Deadwood (TV series)

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Cast and characters

Themes

• Law in Deadwood: In the first season, the major focus of the story is on the rivalry between Swearengen and Bullock. Swearengen governs the city like a warlord and Bullock is the only significant opposing voice. By the end of the season, a compromise is brought in where law stands in the town, albeit with concessions.

• Politics in Deadwood: Toward the end of the first season and governing the second and third seasons, the status of Deadwood within the United States becomes the most critical issue. A variety of business and political forces repeatedly push for either sovereignty or absorption into other territories or towns. The show takes great pains to show the corruption of the political interests and their ability to employ violence that matches Swearengen's.

• Business in Deadwood: Initially foreshadowed by Cy Tolliver's arrival in Deadwood in the first season, business interests from beyond are studied at length. As with politics, the show juxtaposes Swearengen's violence with that of Tolliver and George Hearst. Whereas Swearengen is brutal overtly, Hearst masks his involvement in attacks and violence through the series.

• Architecture in Deadwood: The buildings progress from crude walled tents at the outset of the first season to more elaborate buildings by the second season, with key ones getting window glass.

• Power in the United States: In short, the series accurately depicts the role of entrepreneurial vice lords in generating political communities. Swearengen is shown dispensing patronage like a typical "political machine boss" which is not so far-fetched as saloons were used to debate politics, hold meetings and trials etc. Infamous councilmen in Chicago's Levee District were similarly saloon owners, gang bosses, and pimps. Gangs could be counted on to "get out the vote" of whichever immigrant community the boss was plugged into.

• The changing nature of the American West The series follows the dying days of the 'Wild' West, as the rugged individualism that drove people like Seth Bullock to set up in the camp is undone and replaced by corporate capitalism, bigger government and the corruption inherent in either structure. Eventually, the camp is changed entirely, with individual prospectors moved out and all gold mining consolidated into George Hearst's holdings.

Notable plot points

Season 1 (2004)

• • Seth Bullock
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     leaves his Montana
    Montana
    
    Montana is a U.S. state in the Western United States. The western third of the state contains numerous mountain ranges; other 'island' ranges are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains....
     sheriff job to establish a hardware business in Deadwood along with friend and business partner, Sol Star
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    .
  • Characters met along the way include Al Swearengen
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     owner of The Gem, a local brothel, Wild Bill Hickock
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , the infamous gunslinger
    Gunslinger
    
    Gunfighter, also gunslinger, is a 20th century name, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun....
     of the west, Calamity Jane
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     who is Hickok's accomplice and friend along with Charlie Utter
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , Amos Cochran
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     the town doctor, E.B. Farnum
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     the proprietor of The Grand Central Hotel and A. W. Merrick
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , the town's personal press reporter.
  • Brom Garret, a businessman from New York City
    New York City
    
    The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
     is deceived in a confidence game (involving a gold claim
    Gold placer claim
    
    In the United States, a placer claim grants to the discoveror of valuable minerals contained in loose material such as sand or gravel the right to mine on public land....
    ) with Swearengen and Farnum.
  • The Metz family, residents of Deadwood, quickly leave the town for their native Minnesota
    Minnesota
    
    Minnesota is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with just over five million residents....
    . On the road, they are all murdered and scalped
    Scalping
    
    Scalping is the act of removing the scalp, usually with the hair, as a portable proof or trophy of prowess in war. Scalping is also associated with frontier warfare in North America, and was widely practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Americas, colonists, and frontiersmen over centuries of violent conflict....
     except for Sofia Metz
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    . Swearengen claims the murders were committed by "dirt worshippers," (alluding to Native Americans
    Indigenous peoples of the Americas
    
    The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples....
    ), though they were actually perpetrated by road agents under his own employ.
  • Bullock and Star ask for a piece of property owned by Swearengen. Swearengen gives them a hard time but Bullock puts Star in charge of negotiating and the deal ends semi-successfully.
  • Cy Tolliver
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     and his entourage purchase an abandoned hotel across from The Gem. When renovations are complete, Swearengen learns that he will gain competition. The Bella Union
    Bella Union Saloon
    
