In season one Bullock’s rigid, joyless sense of propriety and justice is set in direct contrast with Swearengen. It’s basically old school moral righteousness vs. an amoral master of temptation. One of the things that’s so great about the show is that this conflict, and its resolution, is where most stories would begin and end. Deadwood took it further by making Bullock somebody who, while essentially a just man, is also repressing what he really wants. Al has no problem taking what he wants, but he’s got to come to the realization that in order to accomplish that he has to work with these people. Eventualy they both have to make compromises, and, obviously, this is the basis of community.
Then, when Hearst comes along, his monolithic empire, his need to acquire and conquer is set in direct opposition to Al. Who, despite being “morally challenged” still has an essential humanity to him. Al is the lesser of two evils, the devil you know, so to speak. Despite his dubious business practices, he provides people with things they want. Whereas Heart’s MO is antithetical to the very idea of community.
It’s either in one of the audio commentary’s or a later interview with Milch, but he said that Olymphant performed exactly the way Milch pictured Bullock in his head as he was writing. So I imagine it’s very deliberate on his part.
I seem to recall reading that Milch considered Bullock to be nearly a psychopath, but instead of letting that aspect of him go, he uses the “law” to unleash it. Sort of how everytime he is pissed off about something or other, he goes out to find someone (like Steve the Drunk) he can bully around “legally” o legitimately or whatever.
Also, a certain scene involving Hearst’s ear makes every second with Bullock worth it.
That was always my take on Bullock, that he was, to his core, a deeply violent man but also a moral one, and was only able to find an acceptable outlet for his aggression by couching these impulses together, and becoming a sheriff. Rewatching it, it seems like the single thing that motivates everything he does is anger. He’s made a life out of channelling it in a moral direction.
The exception is his relationship with Alma, wherein he seems to find some sort of respite. Although it’s so fucked up in every other way it just ends up making him angrier.
I seem to recall reading that Milch considered Bullock to be nearly a psychopath, but instead of letting that aspect of him go, he uses the “law” to unleash it. Sort of how everytime he is pissed off about something or other, he goes out to find someone (like Steve the Drunk) he can bully around “legally” o legitimately or whatever. Also, a certain scene involving Hearst’s ear makes every second with Bullock worth it.
That’s interesting. I definitely don’t consider Bullock a psychopath. He always struck me as very unhappy and quick to anger, which was a recipe for somebody who had trouble controlling his temper once it was unleashed. But I always viewed most of the violence (at least the most severe examples) as just a part of that life*. I go back to the fight with the indian. He hits the guy’s head on the rock repeatedly until he passes out, but then wants to bury him the proper way. Or, in the first scene of the series, when he could just shoot the horse thief, or give him to the mob because his time as marshall is over, he insists on a “proper” hanging. There’s that killing impulse, but it’s tempered by something that psychos don’t really have.
* though I definitely concede the second part, about Bullock occasionally using his badge to let out his aggression.
But that’s just the thing, its not just he hides behind the badge in that cop show kind of way, but that he channeled/controlled the violence inside him to be expressed through what the “law” is (which is very interesting, considering everything Milch is going for with the series). It’s like a compulsion for Bullock, and those scenes you mention, its clear in both that its pure anger that propels Bullock to “hang the thief under color of law” and to properly bury the Indian.
Originally Posted by Arjen RuddView Post You’re in for some great with Deadwood. I’ll take it over The Wire anyday, let alone any other HBO show. Once you get accustomed to the language, it’s amazing the amount of character and theme they fit into one line. Just wait for Wolcott to show up.
I think Rome is better, but Deadwood is great.
The Earps just serve to remind the audience just how much of a bad ass Bullock is. Bullock is a the classic sheriff that is as deadly as anyone, but never get the fame that others got.
Originally Posted by Arjen RuddView Post The exception is his relationship with Alma, wherein he seems to find some sort of respite. Although it’s so fucked up in every other way it just ends up making him angrier.
And it’s in defence of Alma that he’s driven to the only acts of extreme violence that he can’t cover with being lawful or just. Though he was contrite about beating the everliving shit out of Alma’s father after he cooled down.
Actually, the beating of Alma’a father kind of falls under the Frontier Justice banner. It’s Bullock’s attempt to get Al and Dan to kill him afterwards that really shows Bullock at his worst. He does get super contrite about that.
Bullock is a great character. My biggest problem is buying that he could just not be remotely prepared for his wife’s arrival. I get that she came earlier than expected, but considering he explicitly invited her out there, it seems out of character for him to be just totally befuddled by it.
Originally Posted by Arjen RuddView Post Actually, the beating of Alma’a father kind of falls under the Frontier Justice banner. It’s Bullock’s attempt to get Al and Dan to kill him afterwards that really shows Bullock at his worst. He does get super contrite about that. Bullock is a great character. My biggest problem is buying that he could just not be remotely prepared for his wife’s arrival. I get that she came earlier than expected, but considering he explicitly invited her out there, it seems out of character for him to be just totally befuddled by it.
He befuddled by her because she was his dead brother wife. He married her with out really knowing her.
I’m talking about the cognitive dissonance of falling passionately in love with Alma and writing loving letters to his wife about how excited he is for them to get there. When she actually arrives, he behaves like he never expected this day to come. It’s an honest reaction, but maybe not for Bullock.