While Doc Cochran tends to the young survivor of the previous episodes' massacre, it becomes a possibility that the perpetrators of the massacre were actually "road agents" acting on behalf of Swearengen. Since Swearengen might not want the girl to say who did in her family, the Doc takes a vested interest in her safekeeping. Seth & Sol want to buy their lot outright from Swearengen, but he's frankly dubious about the two of them. He's afraid they might branch out into other ways of making money, like gambling, and thus become competition for him; he's also suspicious of the fact that they showed up in town the same time as Wild Bill, and suspects that the gunslinger is a silent partner in their business.
There is some truly first-rate acting in this terrific episode, especially from series regulars Brad Dourif (the Doc) and Robin Weigert (Calamity Jane). She, in particular, is ashamed at the way she wilted in the presence of Swearengen, always thinking that she was tougher than that. She even entertains the notion of gunning him down! Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane are excellent as Seth and Swearengen have an intense confrontation in the latters' saloon. Meanwhile, Brom (Timothy Omundson) has lost his enthusiasm for gold mining, and tries to go to Farnum to ask about the latters' interest in buying up his claim - only for Farnum to weasel out of the situation by claiming that he was drunk when he made the offer.
The series continues to be well cast from top to bottom; here you can see a pre-stardom Nick Offerman as Tom Mason, brother of the man gunned down by Seth and Will Bill in the debut episode. Tom, naturally, wants revenge.
Vivid entertainment for 56 straight minutes.
Eight out of 10.
There is some truly first-rate acting in this terrific episode, especially from series regulars Brad Dourif (the Doc) and Robin Weigert (Calamity Jane). She, in particular, is ashamed at the way she wilted in the presence of Swearengen, always thinking that she was tougher than that. She even entertains the notion of gunning him down! Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane are excellent as Seth and Swearengen have an intense confrontation in the latters' saloon. Meanwhile, Brom (Timothy Omundson) has lost his enthusiasm for gold mining, and tries to go to Farnum to ask about the latters' interest in buying up his claim - only for Farnum to weasel out of the situation by claiming that he was drunk when he made the offer.
The series continues to be well cast from top to bottom; here you can see a pre-stardom Nick Offerman as Tom Mason, brother of the man gunned down by Seth and Will Bill in the debut episode. Tom, naturally, wants revenge.
Vivid entertainment for 56 straight minutes.
Eight out of 10.