'Twixt nuggets and nothing

Play it: Deadwood Season 1

Tonight marks the third season of the David Filch created HBO drama Deadwood. But instead of buzz about the new season, talk has centered around how a critically acclaimed series like this got dropped for it's 4th season. This won't be the end of Deadwood, as there is in the works plans for two 2-hour movies next year to wrap up everything, but it is essentially the last 'season' of the show.

It appears Filch's new series pitch to HBO (John From Cincinnati) was so well received, they asked Filch to concentrate on that show next year instead of Deadwood. When Filch turned down HBO for a 6-episode season, the show appeared to be dead until a flood of angry emails (Dear C*cks*ckers...) from HBO subscribers (and an attempt to organize a National Cancel HBO Day - on the day of Season 3's finale) turned the tide and compromise was met. Why would Filch prefer two 2-hour movies (4 hours) over 6 episodes (6-hours.) I'm guessing it mostly it has to do with the story arcs that have to occur within a contained presentation like an episode, and it's a lot easier to move a story along in the longer format.

Hopefully, they'll still be as much c*cks*cking locutions to go about.

As for the soundtrack, I found the first season music to be much more compelling and consistent (and available,) so that's why I leave you with that. Of the lot, Michael Hurly represents an interesting music discovery for me. Hurley's got 35 years of a rich folk catalogue to mine (pun intended) and I've only yet begun to pan for the gold in his albums. He's probably more known for his stint in the NY folk outfit the Holy Modal Rounders in the 1970s.

More:
Deadwood gets a new lease on life (NYTimes, 06/11/2006)
Cut your premium channels — but not until ‘Deadwood’ ends (The State, 06/10/2006)
Deadwood going out with guns blazing (San Jose Mercury News, 06/09/2006)

tags: television, music, soundtrack, deadwood, hbo, michael hurley, folk, holy modal rounders, rhapsody