Deadwood was a lawless mining town founded around the 1870's and located near the Black Hills of South Dakota. It played host to such legends as Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. It was a hell of a place to make your fortune. Deadwood, the HBO series, is the half-truth/half-fictional account of this town and more importantly, its rough inhabitants. Deadwood is a satisfying breath of fresh air into the neglected Western genre. Season 1 of this great series contains 12 one-hour shows and each one features compelling plots that build off each other, strong characters that look the part, and dirty locations and scenery that are spot on. Though this may be a TV show, nothing is held back! The language is obscenely vulgar (which seems to be historically accurate), violence is shocking and graphic, and the gritty atmosphere feels realistic and true to the times. That's not to say that the show doesn't have its lighter moments though…in fact, it provides plenty of amusement. Anyway, the acting here must be acknowledged. From Timothy Olyphant as the no-nonsense Seth Bullock, to Robin Weigert as the fowl-mouthed Calamity Jane, to Ian McShane's Al Swearengen, the vicious saloon owner who more or less runs the town, they're all fantastic! Do yourself a favor, drink a few shots of whiskey and check out this enthralling, entertaining Western saga.