Deadwood: Season 1, Episode 6; Plague

The community of Deadwood comes together in a surprisingly optimistic way, courtesy of Al Swearengen (Ian McShane).

In this episode the small pox hits Deadwood. This episode is notable because it shows how a lawless society, filled with volatile and combative personalities, can come together to overcome an obstacle that threatens its existence. They organize, help each other, and come up with solutions. And no blame is laid anywhere. Just a surprising amount of positivity. If only society could always function that way.
Tidbits:
• Bullock has a WTF fight with an Indian. Bullock bashes the guy’s head with a rock 15 times. That is literally overkill.
• I think Elsworth is the only genuinely likeable character on the show.
• “Truth isn’t in you, Al.” “That makes two of us.” EB and Al really are a lot alike.
• “You better have a paying dwarf underneath you.” Al to one of the whores as she is sitting there crying, afraid she’ll get small pox.
• “Stick to hand jobs for a day or two if you like.” Al’s way of being nice to this whore.
• Calamity Jane becomes Nurse Jane since she is immune to the pox.
• Joanie is depressed by her life. But at least Cy gives her some time, he doesn’t beat her or rape her. But the threat is still there if she doesn’t cheer up soon.
• Al does Cy a favor by not ratting him out to the community (since Cy was trying to hide Andy and the small pox).

Cy (Powers Boothe), EB (William Sanderson), Al (Ian McShane) and the much fretted over plague article.

• The scene in which Al, Cy, and EB “help” Merrick write a newspaper article about the plague is pretty funny. Poor Merrick.
• “Is the idea to inform your reader or make him feel like a fucking dunce?” I’ve thought the same thing many times, Al.
• “Truth is, as a base of operations, you cannot beat a fucking saloon.” Cheers to that Al!

Instances of:
• Fuck(ing): 58
• Cocksucker: 7
• Shit: 6
• Piss: 2
• Pussy: 1
Plague gets 4.5 out 5 Hoopleheads.