Throwback Thursday, a weekly article in which we look back at our favorite TV episodes from over the years.
"On A Pale Horse I Ride"
When I was little kid and someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer was invariably a cowboy. I read plenty books on American history and loved every aspect of the Revolutionary War on through the Civil War and into the early 1900's. The element that excited me most were the characters depicted as lone souls and idealized representatives of the tradition of chivalry. A wrangler. Gunslinger. Incredible with a six-shooter. And on a horse that was his best-friend. A Cowboy.
- Wild Bill to Charlie Utter
Deadwood is one the few, and recent, TV shows that used cowboys and the Wild West as its central theme. I enjoyed everything about the show, from the first episode when we meet Seth Bullock, played by my favorite actor Timothy Olyphant, to real life saloon owner Al Swearengen, played by Ian McShane. It was difficult to pick out my favorite episode from this series, but I ultimately chose, 'Here Was A Man', due to it being the final moments in the life of Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood, South Dakota.
The episode begins where we were most likely to find Wild Bill, sitting at a poker table. Sitting across from Jack McCall (played by Garrett Dillahunt), who had been winning at poker in nearly every hand in the episodes prior, Bill now has the upper hand, coming off a long, much welcomed, winning streak of his own. He gives Jack McCall a bit of money to go buy breakfast for himself, no doubt upsetting McCall in the process.
- Al Swearengen to Wild Bill
Meanwhile, Alma Garret's husband comes back into town, dead from an apparent fall from a cliff while inspecting his gold claim with Dan Dority. We know that it was Dan who pushed Mr. Garret to his ultimate demise, working under the orders of his boss, Al Swearengen of the Gem Saloon. Al wants ownership of the Garret gold claim and Mrs. Garret hires Wild Bill to help, thinking him to be the most honest man in Deadwood. The resulting conversation between Wild Bill and Al is one of the many highlights of the episode as both actors play their characters to near perfection.
- Wild Bill to Mrs. Garett
The hour hints at showing honest men in one of the most dishonest and murderous towns of that time. Just when you think Wild Bill is no better than the rest and accepts a bribe from Al, to tell Mrs. Garett what he wants him too, we learn it was intentional to seek out Al's dishonest and untrustworthy nature. Bill enlists Bullock to research the gold claim and even gives him the bribe money he was given by Al. This is all to show the kind of man Wild Bill was, preparing us for the inevitable end of his story.
This chapter of Deadwood ends with Wild Bill Hickok sitting at Nuttall's and Mann's Saloon. While holding a poker hand of a pair of
Aces and a pair of eights, Jack McCall comes in and utters, "Damn you, take that!", as he shot him in the back of the head with a .45 caliber double-action revolver. Wild Bill slumps over in his chair as McCall runs out of the saloon with a horde of angry citizens chasing him. When I first watched the episode I had no idea it would be the one that would end Wild Bill's story on the show. Seth Bullock, a good friend to Bill throughout the first episodes, walks into the now empty saloon and sees his friend fall off his chair, to the floor, dead. He doesn't say it, but you can see on his face what he is thinking...here was a great cowboy...here was a great lawman...here was a man.
Thoughts and Discussion
- The closing song for this episode is "Fallen From Grace" – Mark Lee Scott. The lyrics are fitting considering Wild Bill's story line throughout the four episodes he was on the series and his history. It is also important to note that he wrote his wife, Agnes Thatcher Lake, a letter right before his death. It read in part, "Agnes Darling, if such should be we never meet again, while firing my last shot, I will gently breathe the name of my wife—Agnes—and with wishes even for my enemies I will make the plunge and try to swim to the other shore." [Wikipedia]
- Deadwood aired on HBO for three blood-soaked seasons consisting of twelve episodes each. It never received the green light for the much needed, much anticipated, fourth season, but the characters (both real and imaginary) more than made up for it. Seth Bullock, Al Swearengen, Wild Bill Hickok, Sol Star, Charlie Utter, Calamity Jane and E.B. Farnum (the first mayor of Deadwood, SD) are just a few of the characters that rounded out this incredible period drama. Keith Carradine as Wild Bill was the highlight of the first four episodes of the first season and I thought he did an excellent job at channeling the famed gunslinger for the role. I chose this episode for his portrayal of the iconic character and the hour belonged to him. Created, produced and mostly written by David Milch (NYPD Blue), Deadwood was extremely well written with a unique dialogue throughout its run.
- That excitement of the American Old West only grew as I read more books and comic books throughout the years. I would watch any television show or movie representing the Old West and Wild West. Some of my favorites included The Legend Of Brisco County Junior featuring Bruce Campbell, anything with John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, The Lone Ranger and Tonto and the list goes on and on. However, as I grew older, the stories involving gunslingers in any type of 'Old West' setting (whether American, futuristic or alternative universe old west) became fewer in number. Nowadays, it is difficult to find that much literary media with a cowboy as a central figure. Hell On Wheels on AMC is a great story about the railroad production in post Civil War times, but only has one season left. East Of West by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta along with The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt are two of my favorite comic books depicting cowboys or an alternative universe Old West time period. My favorite book series is the Dark Tower, by Stephen King, featuring Roland Deschain, My favorite cowboy in literature, in an alternate universe Old West type setting.
- When shot, Hickok was playing five card draw, and was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights. (The final card had been discarded and its replacement had possibly not yet been dealt.) The fifth card's identity is the subject of debate to this day. In 1979, Hickok was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. If you have ever heard of the "Dead Man's Hand", it is when holding a pair of Aces and a pair of eights in Poker. This is what Wild Bill Hickok was holding when Jack McCall came from behind and shot him.
- Jack McCall was found innocent in the first trial, claiming Wild Bill killed his brother in Abilene, Kansas and was seeking revenge. Fearing for his safety, McCall soon left the area and headed into Wyoming Territory, where he repeatedly bragged about killing Hickok in a "fair" gunfight.[1] But Wyoming authorities refused to recognize the result of McCall's acquittal on the grounds that the court in Deadwood had no legal jurisdiction. Because Deadwood was not under a legally constituted law enforcement or court system, officials argued that McCall could be tried again. Agreeing, the federal court in Yankton, Dakota Territory, declared that double jeopardy did not apply, and set a date for a retrial. McCall was tried again in Yankton for Hickok's murder, and was quickly found guilty. After almost three months in jail, he was hanged on March 1, 1877, aged 24. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery.[where?] The cemetery was moved in 1881, when McCall's body was exhumed and found to have the noose still around his neck.[1] McCall was the first person to be executed by federal officials in the Dakota Territory. The killing of Hickok and the capture of McCall is reenacted every summer evening in Deadwood. [Wikipedia]
I could write a long time about Deadwood and the American Old West, but I figure I will do another Throwback Thursday Article and I can include more. Thank you all for reading!
Thank you for checking out my article! I would love to read your comments on the subject of the American Old West and about the show Deadwood below!
The list of Westerns and Actors in Westerns that I love is far too great to list here, but I would love to know and talk about what all of your favorite Movies, TV Shows, Books, Comic Books or anything depicting the Wild West are! Please comment below!
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