
David Milch pretty much confirms the news we posted last week, that Deadwood will vanish after this third season. And in true Deadwood fashion, Milch had this to say:
"How &%$#@! is it that we're not coming back?"
Milch also confirms that it was HBO that decided not to pick up the options on the cast, which freed the actors to go look for other work. Milch doesn't sound too happy about it, but he's still busy. He's working on the new surfer drama John From Cincinnati, which the same network is interested in.














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-18-2006 @ 3:04PM
RJ said...
After the treatment of the Wire (their best show) and Six Feet Under, the 2 year layoffs for the Sopranos, having to endure Arliss, the Comeback and Married Man its getting harder and harder to pay my cable bill each month.
This is yet another reason to really consider just buying DVD sets for $20 on Black Friday every year. Entourage, Extras and Curb your Enthusiam for $30 a month?
Even their Boxing schedule is weak.
Even Rome isn't a sure bet to return.
There was a time when HBO was the ideal the other networks tried to emulate but lately their just as bad as everyone else.
What's next their going to air "unedited" 7th Heaven episodes?
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 3:10PM
RJ said...
Its getting harder and harder to explain why I pay for this channel.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 3:25PM
Stu said...
If you could understand what they where talking about on Deadwood it would have been a GREAT show.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 4:05PM
Peter said...
I thought Deadwood was a pretty solid success for the network? What gives...
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 4:58PM
Scruffy said...
Is it just me or has HBO slowly been becoming more tight with money when it comes to there original shows lately. They canceled Carnival witch I loved and now they are canceling Deadwood. Yet the Sopranos (which in my opinion has been flat out bad for the last two season) continues on. For that matter what is HBO going to have for original dramas after next year when Sopranos ends? BRING BACK CARNIVAL DAMN IT!!!!! I NEED MY BROTHER JUSTIN FIX!!!!
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 5:26PM
John H said...
With all their best shows either being killed off or ending naturally, it seems that HBO WANTS to die as far as being the best station for quality dramatic television is concerned.
They don't really expect that all those people who subscribe just to see The Sopranos are going to stick around when it (eventually) ends, do they?
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 5:33PM
Wayne Hyde said...
I love Deadwood. It and The Sopranos are the only reasons I subscribe to HBO. Deadwood is the most realistic western to ever hit the tube and it is a shame that it has been cancelled. Shame on HBO.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 5:38PM
Barbara E Henry said...
This is such an insult. To help Save Deadwood, go to: http://savedeadwood.net/index.htm and http://boards.hbo.com/forum.jspa?forumID=30047&start=0.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 6:16PM
Nick L. said...
A recent decision by Chris Albrecht, CEO of HBO left Deadwood fans and HBO subscribers in stunned silence - for nearly five minutes. What transpired next may well have a huge impact on HBO's revenue by September of 2006.
I've known for sometime how fiercely loyal Deadwood fans can be, being one myself. Even so, I found myself somewhat in awe once the forces began to mobilize in an effort to register displeasure and attempt to pull season four of Deadwood out of the fire.
The validity and efficacy of this effort began to gel when diehard fans realized that this issue went beyond the cruel execution of Deadwood in its prime. Last year HBO's Carnivale fans suffered the same outrageous disappointment when it was cancelled, also leaving an unfinished storyline dangling in mid-air. Thus HBO began a dangerous and unadvised trend of aborting its Original Series, blaring the signal to subscribers that HBO is not willing to deliver on its commitments.
The addition of Deadwood to the list of casualties and the movement started by its fan base may indeed illustrate that the second time will be the charm.
Deadwood has spawned a phenomenon with an ensemble cast of actors, many of whom were heretofore largely unknown to mainstream audiences. Despite that fact they know no significant rival in cinema history, having created a living masterpiece on a canvas of gold dust, blood liberally shed, avarice, and all too human frailties that would make Mario Puzo cringe. Rarely do you see spirit and angst so vividly and consistently portrayed upon the screen with such guileless skill. Stark, shocking, comical, and disturbingly revealing at once, Deadwood portrays the very best and the very worst of mankind, often nearly within the same frame, and does so with an amazing insight that prompts no apology.
The Deadwood series is not fool's gold; to stop mining this rich claim is true and outrageous folly.
I would not call the effort to save Deadwood a "grassroots" movement. It's more aptly described as a prairie fire on the verge of burning out of control, almost certain to liberally singe the HBO coffers which are unmistakably in its path.
Twice burned is more than twice shy. We've learned our lesson, has HBO?
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 6:28PM
DT said...
Wow this bites, this was flat out the best show on HBO I have no idea why they would cancel it after just 3 seasons. Rome is probably not coming back, Carnivale is gone, sopranos Kaput, six feet under is well...six feet under. I don't care that much for Big Love or Entourage. This just may be the end of my HBO subscription.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 6:39PM
Josh said...
