Deadwood: Suffer the Little Children Rewatch

February 11, 2017 9:41 PM - Season 1, Episode 8

Deadwood breathes easier when some riders arrive in town with the smallpox vaccine, and word of a possible treaty with the Sioux. The results of Bullock's analysis of her gold claim move Alma to reassess her plans and sets up a confrontation between Bullock and Swearengen. When Flora tries to quit, Cy teaches Joanie a deadly lesson at the expense of a couple of con artists.
posted by rhizome (3 comments total)

This is the episode in which the viewer decides they don't much like Cy Tolliver.
posted by Rust Moranis at 11:30 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

... in contrast with Al Swearengen who doesn't mind putting in honest effort (the bloodstain) whereas Tolliver spreads his dirty work around.

Also telling that Al seems to let the mining claim go; he lost fair and square and accepts that. His reunion with Trixie, though, gave me some slightly more complicated feels.
posted by porpoise at 12:09 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Al letting the claim go is strategic, too. He has some lines after he finds out the local native tribe had been called back to Cheyenne, that there's no worries about those problems anymore, and things have to mellow out around town if they're going to be able to ride the train as long as possible.
posted by rhizome at 10:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]