Obon and Deadwood

So Obon has been and gone...The Daimunji fires have died and its back to the same ol' same ol'. Obon, for all those folks who are not in the know, is a Japanese Buddhist holiday to pay homage to the spirits of one's ancestors. Daimunji is a kyoto specific ceremony which marks the end of this period. There are 5 mountains around Kyoto into which huge Kanji (chinese characters)have been carved. Fires are lit upon these kanji which 'guide' the spirits back to the afterlife. It all sounds deeply religious although for many japanese people the most important factor seems to be the 5 days off work which Obon brings. Obon is a shortened form of the legendary Urabonne/Urabanna. It is Sanskrit for "hanging upside down in hell and suffering". The Japanese believe they should ameliorate the suffering of the "Urabanna". I dont know about the "Urabanna" suffering but I certainly am. The Japanese Summer (© me) is ensuring that. The Friggin humidity and the never ending threat of typhoons hitting ma hovel ensure theres no respite for a pasty faced brit, who despite 5 years in country hasn't yet acclimatized to this season. So air-con is king...and the indoor life has at least allowed me to resume various indulgences which have been on the backburner for a while. Namely, Deadwood


For some reason (possibly sake induced) I stopped watching this show approximately half way through the first season in the belief that (this is where the sake comes in) that I'd actually seen the full season. Anyway, it took me several months to realise my error and pick up from where I'd left off. The shows willingness to merge both historical fact (or at least what is assumed as fact) and fiction is obviously not such a bold move, but its been done with such panache that each show, slackens my jaw in awe ever more (i shouldnt have typed that i know but its late, so hey, leave it). Ian McShane is, for anyone who used to while away their evenings watching the commendable yet lighthearted BBC series Lovejoy a revelation as the proprietor of The Gem Saloon, Al Swearengen. Far from being a one man show however, Deadwood is a complex and intelligent series from HBO that manages to balance both a dark and hopeful energy by never outstating the good or bad of its characters.



Narratives unfurl slowly and thoroughly, which results in magnificently complictaed characters, and in turn, builds a vested interest for the viewer. The abundant use of 4 letter words (or to be precise, 10 letter words, as the most oft used cuss seems to be "cocksucker") is initially alluring/off putting (dependant on your exposure to such language), yet even those who recoil initially may well find themselves seeing the poetry in profanity, as it slowly builds into a language of its own. You become part of Deadwood by exposure to it. The abundance of such profanity in almost all situations, is alien to many of us, and is therefore effective at creating another world with its own rules, vibe, and tongue.



The sets and costumes are impeccable and together with outstanding performances from an ensemble cast, strong direction, and intricately written scripts, you're thrown into a world of brutality, honor, and responsibility. Not to mention mud. Theres a lot of mud in Deadwood. That and horse shit. Watch with your wellies on. The show requires patience, but patience pays off. Characters are drawn out slowly and with complexity, no one ever becomes a token character. As I mentioned McShane is brilliant as Swearengen and HBO have managed to craft one of the most complex and complicated villains to ever grace the small screen. Played to perfection by McShane, Swearengen is a fine balance of hospitality and brutality, with the latter being potentially ever present. Every converstaion he has is heeped with tension (over what may happen to those who cross him).



As you can imagine, the tone isn't light. Due to the dark nature of the material it is key that the show have lighter and more hopeful supporting performances, which it most certianly has. Calamity Jane, played by the excellent Robin Weigert is a source of constant humor (and also sadness, but isnt most comedy rooted in misfortune?), Doc, played by the renowned Brad Dourif is a source of logic and reason among the chaos, and Trixie, played by Paula Malcomson, is a prostitute looking for a way out. These characters, and more all offer up hope, and provide an ideal counterpoint to some of the more weighty of issues which permeate the frontier town. All in all...if you havent seen it...do.