Civilization is coming, with all its flaws, so maybe it's just as well that the paradigmatic symbol of Old West liberty, Wild Bill Hickok, who simply wanted to go to Hell in his own way, didn't live to see the day.

It would take too long to try to identify how all the characters play into the larger theme, but they do and that is what takes it to the level of great drama. Acting performances are uniformly high quality with regular flights into brilliance. But especially notable is the dialogue. It takes some getting used to; originally I thought it was because all the swearing seemed out of place in a Western, but it's more than that. There are no raised voices, emotions are conveyed through tone and timbre and meter, not volume. People speak in complete sentences, often in complete paragraphs, and employ a wide ranging vocabulary, including cursing. There is an unusual, almost Victorian, rhythm to it.

A strange, fascinating and brilliant show. Not to be a pessimist, but it is unlikely the quality can be maintained. Even on HBO's limited release you just can't keep that kind of stuff up. It will likely continue next season at an uneven pace, but I'll tune in, for a shot at catching a gem.

If you haven't seen Deadwood and get a chance to catch the season during reruns or when the DVD is released, you should. Even if you are like me and feel no real attraction to Westerns, you should. This ain't Cowboys and Indians.