    The Bella Union was a Western saloon and theater in Deadwood, South Dakota, which opened on September 10, 1876. The proprietor was Tom Miller, an aggressive capitalist who would buy several neighboring properties as well....
    , a more luxurious brothel, is established shortly thereafter, although many patrons remain loyal to Swearengen.
  • Garret soon learns that his gold claim is worthless and demands Swearengen reimburse his money. Swearengen asks his henchman
    Henchman
    
    The word henchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a official in a royal court or noble household....
    , Dan Dority
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , to "Make it look like an accident". Garret is thrown off a cliff and his body is brought back to Deadwood — only for Dority to discover that the claim is actually a rich one after all.
  • Garret's widow, Alma Garret
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , asks Wild Bill Hickok for help regarding her gold claim and the renewed interest from Swearengen's henchmen. Hickock sizes up Swearengen, and asks Bullock to help Garret with her claim. Bullock agrees.
  • During a poker game, Wild Bill Hickok is shot in Tom Nuttall's
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     #10 Saloon by Jack McCall
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    .
  • Jack McCall is put on trial for Hickok's murder. Swearengen leans on the acting magistrate, suggesting that McCall must be acquitted to avoid scrutiny from Washington, DC. The judge cuts the trial short and the jury acquits McCall, who leaves town immediately after the verdict (also at Swearengen's suggestion).
  • Calamity Jane disappears on a drinking binge, following Hickok's murder, so Alma Garret takes custody
    Custody
    
    Custody can refer to:*Child custody, a legal description of whether a child resides or has contact with a given parent*Police custody *Custody account, see either custodian bank or clearing house ...
     of Sofia Metz.
  • Bullock pursues McCall, determined to bring him to justice. On the way, he inadvertently violates an Indian burial ground, resulting in an attack by a Lakota Indian. In the ensuing fight, Bullock beats the Lakota to death. Bullock and Charlie Utter later find McCall hiding at a boarding house and take him to Yankton
    Yankton, South Dakota
    
    Yankton is a city in Yankton County, South Dakota, South Dakota, United States. The population was 13,528 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota....
     for trial.
  • Andy Cramed
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , a con
    Confidence trick
    
    A confidence trick or confidence game is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence....
     man and card shark arrives in Deadwood to start a scam. Instead he falls ill with smallpox
    Smallpox
    
    Smallpox is an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning spotted, or varus, meaning "pimple"....
     at the Bella Union, and Tolliver, (with whom Cramed has had previous dealings) removes him and abandons him in the woods to die. He is found by an inebriated Calamity Jane who comforts him.
  • The smallpox outbreak spreads in Deadwood, creating an urgent need for vaccines. The afflicted are segregated from the main camp, housed in tents. Cramed recovers, and Calamity Jane aids Doctor Cochran in caring for the sick.
  • A pair of teenage con artists, Flora and Miles Anderson, arrive in Deadwood under the pretense of searching for their lost father, and looking for work. Miles finds a job as a sweeper in The Gem and Flora as a harlot at the Bella Union. After an attempt to rob the Bella Union, they are soon murdered by Stubbs and Tolliver, on his orders.
  • Charlie Utter establishes a postal and freight business in Deadwood, which includes deliveries to Cheyenne
    Cheyenne, Wyoming
    
    Cheyenne is the capital of the United States U.S. state of Wyoming. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County, Wyoming....
    .
  • The senior members of the community form a municipal government
    Local government
    
    Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
     to prepare for future annexation
    Annexation
    
    Annexation is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities....
    , as well to bribe the territorial legislature
    Legislature
    
    Legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to create and change laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law....
     to ensure the future security of existing titles, claims and properties already resident in Deadwood.
  • Swearengen bribes local Magistrate Clagett to quash a murder warrant.
  • The ailing Reverend Smith
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     becomes a regular guest at The Gem, which angers Swearengen. He quickly shoos Smith out.
  • Alma's father, Otis Russell, arrives with plans to secure Alma's new found wealth both to pay off his debts and fulfill his own greed.
  • The U.S. army arrives in Deadwood to celebration and a parade is quickly organised.
  • Bullock confronts a self-confident Otis Russell in The Bella Union. Russell threatens the future safety of his own daughter, should Bullock stand in the way of his acquiring the Garret gold claim, but is promptly beaten and ordered to leave the camp.
  • Bullock, still enraged, suggests to Dan Dority it would be in both his and his boss's best interest to have Otis Russell killed. He later comes to his senses, and has Mr. Russell hauled out of the camp with the departing U.S. Army convoy.
  • A dying Reverend Smith, seemingly from a brain tumor
    Brain tumor
    
    A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or inside the skull, which can be cancerous or non-cancerous .It is defined as any cranium tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled Mitosis, normally either in the brain itself , in the cranial nerves , in the brain envelopes , skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or spread from...
    , is smothered to death by Al Swearengen.
  • Tolliver attempts to bribe General Crook to leave a garrison
    Garrison
    
    Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, of more than 50 men, but now often simply using it as a home base....
     in Deadwood (no doubt to his own ends) but is indignantly refused.
  • Magistrate Clagett attempts to extort Swearengen further over the murder warrant. Swearengen's response is to hire Clagett's toll collector, Silas Adams
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , to murder him. Silas performs the deed and allies himself with Swearengen, becoming his agent.
  • As Sheriff Con Stapleton has been compromised by Cy Tolliver, Bullock volunteers to become the new sheriff as the cavalry ride out.

Season 2 (2005)

• • Alma Garret hires a tutor, Miss Alice Isringhausen
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , to teach young Sofia.
  • Swearengen publicly expresses his concerns regarding Bullock's abilities as sheriff, alluding that Bullock's focus is not on the job due to his affair with Alma Garret. The fight begins when Bullock throws Swearengen and himself over the Gem balcony and ends when Al is about to slit Bullock's throat, due to interference from Dan, stops after seeing Bullock's wife Martha
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     and their son William
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     arrive in camp.
  • Seth Bullock's wife and their son, arrive in Deadwood.
  • Bullock tells Alma Garret that with his wife's arrival in the camp, they must either leave camp or stop seeing one another. Garret understands, agreeing that it is better that they remain in town and only see one another for business purposes.
  • Calamity Jane resurfaces drunk and manages to support Bullock and Utter in persuading Swearengen to return Bullock's possessions. A truce is made when Swearengen returns Bullock's gun and badge.
  • Swearengen is diagnosed with kidney stone
    Kidney stone
    
    Kidney stones, also called renal Calculus , are solid concretions of dissolved dietary mineral in urine; calculi typically form inside the kidneys or bladder....
    s. In deteriorating health, he collapses in his office with the door locked. It is assumed by his concerned associates that he wants to be left alone, but as the days pass their concerns grow and they finally break into the office. Cochran then performs a draining procedure to help relieve Swearengen, which has some success, eventually passing the stones.
  • Joanie Stubbs opens her own brothel, The Chez Amis, with her newly arrived partner, Maddie
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    .
  • Francis Wolcott
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , a geologist
    Geologist
    
    For other uses, see Geologist .A geologist is a contributor to the science of geology, studying the physical structure and processes of the Earth and planets of the solar system ....
     working for George Hearst
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , arrives in Deadwood and soon makes his presence felt at the Chez Amis, to the distress of Joanie Stubbs. Wolcott has paid for transportation of most of the prostitutes, in order to cater to his selective tastes.
  • Alma Garret discovers she is pregnant by Bullock. On learning the news, Trixie persuades Ellsworth
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     to make a marriage proposal to Garret, and influences Garret to accept the proposal, to save her from the humiliation of being an unwed mother.
  • Alma Garret fires Miss Isringhausen. Isringhausen then goes to Silas Adams under the pretext of fearing for her life at the hands of the Widow Garret and they embark upon a relationship.
  • Samuel Fields
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , "The Nigger General", returns to camp (he had notionally been there before, "between seasons"). He tries to enlist Hostetler
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     in his schemes. Bullock is forced to rescue him from an angry mob
    Crowd
    
