Al Swearengen is not a humorless man. Truth be told, he is one of the more vibrant wisecrackers of Deadwood. His constant outward vitriol originates in love. His consistent state of dejection is preferred. Memes, however, may be a true test of his patience. Al is a proud man of the mid-(18)'70s. His life's cajoling is not based even in United Statehood, let alone digital content.
Nonetheless, the following are so impactful in their capturing of the essence of Deadwood's characters and fandom that they may warrant a chuckle from Al Swearengen himself. Perhaps he would even use his influence to get them into A.W. Merrick's local paper. Certainly, they will please you, an early (20)'20s reader.
This User Guide To Old West Chic
Deadwood showrunner David Milch has been credited with recreating the old west almost to a fault and his costumes are no exception. However, even amid the non-functional formalwear of yesteryear, there is a right and a wrong way to hit the thoroughfare.
While technically speaking each and every character in Deadwood portrays both admirable qualities and flaws, there are inevitably some that garnered the favor of and others who do not. Crime boss Al Swearengen, in both Deadwood the town, and Deadwood the fandom, is popular. E.B. Farnum, albeit mayor, is contrastingly disregarded.
This Staring Contest
Timothy Olyphant's Seth Bullock is the subject of much Deadwood commentary. This is well-deserved, per both his actions and the actions of the series' writers.
Bullock is presented from the very first episode as the archetypal western hero. As the episodes proceed, however, Deadwood's realism is prominent. Bullock is revealed as every bit as much an egotistical gunslinging action hero as he is a functional one. Olyphant's over-the-top and sweltering-hot performance captures this to varying degrees of approval.
These Words Of Wisdom
Al Swearengen proposes a toast. A classically-trained half-Englishman regaling in a grimy American saloon, Al is exactly the type to be cognizant of traditional idioms, and yet have no respect for them.
Al Swearengen does not actually make this quip about lemons in Deadwood. However, those who meme enjoy daydreaming on their own crass-yet-wise conjecture, which needs an audience like Swearengen's. As the post caption reminds, Al's true preoccupation is canned peaches - an apparent delicacy of the old west for occasions of respected company.
This Encapsulation
Here, Seth Bullock is called out by the classic Arthur meme. It's true; Bullock, as both hot-headed local and elected lawman, is among the first citizens of Deadwood to initiate violence. This despite his vocally outward presence as the town's best hope for order and civilization.
That's why Arthur the Aardvark is a perfect representation of Bullock. He emanates a good-guy persona that would fit right in on the PBS program but is also one of the more common brawlers among the many lowlifes of Deadwood.
This Burn
This meme is a Deadwood and That 70s Show crossover. Perhaps Deadwood could be alternatively titled 'That 70s Show' if it aired in the early 20th century. But in all seriousness, 'burns' were a major factor in the macho-dominated, lawless old west, where power dynamics stood in place of politics.
Some context: Jewel is a handicapped employee of Deadwood's Gem Saloon. In his moments of horrid behavior that deep down signal love, Al regularly pokes fun at Jewel's crippled walk. In this scene, Jewel gives Al an epic taste of his own medicine.
This Crossword Gimme
Baader-Meinhof phenomenon is when once introduced to an impetus, it seems to appear organically everywhere. This is clearly what struck a Deadwood fan and Redditor who came across this simple crossword puzzle clue and could think only of Al Swearengen.
This meme is for diehard fans only. It references a specific scene in which Al, in hubris, has a bountiful opinion on the copy of an upcoming newspaper column by A.W. Merrick. Only in a challenging yet rewarding series like Deadwood would such a scene be memorable and meme-worthy.
This Visual Analysis
Timothy Olyphant is targeted once again, contrasting him with Al Swearengen's thespian creator Ian McShane. A judicious evaluation of the two characters would place Olyphant's Seth Bullock as the antithesis of western tropes which Deadwood sets out to represent compared to McShane's Swearengen who is the show's tonal flag-bearer. A more curt opinion would align with this meme.
If extended into more parts as is sometimes done, how would this meme rank the many performances of Deadwood, from the renowned to the controversial, to the future stars?
This Moment Of HBO Commiseration
Long gone are the days of heroes, villains, and morals wrapped neatly in a bow. The golden age of television has brought complex, imperfect plots and characters to the screen. Viewers of all stripes celebrate the ingenuity of such things, until they fall out of love with them. Case in point, Game of Thrones' controversial ending.
To be fair, there was probably no way to satisfy viewers who had known only the delights of near-perfection for roughly a decade, but the way the Song of Ice and Fire's once fiercely loyal fanbase quickly disowned the show post-finale was unprecedented. As for Deadwood, the lack of closure and fireworks in its final episode was considered precisely par for the course.
This Redditors Reaction To The Deadwood Movie Being Announced...
The Deadwood movie in 2019 presented long-term 'hoopleheads' with something to chatter and meme about for the first time in a while. Whether they sought closure, despite the large chronological gap between series and film, or simply a few more moments with Al Swearengen in The Gem, it became an awaited event.
As its arrival has passed, where will hoopleheads turn next? Various Deadwood actors have graduated to bigger and better things, the real town of Deadwood is accepting visitors, and there's always memes.
...And Timothy Olyphant's Reaction, Too
If besides taking on an expectation-subverting position, there is an additional detriment to Timothy Olyphant's powerhouse performance as Seth Bullock, it's that he's almost too handsome to take seriously.
Thus is the existence of this meme which, upon the announcement of the long-scrupled Deadwood film, represents the tendency of some to think first and only of beautiful Timothy Olyphant. For better or worse, depending on one's fantasies, his mustache lives and dies with Deadwood.