Shock.

Ellsworth.

I mean, *Ellsworth*.

(Following carefully crafted to avoid defining the shocking event as being the death, murder, betrayal, or cowardice on the part of the gentleman in question. Spoilers may accrue in the comments.)

I won't say I never would've thought it--around the start of his talking to that damn dog, I started to worry. I can understand how it came out. I just wish it could have come out another way. I mean, I can remember as if I only saw it a bare six weeks ago[1], him saying to Trixie that he didn't want to pry but if she felt like talking he'd pay her a dollar a minute to hear her.

Salt of the earth, really, you know? A good man.

Besides that, I was inclined to agree with eididdy that season three slowed down somewhat, but holy Jesus has it picked up; 9 and 10 still felt like they were working hard to follow all the characters around, but the events seemed to be meshing better, building towards each other. And today was stunning. Felt like everyone was themselves to the nth degree, not caricatured, just intense. Epic.

(I've spent two and a half months trying not to use the word epic about this series, and I have just *completely* given that up as a bad fucking job. Epic. Shakespearean. Subtle, well-characterized, beautifully written, brilliantly acted, and just. Fucking. Stunning.)

John notes the end of season 3 episode 11 is a reply of a scene in season 1, episode 10 an earlier episode. I figure I will go watch look for that, partly to match them up, partly because it's too late to start on episode 12, and partly because I am putting off the point--now sadly imminent--when I will have no new Deadwood to watch.

What a damn fucking show.
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[1] I did. For the second time. Did I mention I got my mother watching Deadwood while I was down visiting her?