    A crowd is a group . The crowd may have a common purpose or set of emotions, such as at a Demonstration , at a sports game, or during looting, or simply be made up of many people going about their business in a busy area ....
     (headed by a roustabout
    Roustabout
    
    A roustabout is a Manual labour typically performing temporary, unskilled work. The term has traditionally been used to refer to traveling-circus workers or oil rig workers....
     named Steve).
  • Miss Isringhausen convinces Silas Adams to allow her to meet with Swearengen. At the meeting, she admits to being an agent of the Pinkertons and under the employ of Alma Garret's in-laws. Isringhausen had been instructed to frame Garret for charging Swearengen with the task of murdering her husband. Swearengen agrees to play along, but later reveals to Garret that he intends to blackmail Isringhausen, due to his hatred for the Pinkerton agency.
  • Cy Tolliver learns of Wolcott's sexual proclivities and baits him, resulting in Wolcott murdering two of Joanie Stubb's whores, Doris and Carrie. When Maddie attempts to extort money from him, Wolcott kills her too. Cy Tolliver takes care of the removal of the bodies and pardons Wolcott.
  • Hostetler catches a drunken Steve in the livery
    Livery
    
    A livery is a uniform or other insignia or symbol worn in a non-military context on a person or object to denote a relationship with a person or corporate body, often by using elements of the heraldry relating to that person or body, or a personal emblem, and normally given by them....
     stable performing a sexual act on Bullock's horse in revenge for his treatment at Bullock's hand. With Fields' help and threats of violence, Hostetler coerces a confession of bestiality from Steve. The admission would be publicised should Steve make any trouble for either of the livery workers in the future.
  • Stubbs sends the remaining whores away so that they will not be murdered under Wolcott's wrath.
  • Stubbs confides in Charlie Utter regarding the murders, extracting a promise from Charlie that he never repeat the information. Enraged, Utter confronts Wolcott whilst in line for food at Farnum's hotel, pulling him into the street and assaulting him, without revealing the true reason for the attack.
  • Having come into possession of Hickock's last letter, Charlie leaves to deliver it to Hickock's wife. A now isolated Joanie Stubbs begins a friendship with Calamity Jane.
  • Hugo Jarry
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
    , a Yankton commissioner
    Commissioner
    
    Commissioner is in principal the title given to the holder of a commission, in the sense of a mandate, whether individually or shared, notably as member of a collegial commission....
    , tries to persuade Swearengen and Tolliver that Deadwood should become part of Dakota territory rather than Montana. He ends up siding with Swearengen.
  • Alma Garret, with the help of Sol Star, establishes a bank in the camp.
  • Wolcott's agent, Lee, burns the bodies of Chinese prostitutes who have died through malnourishment whilst in his remit. Mr. Wu
    Characters of Deadwood
    
    This article contains fictional character biographies from the HBO original series Deadwood ....
     is enraged and requests Swearengen's help to stop Lee. As Lee is employed by Wolcott, who in turn is employed by George Hearst, Swearengen refuses any help until after negotiations over the town's future have been resolved. Mr. Wu escapes house arrest at The Gem, but is stopped from exacting his revenge or being killed just in time, by Burns.
  • William Bullock is trampled by a horse that escapes during a failed neuter
    Neuter
    
    Neuter can refer to:* Neutering, the sterilization of an animal* The neuter grammatical gender...
    ing.
  • The camp is in vigil shortly after young William is injured. William dies hours after. The funeral is attended by many of Deadwood's citizens, and the service is conducted by former card shark Andy Cramed, who has returned to Deadwood an ordained
    Ordination
    
    In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies....
     minister
    Minister of religion
    
