Gem Saloon - and Swearengen working on getting the guy released as he doesn't want the law descending on his fair town. However, Smallpox does descend on it - what with the guy from the Union being dumped in the woods and all. Jack gets advised to leave town as quickly as possible. Bullock decides to take matters in to his own hands and rides out after him.

"Plague" sees the obvious - a major outbreak of smallpox. Jane comes back to town and helps the Doctor care for the sick, Trixie continues to try and help Alma kick her laudanum habit, Bullock gets attacked by an indian, manages to defeat him, but pretty much collapses afterwards. Hickok's other friend finds him soon after, and Bullock insists on giving the dead native a proper burial before they continue on after Jack McCall.

You know, if you get past all the swearing, this is a great fucking show! Of course, you've probably got to get past the nudity, the sex, and the violence as well, so this is definitely one to keep out of the hands of the children, but otherwise, it's a fantastic cast, well acted, and just all around good drama.