It's an absolute crock. The hooples running the show at HBO must be dosing themselves with laudanum. They should be fed to Wu's pigs. How can you take a masterful story like this and cut it off 3/4 of the way through its' intended run? And how can David Milch just let them do it? Why isn't he fighting this? They have him starting up another show, why can't THAT be put off so Deadwood can run its' course? "It would break my heart if this sort of foreknowledge on the part of the audience of what has happened casts a shadow on their experience of these 12 episodes to come" Why doesn't he find the show's effective cancellation heartbreaking? And how can HBO expect to keep subscribers if they kill off shows before they are complete? I for one will be cancelling my subscription. Watching this last season will be bittersweet for me.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 6:40PM
Akbar Fazil said...
Attn DT: Rome is coming back. Production is already underway. Expect it to air Jan 2007
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 6:58PM
Tanya said...
DEADWOOD is an extraordinary work of art. A masterpiece. It may take a little getting used to and take some thinking to figure it out. But then, aha! you get it! You're completely sucked in. You look at it lovingly every day and think "how did I get so f-ing lucky to find this?"
What a terrible loss to the fans of this intelligent, well-written, acted and yes, beautiful program. I simply can't understand HBO's thinking. Here they have a hit on their hands with a series that continues their reputation as the leader of providing unique, quality programming. That era is over. HBO is sinking.. and Chris Albrecht goin' down, down, down.
HBO has nothing left. Six Feet Under and Sex and the City are gone. Sopranos & Deadwood, soon to go. They cancelled Carnivale', screwing over it's fans. "Lucky Louie"? Give me a break. What is that, "Married with Children" with cuss words? Big Love? Slightly amusing but . Rome? Ain't gonna happen. (fans, prepare yourselves now).
As much as I admire David Milch's work, I won't get involved in any new program from HBO. I might become attached to it and they'd pull it out from under me. Fool me once..
Doesn't matter anyway. After Deadwood's third season airs, it's bye-bye HBO.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 7:16PM
Jerry L. Bryant said...
I am canceling my subscription to HBO now.
I refuse to give them any more of my money if they have so little respect for the medium that they won't conclude it correctly. No fourth season, I won't pay for the third.
Jerry L. Bryant
Deadwood, SD.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 7:19PM
Tanya said...
Akbar, I hope for your sake "Rome" does have a 2nd season. I enjoyed it also. But be leery.. Rome's production costs are twice that of Deadwood's. HBO has already cut back it's planned 12 episodes to 10. HBO is bleeding red ink. Don't think they won't stop production at any time if they decide to cut their losses.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 7:27PM
Tanya said...
Jerry B, please don't cut off HBO til after Deadwood's final episode. That will make more of an impact if they start losing subscriptions AFTER Deadwood. Go ahead and enjoy it while you can. The cast worked their hearts and souls out on this and they're so proud of it. Show them your support. And don't miss out on the final season of Deadwood's magic.
It may be too late but ya never know. Check this out:
http://savedeadwood.net/index.htm
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 7:33PM
Jerry L. Bryant said...
Tanya,
I know a number of the cast, and I can tell you they are as upset as I am. Out of the clear blue sky they are now looking for jobs. All of them were paid for season 3. But if we become active and cancel now, we will hurt HBO not the staff and actors; cancel, cancel, cancel. Rip the heart out of their wallets, you can always check season 3 out from the library when it comes out on DVD.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 7:49PM
Tanya said...
Jerry,
I dunno. I know 3 cast members also and what they've told me is what I posted. They want us to enjoy S3. Cutting off HBO now will include you in the statistics of those who don't care about seeing DW. Cutting off after will show the bastards that's the only reason you held onto your subscription til then.
Also, the cast just finished recording a Sirius radio show which is gonna be broadcast right before the season starts. (Check the listings to be sure of the dates). You can find it under the "Outlaw Country Music" category. I think you can get a free one week trial. Check it out if you can.. they did one last year and it was terrific. A lot's gonna be said about this development, as well as some terrific music from W. Earl Brown (Sacred Cowboys) and, (I'm guessing) John Hawkes (King Straggler). Also Ian McShane, Dayton Callie, Paula Malcomson, Jim Beaver, etc. will be there. Y'all know who they are.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 8:00PM
Jerry L. Bryant said...
Tanya,
Earl and John are doing seperate concerts here in Deadwood, and they are always great. Go to http://www.adamsmuseumandhouse.org/ for the schedule, Earl always does his concerts on Main Street and John does his at the Museum. If you really want to show support for the cast and crew, come to Deadwood and tell them.
Reply
5-18-2006 @ 8:06PM
Jerry L. Bryant said...
It is also a good opportunity to buy their signed CD's.
Take your HBO Money and spend it on a trip to see the real folks from the series and the real town of Deadwood.
Reply