    In Christian Church body, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs; performing services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community....
    .
  • George Hearst arrives in Deadwood and learns of the murders committed by Wolcott. He confronts Wolcott and fires him. Hearst purchases the Grand Central hotel from E. B. Farnum. The shamed Wolcott hangs himself.
  • Tolliver blackmails Hearst for 5% of every Gold Claim he has acquired in Deadwood. Tolliver claims to be in possession of a letter of confession, written by Wolcott, in which he stated that Hearst was aware of his murderous ways, but retained him in employment regardless.
  • Al Swearengen negotiates with George Hearst on behalf of Mr. Wu, and they agree that Wu can regain his status if his people prove to be better workers than the people employed by Lee, the "San Francisco cocksucker". Mr. Wu, along with Swearengen's henchman, plan vengeance in Deadwood's Chinatown
    Chinatown
    
    A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of overseas Chinese residents, usually outside of Greater China. Chinatowns are present throughout the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australasia, and Europe....
    . The operation is successful and Wu slits the throat of his rival, Lee.
  • Alma Garret and Ellsworth marry at a ceremony conducted by Andy Cramed at the Grand Central hotel.
  • With a great degree of dealing and double-dealing on behalf of Swearengen and Silas Adams, the official papers confirming Deadwood's annexation into Yankton territory are signed by Bullock and Swearengen with Hugo Jarry present.
  • Tolliver is stabbed by Andy Cramed outside the Bella Union.

Season 3 (2006)

• 1877
• Hearst begins to murder several of his own miners as they attempt to form a Union. One such murder takes place at The Gem.
• Elections are to take place between Star and Farnum for Mayor, and Bullock and barman Harry Manning for Sheriff. Manning doesn't expect to win, but hopes it will gain him a reputation which he can use to start up the camp's first fire-fighting service. Tom Nuttall is keen to help him in this venture.
• Angered that Hearst has had someone killed in the Gem, Al cancels the election debates in an attempt to reassert his position in the camp. To teach him a lesson and to force Al to help him buy Alma's claim, Hearst has Captain Turner restrain Al while he cuts off one of his fingers.
• Hearst's cook Aunt Lou arrives.
• Alma meets with Hearst to discuss buying her claim, despite Ellsworth's strong objections. Hearst becomes furious with Alma when she offers him only a part share in her claim.
• Tolliver is recovering after being stabbed and is back on his feet. Hearst knows he is lying about having a letter from Wolcott but decides to employ Cy to help him deal with the members of the camp
• Jack Langrishe, an actor who runs a theatre troupe, arrives in Deadwood. He is an old friend of Swearengen's and eventually buys the former Chez Amis from Joannie Stubbs on condition that he build a new school house for the camp's children.
• Doctor Cochran is forced to abort Alma's pregnancy.
• After insulting Hearst publicly, Dan Dority is challenged to a fight by Captain Turner. Turner almost drowns Dan in a puddle but Dan eventually wins by ripping out Turner's left eye, thus gaining the upper hand, and then beating him to death with a makeshift club.
• Alma is buying dope from Leon. While high, she attempts to seduce Ellsworth. Suspecting that Alma's return to drugs is due to her unhappiness at being married, he moves out of their house. They later agree to separate and Alma stops her dope usage again.
• Hostetler and Samuel 'The Nigger General' Fields return to the camp to find that Steve has taken over the Livery. Bullock attempts to negotiate between them, eventually getting Hostetler to agree to sell the Livery to Steve. But Steve's continuing rants and slurs on Hostetler's race and honor drive him over the edge and he shoots himself.
• Another miner is killed. Already angry from the Hostetler/Steve negotiation, Bullock arrests Hearst and drags him by the ear across the thoroughfare and puts him in jail overnight.
• Leon confesses to Cy that he is selling dope to Alma. Cy takes this news to Hearst, but he is still angry from his encounter with Bullock and believes that if Tolliver had told him this good news before he might not have provoked the Sheriff. A furious Tolliver tells Leon to do nothing, but Leon has already told Alma he will not act as her dealer anymore. He is afraid of being implicated in her murder.
• Hearst brings a large force of Pinkerton militia to the camp and encourages them to stir up trouble.
• Wyatt and Morgan Earp come to town to work a timber claim only to leave on Bullock's advice after making trouble with the Pinkertons.
• Swearengen puts together a meeting to decide what to do about Hearst. They are unable to decide on any direct action, other than to publish a letter from Bullock to the wife of one of the murdered miners, which subtly highlights Hearst's callousness. Hearst has Merrick beaten up for publishing it.
• Cochran admits to Al that he has tuberculosis and will eventually die of it.
• Jane and Joanie become involved in a lesbian relationship.
• Aunt Lou's son Odell arrives to deliver news of a newly discovered claim to Hearst. Lou is terrified that Odell intends to con Hearst. Several days later, Hearst tells her that he was killed out on the road. Lou seems certain that Hearst is responsible.
• Steve becomes paralyzed after being kicked in the head by a horse, leaving Samuel Fields to care for him and temporarily take charge of the Livery.
• Alma is shot at in the street on Hearst's order. Swearengen takes her inside and orders Dan to kidnap Ellsworth. He guesses correctly that Hearst was attempting to provoke Ellsworth and then kill him (and as it turns out, Bullock as well if possible). Hearst sends his new Captain to negotiate with Swearengen, only for Al to kill him. The town unites as they protect Alma as she returns to work at the Bank.
• Hearst has Ellsworth assassinated in his tent at Alma's mine.
• Trixie shoots Hearst in revenge for Ellsworth's death, but fails to kill him.
• Fearing for her life and that of Sofia, Alma sells her claim to Hearst to avoid further bloodshed.
• Al murders Jen, one of his whores, despite Johnny's objections, in the hope of passing her corpse off as Trixie's in order to placate Hearst. He and Wu gather a militia together in case all out war takes place between him and Hearst.
• Bullock receives discouraging news about election returns in his race for sheriff against Harry Manning. Hearst may have bribed people to vote against him elsewhere in the county.
• Hearst believes that Al has killed Trixie and leaves Deadwood.
• Hearst gives over control of his interests to Tolliver. Tolliver is enraged that Hearst is leaving him to clean up his mess as the camp is teetering on the brink of war between Hearst's men and Swearengen's. He takes his frustrations out on Leon by stabbing and killing him. He points a gun at Hearst from his balcony and wants to shoot him, but is unable to.

