A man for whom awkward uncertainty and peerless conviction existed in the same sums, Charlie Utter was something of a paradox in Deadwood. Over the course of three seasons of the HBO hit series, named after the famous historical camp, he could just as easily carry on an awkward conversation with Joanie Stubbs as he could threaten George Hearst outside his hotel room.

Riding in Wild Bill Hickok’s entourage gave Charlie a certain sort of confidence, but after his death certain noble facets of his character floundered while others flourished. Charlie remains a fan favorite character due to his unwavering commitment to justice, but he was just as flawed as the outlaws around him, as these examples conclude.

10 HE GOT MORE UNKEMPT

Historically the real Charlie Utter was an incredibly meticulous person, who wore finely tailored buckskins and kept his long locks oiled. He carried a pair of pearl-handled pistols, and would shoot on sight anyone who entered his tent unannounced. He bathed daily, almost unheard of in a town like Deadwood.

The version of Charlie depicted in the series was a balding man of portly girth who wore plain, fraying clothing. He ceased to get more refined as the seasons progressed, and only seemed to get more unkempt.

9 HE SOLD HIMSELF SHORT

Never one to brag, Charlie was often underestimated in the camp because he often never accredited himself with anything. In Season 1, he bashfully discussed starting his own freight business,  and looked incredibly uncomfortable in the suit he bought for its grand opening.

Even in Deadwood: The Movie, which took place over a decade after he first came to the camp, he made little mention of the important piece of land he owned and operated, which was crucial to Hearst’s plans to usher in the future of telecommunication.

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8 HE LACKED CONFIDENCE

Even riding with Wild Bill and Calamity Jane by his side, Charlie lacked confidence. He couldn’t stand up to Bill and help him wrangle his demons, nor could he make the first move where Joanie Stubbs was concerned.

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After Bill’s death, he had a difficult time getting Jane in line, who herself mourned the loss of their mutual comrade. In was only towards the end of Season 2 that he started to gain some belief in himself and his accomplishments.

7 HE COULDN’T HANDLE BILL’S DEATH

Charlie rode with Wild Bill Hickok for years as his business associate, confidante, and friend. They shared the sort of tumultuous life that made a pair of men grow as close as brothers, and Charlie had Bill’s back in every manner of altercation.

That he couldn’t save his friend in Deadwood, because he was attending to a fright shipment, drove Charlie to agony. He was joined in his pain by Jane, who took it perhaps even harder, but he could still be heard sorrowfully talking to Bill right up until his death in Deadwood: The Movie.

6 HE GOT LESS PATIENT WITH JANE

Both Charlie and Jane were deeply affected by Wild Bill’s death in Season 1, and while it was difficult for them to accept his passing, Charlie was able to cope better than Jane and thus had to become her staunch support. The emotional burden caused Charlie to become fed up with Jane’s antics, and lose his patience more than once.

Jane became a rambling town drunk, and when Charlie found her in the camp’s alleys (occasionally sleeping against a wall or face first in the mud), he often left her where he found her. When they did choose to speak, it was to trade insults or yelled barbs.

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5 HE HELD OUT FOR JOANIE STUBBS

Charlie’s first encounter with Joanie Stubbs in Season 1 was awkward but endearing, him in his ill-fitting coat tails and her wearing her heart on her sleeve. They would continue to meet outside of Celestial Alley in a similar fashion, always with Charlie hinting at wishing to pursue something more meaningful.

He helped her find the right area for her new brothel in the camp, as well as rooted out Mr. Wolcott’s treachery in Season 2, but Joanie’s affections never turned romantic towards him. In Season 3 he had to finally concede that they were directed at someone else.

4 HE BECAME MORE ORNERY

Known for his stubborn personality as well as his temper, Charlie only became more ornery as the seasons progressed. In Season 1, he was a shrewd taskmaster to Wild Bill, and by Season 2, his dislike of Hearst and his proceedings in the camp had made him even more curmudgeonly.

By Season 3, Charlie was just ornery enough to throw caution to the wind and stand up to Mr. Wolcott despite knowing the consequences. By Deadwood: The Movie, doing the same to Hearst himself got Charlie killed.

3 HE ATTACHED HIMSELF TO PEOPLE WITH DEMONS

Charlie had a way understanding people whom society had long since abjured. They usually had their own demons to wrestle with, and he kept them company while offering advice and anecdotes he thought would bring them comfort.

Watching over them as they acted on their reckless tendencies meant that Charlie often had to be an emotional caregiver, first to Wild Bill, then  to Jane, and simultaneously to Joanie. He seemed to always offer a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, but was rarely offered the same in return.

2 HE COULDN’T CONTROL HIS ANGER

Much like Seth Bullock, Charlie was a man with his own tarnished history who nevertheless was compelled to do the right thing. He couldn’t stomach injustice and sought to amend it whenever he had the opportunity, but this meant giving into his temper (which was a force to be reckoned with).

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The anger which made him hunt down Wild Bill’s murderer also made him pummel Mr. Wolcott, and threaten Hearst to rectify his ill-manners the next time that he saw him. Unfortunately, it was admonishing the latter that caused him to be placed in Hearst’s crosshairs.

1 HE GOT CARELESS WITH HIS LIFE

Charlie, like Ellsworth, knew what men like Wolcott and Hearst were capable of. He knew that by attacking them he was almost certain to incur retribution that was tenfold of the damage that he could ever hope to inflict on them.

Yet in Season 2 he put hands on Wolcott knowing he acted on behalf of the most powerful man in the camp, and in Season 3 he admonished Hearst without thought to his own personal safety. This was compounded years later when he refused to sell Hearst his land knowing full well the decision carried with it a death sentence.

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About The Author


Kayleena Pierce-Bohen
(1344 Articles Published)

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she’s particularly proud of. When she isn’t writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she’s working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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