Well, August and Kevin, you guys were right. Deadwood is THE SHIT. What a fascinating show. Just when I think HBO can't impress me more, they do. They hire the best location scouts and set designers in the business. Carnvale recreates dustbowl, Depression-era, middle America while Deadwood brings to life a town in perfect detail from over a hundred years ago. Everything feels authentic (except maybe the profanity). And the characters! Oh man, this small army of characters has so much life and dimension. And the dialogue! Some of the best TV words I've ever heard. Seriously. These characters talk way smarter than they should, but whatever. Some of the words that come out of Al's mouth are just genius. And Billock's deadpan eyes are scary. A wonderfully faceted protagonist.

Each character has their own appeal but some stand out. It's great to see Brad Dourif get some work as Doc Cochran. He was the best thing to happen to Voyager as the Betazoid traitor and deviously scary in The Two Towers. And the guy who plays E.B. Farnum has done so much great work as a character actor that watching him consistently, especially when he talks to himself, is a gift to us as viewers!

Over the weekend, I gobbled up the first seven hours. A dizzying rollercoaster ride. And such balls! To kill your best character and unleash a plague barely before your feet are off the ground as a show. This show really is a creative apex for HBO. It's got the nuanced characters of The Wire, the creativity and scope of Carnivale, and the body count of Oz. What more could you want?