Here Was A Man (Deadwood episode)
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| “Here Was A Man” | |
|---|---|
| Deadwood episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Guest stars | see main article |
| Written by | Elizabeth Sarnoff |
| Directed by | Alan Taylor |
| Production no. | 99748 |
| Original airdate | April 11th 2004 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Reconnoitering the Rim" | "The Trial of Jack McCall" |
"Here Was A Man" is the 4th episode of the HBO original series, Deadwood. It was the fourth episode of the first season. The episode was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and was directed by Alan Taylor. It originally aired on April 11th 2004.
[edit] Guest roles
- Sean Bridgers as Johnny Burns
- Larry Cedar as Leon
- Kim Dickens as Joanie Stubbs
- Garret Dillahunt as Jack McCall
- Zach Grenier as Andy Cramed
- Peter Jason as Con Stapleton
- Ricky Jay as Eddie Sawyer
- Geri Jewel as Jewel
- Jeffrey Jones as AW Merrick
- Ray McKinnon as Rev. H.W. Smith
- Bree Wall as Sofia Metz
- Keone Young as Mr. Wu
[edit] Plot synopsis
As the morning dawns, Dan Dority returns to Deadwood with the corpse of Brom Garret; the victim of a terrible “accident”. His now widowed wife, Alma, suspects foul play almost instantly and orders the Doctor to perform an examination. Her suspicions expand even further when Swearengen, without informing Farnum of the real reason, instructs him to make an offer on the claim to the widow. Cochran later indirectly tells Alma there’s a chance her husband was murdered before leaving her to her grief and giving her a bottle of laudanum. She later smashes it against the wall in distress.
At the Bella Union, McCall and Hickock are at the poker table. Hickock guts McCall of his holdings, which upsets McCall to no end; beginning a stream of profanity that is stopped by Cy Tolliver. As a gesture of compassion, Hickock passes a dollar to McCall to get something to eat. The foul mouthed McCall sneers at Hickock and declares “you just bought yourself something with that” before storming out.
Doctor Cochran is hired by Cy Tolliver to look after his prostitutes at a price substantially higher than Swearengen. After, a man called Andy Cramed arrives declaring his intentions to shoot some dice and stay at the Bella Union. It soon becomes clear that Tolliver and Cramed are old allies and Cramed quickly states he wants to get a scam going. Tolliver notices that Cramed seems unwell - noticing his agitated manner - and Cramed retires to get some rest from his journey.
An isolated Alma pleads to Wild Bill, asking him to help solve the case of Brom's murder and discover why those involved have renewed interest in her claim. Hickock accepts her plea, and goes to the Gem where he finally meets Al Swearengen face to face. Swearengen deflects all suspicion away from him - but Hickock intentionally elicits a bribe from the saloon owner to “persuade” him to show Swearengen’s renewed offer on the claim to Ms. Garret in a favourable light. After taking his money, Hickock enlists his ally Bullock, giving him the bribe money to finance and organize a review of the Garret claim. Bullock accepts.
At the Bella Union, newly arrived conman Andy Cramed has fallen desperately ill in his hotel room, and a concerned Joanie informs Tolliver, who fetches Cochran under the pretence of someone having fallen. Cochran becomes very concerned; believing Cramed's symptoms to be a prelude to smallpox.
In the Gem, Prospector Ellsworth lets Dority know that he's more than willing to mind his own business regarding anything “he may have seen”, clearly referring to Brom Garret‘s murder, and states he would appreciate being forewarned to leave town if he‘s going to be in danger. Dority asks for advice from Swearengen’s girl Trixie what to do; she promptly asks Dority to leave Ellsworth alone and not tell Swearengen; Dority accepts.
Meanwhile, an agitated Swearengen learns that Hickock took his bribe but told Alma not to sell her claim yet, and declares angrily in front of Farnum that it's becoming more and more obvious that Hickock has to die - and even if Swearengen is going to have to do it himself. Farnum, as a surprising voice of reason, convinces his boss to stand down and that Hickock is not coming for Swearengen. The saloon keep demurs - instead deciding to vent his frustration in bed with Trixie.
Elsewhere a drunk, exhausted and rambling Jack McCall tells the story of his loss at poker and Hickock’s audacity at giving him a dollar, angrily slurring he still has a gun. Con Stapleton attempts to diffuse the situation by offering to buy McCall’s gun, but he storms off yet again.
After a visit from both Utter and Jane, with the recovering child, Hickock completes a letter to his wife and enters the No. 10 Saloon for yet another game of poker. An enraged McCall re-enters the Saloon and without uttering a single word strides up to the table, draws his pistol and shoots Wild Bill Hickock in the back of the head. As McCall attempts to flee he is apprehended by an angry mob. Both Jane and Bullock make their way to Nuttall’s saloon - and stand dumbstruck and devastated at the death of the legend.
[edit] Notes
- The music in the closing credits is "Fallen From Grace" by Mark Lee Scott.
- The music that plays in the montage sequence after Wild Bill Hickock is murdered is “Iguazu” by Gustavo Santaolla from The Insider
- True to the legend, Hickock’s poker hand when he was murdered was a two pair of black aces and black eights; thereafter known as the dead man’s hand.
- Through out the episode, Hickock seems eerily prescient regarding his own death. His final words to Utter, the red belt he dons before leaving the hotel, his letter to his wife (whose contents become important later), his decision to sit with his back to the door; something in the past he refused to do lest an enemy attempt to sneak up on him as well as the moment as McCall enters - Hickock looks up briefly from his cards as if knowing his time has come - seem suggestive of this.