Season timeframe

• Season 1: Mid 1876: Soon after Custer's Last Stand, the first season of Deadwood takes place six months after the founding of the camp. Most of those who live far and outside of the camp have dreams of living in Deadwood to get richer and have a gold claim; however, when they arrive, new citizens find that Deadwood is unlike its positive reputation. It is a lawless place where greed and corruption rule; and in order to make your fortune you have to make something of yourself.
• Season 2: Early 1877: One year after the events that occurred previously in the camp of Deadwood, Seth Bullock has become the sheriff with Charlie Utter as his deputy, and what was once a lawless place has miraculously become orderly. The camp is progressing swimmingly with many inventions that later have become necessities, such as the telegraph and a bank
  Bank
  
  A bank is a financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money. It is an institution for receiving, keeping, and lending money....
  . Former Bella Union hostess Joanie Stubbs has founded her own brothel called the Chez Amis. Both a well connected geologist and a government official have arrived at the camp, to the dismay of several residents. Al Swearengen is still known as the unofficial head of the camp. Seth Bullock's family have arrived in town, forcing him to break off his relationship with Alma Garret and balance out his time between co-owned hardware store, sheriff's duties, and family.
• Season 3: Mid 1877: Six weeks after the events of the Second Season, the first steps of civilization and law begin to enter the town; as well as the interests of larger, more powerful entities — in particular Hearst and his mining company. Deadwood preps itself for its first elections as it enters the Dakota territory, with Seth Bullock vs. Harry Manning (sheriff) and Sol Star vs. E.B. Farnum (mayor).

Use of profanity