McShane's Globe
Three huzzahs for Ian McShane, who won a Golden Globe for his performance as the murderous, hellbound Al Swearengen in the HBO series Deadwood. It's the best work by an actor on TV that I've ever seen, taking a title I most recently gave to James Gandolfini for his turn as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. In fact, McShane makes Gandolfini's very fine work look plain by comparison. That's how good McShane is.
Deadwood is the dirtiest western ever made, an obscene clatter of chiselers, prospectors, whores, murderers, and outrageous individuals. The most outrageous is Swearengen, who is Shakespearean in stature, sinister, doomed, hilarious, and on top of the world at his Gem Saloon.
It's too foul for the kids, but grown-ups should get that it's a riotous representation of the conflagration of human souls.
Deadwood is the dirtiest western ever made, an obscene clatter of chiselers, prospectors, whores, murderers, and outrageous individuals. The most outrageous is Swearengen, who is Shakespearean in stature, sinister, doomed, hilarious, and on top of the world at his Gem Saloon.
It's too foul for the kids, but grown-ups should get that it's a riotous representation of the conflagration of human souls.
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