User Reviews

A very sad conclusion of one of the greatest characters of Deadwood. Only four episodes, but he won't ever be forgotten. This is a very important episode which sets up most of the characters. Mainly Jane, she goes downhill from here and turns into a depressing uncontrolable drunk.

This episode dealt with the aftermath of Brom's death. He's gone and Al had to keep Alma happy, but she is not numb. She hires Wild Bill to find out what happened to her husband. Wild Bill had two very memorable lines in this episode, 'Listen to the thunder' and 'Let me go to hell the way I want to'. He was a good, but tragic man wasted on a cruel world.

Meanwhile Ellsworth confesses to Dan, he saw it and now Dan has to decide what to do about it. Ellsworth is a great man and everybody loves him, especially Trixie.

This episode also introduces Andy Cramed, new in camp but deeply ill. He brings a plague into the camp. 'Here Was A Man' concludes with Jack, a whimpering fool shooting Bill in the head from behind. A very sad ending to a once powerful man.

Five stars

'Here Was a Man' is a simply *excellent* episode in which the main story thread involves widow Alma Garrett; the wonderful Molly Parker is brought to the forefront for the first time. Alma, for all her problems, is naturally suspicious when her dead husbands' body is presented to her. She enlists the help of Wild Bill to investigate the matter. Bill is agreeable, but decides that he will bring in Seth to give Garretts' claim a second reconnoiter. Meanwhile, Swearengen and the truly slimy Farnum have tried to make Alma an offer on the claim, but she's not ready to decide on that matter.

This superior series continues to give us a fresh take on the Old West, and the characters couldn't be more colorful or interesting. Similarly, the performances couldn't be any better. Bill & Seth have a nice quiet moment near the beginning of 'Here Was a Man' in which we can see a friendship beginning; Bill trusts Seth, and this is why he later brings him in to help with the Garrett case.

Parker delivers a heartfelt and sympathetic performance, and is the definite MVP of this episode. It's still fun to see all the conniving going on with characters like Swearengen and Farnum. In fact, Seth & Sol kind of take a back seat in this story (scripted by Elizabeth Sarnoff) while they go about building their hardware store. We also first meet a character here named Andy Crane (Zach Grenier), and he is clearly very sickly so it will be interesting to see how this subplot is paid off. But things are capped off with a stunning, violent turn of events that will fill the audience with regret, and *really* make them hate the antagonistic character Jack McCall (Garret Dillahunt). But things don't even stop there. There's a memorably grisly image in the minutes that follow, which will lead viewers to wonder where things are going from *there*.

Top directing (by Alan Taylor), writing, and acting make this an episode to savor.

Nine out of 10.

A sad episode.

I always thought bill was cruel, killing anyone who he did not like, etc. But he was so romantic and loyal to his wife, he wrote a letter to his wife. And while writing it, jane came and he was so friendly, he did not reject her and spoke a while despite he had to finish the letter. And he knew probably jane liked him but he was loyal. He only played poker, did not go for sex.

I was prejudiced about him. He could kill his killer anytime. The killer made lots of trouble to him while in gambling table but bill only once time told him bad things. Bill Did not kill or mean it. But then he killed bill. From behind. Suddenly.

Bill also protected alma. Fortunately, he made alma get counciliation from bullock and al cant scum alma now. Thanks to bill. I was worried when bill went to speak to al but bill was nice guy.

WHen he shot bill, everyone went after the killer. Noone tried to help bill. Maybe he could survive, i am not sure.

They went after killer, to give justice or to kill a man? I cant decide. It is a different town.

Now bullock is alone with alma and his friend sol. Maybe charlie and jane will stay but bullock is not so strong to fight them all. He needs company again.