Advances, None Miraculous (Deadwood episode)

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“Advances, None Miraculous”
Deadwood episode

Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 10
Guest stars	see main article
Written by	Sara Hess
Directed by	Daniel Minahan
Production no.	99766
Original airdate	May 8, 2005
Episode chronology
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"Advances, None Miraculous" is the twenty-second episode of the HBO original series, Deadwood. It was the tenth episode of the second season. The episode was written by Sara Hess and was directed by Daniel Minahan. It originally aired on May 8, 2005.

[edit] Guest roles

Pruitt Taylor Vince as Mose Manuel
Sarah Paulson as Miss Isrighausen

[edit] Plot synopsis

This episode takes up immediately after the last, and has Seth Bullock carrying his stepson, William, to Doc Cochrane’s office.

Hostetler and Fields (‘the nigger general’) fear for their lives though it seems no-one yet realizes it was their horse that trampled William. Hostetler expects no mercy from the whites, and neither intends to beg for mercy. Fields suggests fleeing. Jane comes knocking, asking for her horse, only to find the door locked. From outside, she also asks about Fields and the stud horse. She then walks around the corner to find Tom Nuttall hidden and weeping.

Swearengen is still completing his unfinished business with Miss Issinghausen. She is waiting for Bullock to return before signing the papers, not trusting Swearengen. He sends Dority to get Hawkeye, the friend of Adams, to take Bullock’s place. Meanwhile, we learn through their conversation that Swearengen put Merrick up to placing the rumours about Montana and his anger in the previous episode was a ruse. The plan was to put pressure on Yankton. It apparently works as Commissioner Jarry returns to Deadwood, something Merrick learned by intercepting a telegram from Jarry to Tolliver and Walcott. With this, Swearengen also tells Dority to fetch ‘the Jew’ (Sol Star).

Dority can’t find Hawkeye’s at E.B.’s hotel and Dority has to bully Star, preoccupied as are many with William, into attending Swearengen’s invitation. On the way back, a frustrated Dority finds Adams and insists he attend Al.

With Doc engaged with William, Tolliver has the still not dead Mose taken to Joannie’s, a task indeed for Stapleton, suffering from hernia pain, and Leon who are assigned to tug Mose on a sled. Jarry arrives and intends to meet Bullock, considering his business more important than Bullock’s concerns. Tolliver talks him out of interrupting, so Jarry heads to visit Merrick. Tolliver informs him that the article from the last episode was planted by Swearengen.

William looks to be badly injured and Doc is not hopeful. He fears brain damage. He urges both mother and ‘father’ show more tenderness.

Adams visits Swearengen and helps with the Miss Issinghausen business. In short, Al is tired of her delays and threatens to kill her if she doesn’t sign. Even still, she tries a false signature, but eventually relents Star comes into the Gem angry and, seeing Trixie there, blames her for learning numbers only for Al’s benefit. Swearengen wants Star to ‘school’ Adams on Montana policy and important people. Star eventually agrees to do so.

The ruffian Steve furiously belches drunken profanities against niggers as he sits in Nuttall’s bar. Nuttall comes in and is in shock.

Trixie, who has been in a fury all episode and indeed for several episodes, marches up to Alma Garrett’s room to hurry her answer for Ellsworth’s proposal. She accepts no excuses, reminding her that a loveless marriage didn’t seem to be an obstacle in her first marriage.

Leon arrives at Joannie’s with Mose and Doc comes to visit. He is not inclined to work on a hopeless case such as Mose. Instead, Jane tends him. Doc, however, comes back knowing there’s little more he can do for William.

Martha is distraught about William but shows little tenderness at first. Rather, she is in shock and bemoaning leaving Michigan. Later, as both sit over the boy, they make awkwards attempts to speak tenderly to him.

Jarry goes to visit Merrick who refuses to entertain him. He then goes over to Al’s where a hilarious scene ensues. Adams is posing as a representative of Montana’s interest supposedly intiated by Bullock, and is very hostile to Jarry and even to Swearengen who he pretends is betraying him in talking to Jarry. He speaks of a meeting where a hooded Montana official made bribes for his allegiance in the back room of a restaurant. Skeptical at first, Jarry eventually furnishes details for the story himself, and asks for more time to allow Yankton a counter-offer. Al is delighted the ruse worked and hopes elections will be the result.

Hostetler and Fields have now fled and discuss their future. Fields invites him to Oregon to open a livery. Hostetler’s pride in both being honest and not being controlled by whites or the fear of them, forces him to consider going back to Deadwood and explaining his part in the situation.

Jarry returns to Tolliver to report. Tolliver is skeptical that any friendship exists between Bullock and Swearengen given they almost fought to the death in the past. Jarry thinks that whether the Montana threat is real or concocted, Swearengen must be dealt with and can be paid off. He recommends to Walcott that his boss do that.

Richardson, the helper at E.B.’s hotel, uses an antler to pray for Bullock’s boy as he considers it good luck. Andy Cramed, who was a former dealer for Tolliver and who was dumped out in the woods o die when he contracted smallpox, comes into the hotel. He is now a minister. He immediately heads over to help Bullock’s family.

A silence falls over the camp and all friends, including Alma and Ellsworth, gather outside Doc’s. William has passed.