Thanks to the recent HBO movie which continued its story, fans of Deadwood have had plenty of reason to revisit the brilliant series. The series was set in the Old West, where the town of Deadwood represents one of the last lawless sanctuaries for all sorts of ambitious, violent and corrupt individuals.
The series was critically acclaimed, yet only aired for three seasons before being unexpectedly canceled. Thankfully, Deadwood: The Movie allowed us to return to the town and its characters one last time in a satisfying end to the tale. But even with that recent revisiting, there are still some unanswered questions. Here are some of the storylines that were never resolved on Deadwood.
The Earp Brothers
Many of the main characters on the series are based on real-life figures from the era who spent time in Deadwood. There are even several famous Western legends like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. But the most famous faces to come to town were Wyatt Earp and his younger brother Morgan.
The Earps are iconic lawmen from this time, with Wyatt especially being subject to several movies and shows. This depiction is before they found fame in Tombstone, however. The brothers show up in Deadwood seeking a prospecting career before abruptly departing. It’s unclear if they would have played a larger role had the series continued.
Bullock Losing The Election
Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) is another real-life lawman who is the closest thing to a hero the series has. Arriving with every intention of building a hardware store with his partner Sol Starr, Bullock eventually becomes the town sheriff and is vigilant in keeping the peace.
Once George Hearst arrives in town, Bullock immediately begins butting heads with the powerful businessman. In an attempt to gain control of the town, Hearst rigs the elections and Bullock loses his position of sheriff. However, in the film, Bullock is now a US Marshal with no mention of if he took back his old position.
Tolliver Kills Leon
Cy Tolliver is introduced as a rival to Al Swearengen with each of their saloons across from one another. Tolliver quickly proves himself to be a cruel and ruthless man who abuses and belittles the people who work for him.
As the series goes on, Tolliver becomes more and more unhinged. In the final episode of the third season, Tolliver kills one of his henchmen, Leon, in a rage. That is the last we see of Tolliver with no mention of any repercussions or punishment for the murder.
Aunt Lou And Richardson
Though there aren’t too many “good” people living in Deadwood, there are a few characters who are very easy to like. Two of the most charming Deadwood residents are Aunt Lou and Richardson, who form an unlikely bond.
Aunt Lou is George Hearst’s personal cook while Richardson is the cook at E.B. Farnum’s hotel. Perhaps bonding over how their employers mistreat them, Aunt Lou becomes a sweet motherly figure to the much older but simple Richardson. With Aunt Lou leaving Hearst’s service, it’s unclear if she and Richardson carried on their relationship.
Johnny’s Girlfriend
Johnny is one of the loyal followers of Al Swearengen, and as such, he is often asked to do some rather unsavory things. Unlike Al’s other henchman Dan, Johnny is somewhat soft-hearted as seen by his relationship with Jen, one of the girls who works at the saloon.
After Trixie tries to kill Hearst, Al chooses Jen as the decoy girl he will use to appease Heart’s desire for revenge. When Al orders Johnny to kill Jen, he cannot go through with it and Al does the deed himself. In the film, we see that Johnny still has guilt about it, but it’s unclear if his feelings about Al changed as a result.
Silas Adams
One of the most noticeable absences from the movie was Silas Adams. Introduced near the end of the first season, Silas gradually became one of Al’s most loyal followers, despite his frequent clashes with Dan.
Actor Titus Welliver was unable to return for the film due to scheduling conflicts with his series Bosch. However, given how prominent of a character Silas was, the fact that he is not mentioned nor is his absence explained at all is a bit surprising.
Doc’s Sickness
Doc Cochran is one of the most interesting characters on the show. Though he genuinely wants to help people, Doc is a haunted man due to his service in the Civil War. As a result, he is often blunt and prone to anger. But he still looks out for those in need.
In the third season of the show, Doc is seen suffering from a severe illness and even coughs up blood. It is hinted that he has tuberculosis and his days are numbered. However, Doc returns in the film with no sign nor mention of his illness.
Theater Company
The final season of the series introduced several memorable characters, including Jack Langrishe. Jack is the head of a small theater troupe and Al’s old friend. Jack becomes a significant part of the show, dealing with his business in town which includes setting up a new theater.
Despite the fact that the theater’s opening night appears to be a success, Jack and his troupe are nowhere to be found in the film. It is unclear if the experiment of bringing theater to Deadwood failed or if they simply moved on to a new town.
Cy Tolliver
As stated before, Cy Tolliver was in a downward spiral the last time he was seen on the series. Sadly, actor Powers Boothe died in 2017 which is why Tolliver does not appear in the movie.
It is hinted that Tolliver died in the years in between, as Joanie Stubbs mentions buying his saloon after he was gone. However, there is no explanation as to what exactly happened to him. He may have been killed, he may have been hanged for killing Leon, or he may have killed himself in his unhinged state.
Trixie And Hearst
A large part of the Deadwood movie focuses on the consequences of Hearst learning about the ruse with Trixie. When he returns to Deadwood, Hearst discovers the dead woman Al presented to him was not the girl who tried to kill him years earlier.
As the main characters wait to see what Hearst’s reaction would be, he brings in the law from another town to have Trixie arrested. Bullock intervenes, knowing he has jurisdiction. However, with Hearst still alive, Bullock seems to have only bought Trixie a little more time. By the end of the movie, it’s unclear if Trixie will be arrested or not.
