Can fans save a show? Well, if they act quickly, try hard enough, and use financial pressure, the answer seems to be “Yes!” When it was announced that HBO would we cutting the wild-west Deadwood series short after three seasons, fans of the HBO series got, well, downright ornery! They signed petitions, took out an ad in Variety (a Hollywood trade paper), sent letters and made calls indicating that they would cancel their HBO subscriptions at the end of Deadwood’s third season (which recently started airing).
As a result, HBO and Deadwood creator David Milch have now come to an agreement. Deadwood will return following the third season… sort-of. Rather than a full-blown 12-episode season to complete the series (which would have been quite costly and now, very difficult to coordinate), HBO and Milch will instead produce a pair of two-hour movies.
But wait, hadn’t HBO previously offered to pay for a six-episode fourth season? How is this better? Milch has said that he wasn’t in favor of doing a six-episode season because each episode of Deadwood has typically represented one day in the lives of the characters and South Dakota area. Shifting to two-hour movies will allow him to break that format and to be able to complete the storytelling he had for the final season. Milch has said that he’s thrilled that they worked out a way to continue Deadwood past the third season.
But what about the series actors that were released from their contracts over a month ago. Can HBO get them back? Though Deadwood cast members have not been signed for the movie projects as yet, it seems clear that HBO intends to do all it can to work out this aspect as well. One source has reported that HBO intends to “make it worth their while.” No doubt. Wouldn’t want to upset these fans . . . 
All I can say is I agree with just about all of the comments before me. This is the second time HBO has f**ked me. The first time was when Showtime canceled Huff, another great show, whats next, Weeds? Why not? it is a hit show with a large following. I am canceling my subscription to HBO. For those of you that need a new fix, try Rescue Me on FX and Weeds! I watched the second season of Weeds in one sitting, it is like crack! Anyone that enjoys Deadwood, will most likely enjoy Weeds and Rescue Me…… f**k… Read more »
i was hooked on deadwood the first time i watched it. i cant wait for the next series. i have spoken to many people in passing about the series and it is just as popular if not more than the sopranos. what ever you do.. dont take it off the air ….
deadwood….keep it comin!!!!
I keep looking for Deadwood to return, week after week I await my favoriet TV show to magically show up on Tivo. Tonight I decided to Google it. This is a very sad day…
I can’t believe HBO could let this winner slip between their fingers.
I have been out of the country and couldn’t wait to get back to the US and watch Deadwood! I couldn’t find it after signing up for HBO. I need my deadwood fix! What the hell is HBO thinking? I will cancel my subscription to HBO because a two hour movie doesn’t cut it!! I need my weekly Deadwood fix! I am sick and tired of studio heads showing sh*t on TV and getting rid of the shows that we the viewers that pad their pockets really like! Deadwood is an award winning show what the f**k are you guys… Read more »
HBO, please bring me back. I miss all of my fans! They like me… they really liked me!!!
Can I come back – please?! I will behave. I will not curse more then 5 times per minute unless “Swear-again” is onscreen.
Please do not loose my fans!
Bring back Deadwood and Rome. The two best shows on TV!!!!!!
it is always so rare that a show comes along which captures our interest and desire for more like Deadwood.It’s always tough to see them end,but in this case the show is letting the viewers down by not giving us a fair and satisfying conclusion to a magnificent story.I’m sure it all comes down to the $$ like everything else so i guess we’re left out in the dark again. We all make mistakes and i believe that you have made a huge one here. Canada loved Deadwood….
HBO – Deadwood = Wu’s Pigpen
I also agree it is rare to find “GOOD” shows on tv now days. I have fallen in love with this series, and am upset that it will no longer be on the air. What a disappointment to HBO. Once again they are letting us “The loyal Viewers” down.
hey, Paul, I think you’re confused. william randolph hearst, not george hearst, was one of the inspirations for Charles Foster Kane. Citizen Kane had absolutely nothing to do with the deadwood character. easy enough mistake to make, i suppose, since they are both historical figures, eh?
This has been a great series,I hope HBO will decide to complete it.
the only reason i signed up for HBO was for the Sopranos… then deadwood came along. great! awesome show! carnival? too slow. nothing ever happened… ROME? AWESOME! now they HbO is cancelling that one too. Guess I’ll cancel my subscription. I’ll take my 12 bucks elsewhere….
Please don’t let this series be a flop . I don’t watch much TV, but I find the writing unique and takes me away from the stress of my work at least one day a week. This is great stuff, for adults. It’s the only reason I carry HBO when the series is run.
No more Deadwood, No more HBO
subscription.
I haven’t watched tv in 6 years.
I ordered Deadwood from netflix and I can watch the whole season at my own pace. I got tired of cancellation, commercials, and lousy shows picked by some brainless wonder. Cancel now! people have the power they just don’t use it. Why pay all that money for HBO? The movies are old and you cannot depend on the programming.