S02.E06: Something Very Expensive

[purist]

Quote

Alma proposes opening a bank with the help of Sol Star. A new schoolteacher arrives in town, much to Merrick's delight. Much to Wu's dismay, new Chinese whores arrive. Wolcott's inner demons wreak havoc on Joanie's whorehouse, testing his alliance with Cy. Bullock attempts to keep order in the camp, and at the same time settle into family life.

[Haleth]

With all the terrible things done in the show, I think the treatment of the Chinese women was the most horrifying. 

[purist]

18 hours ago, Haleth said:

With all the terrible things done in the show, I think the treatment of the Chinese women was the most horrifying. 

Agreed. Doc's and Wu's looks of shock and disgust spoke volumes, as of course did Cy's and Wolcott's indifference.

Brilliant episode - one of my favourites of the whole series, I think.

I loved the scene at the start with the long line of people outside Al's office waiting to see him. He was certainly back in control in this episode, and it was a joy to watch. I particularly enjoyed his conversation with Miss Isringhausen, who thought she was being very cool and smart with him, but he had her measure the whole time. So she's an agent for the Pinkertons - I'd completely forgotten about that. Loved Silas's dawning realisation that he'd been played, and his remark to Miss Is after they'd left the Gem: 'I guess if I called you a cunt I needn't expect you to faint.' Hee! Miss Is's deadpan 'No' in reply was great as well.

Trixie queue-jumping to go in first was excellent, especially as it put EB's nose out of joint. Trixie is adept at smart putdowns. I love her!

Trixie: I'm goin' in.

EB: Then why am I in the first chair?

Trixie: Anyone else suck his prick? [All the men look abashed and concede that she rules.]

And then, when she came out of Al's office and mimed giving a blowjob and said to EB: 'Liar.' I died!

Her matchmaking of Ellsworth and Alma was also nicely done. She is a woman of many talents and a great deal of heart. And speaking of heart, I'm glad Merrick and the new schoolteacher had such a nice time together, even if it did end with poor Merrick finding his shop vandalised.

The lead-up to the murders at the Chez Ami was brilliantly done. First the scene with Cy and Wolcott, well played by both actors (and the first time Cy hasn't annoyed the shit out of me), in which first Cy seemed to have the upper hand, then W came back at him, and then Cy ended up getting the better of W. That bastard Cy pushed W to anger and I think he did it on purpose - he knew W was going to do something terrible at the Chez Ami and he wanted to get Joanie back under his control.

Then when W was walking up the thoroughfare talking to himself and the foreboding music was building, it got so tense! Poor Doris, poor Carrie (her tearful 'Do you know how to make it not hurt?' was heartbreaking) and poor Joanie. I couldn't muster up much sympathy for Maddie, though. She set it all up and did it for the money. 'What did you do, Mr W?' 'Something very expensive.' *shudder* What a messed-up individual Wolcott is. Even Cy seemed shocked when he saw the three women with their throats cut.

And yet, despite the horrible murders and the arrival of the poor Chinese whores, this was a pretty funny episode. I've already mentioned the scene outside Al's office, but there was also the hilariously gross plotline of Steve and Bullock's horse and Hostetler. Michael Harney, who played Steve, is in Orange Is the New Black as Corrections Officer Sam Healy. He has quite a talent for playing pathetic, weak men. His repeated protestations of 'I didn't fuck the horse!' made me laugh.

A few other noteworthy things:

• Another gorgeous red dress on Alma. The fancy dressmakers in Deadwood are pretty talented! Or maybe she gets them made in New York and delivered by coach.
• As offsiders of a powerful man, Leon and Con are terrible. Give me Dan and Johnny any day.
• Wu and Swedgin. Hang dai!
• The last scene with Al out on his balcony, surveying his domain, seeing Joanie and quietly nodding a greeting to her, was wonderful.