Life in Deadwood was a frontier crucible, and the citizens of the South Dakota town found out the hard way that only those that got up after taking their licks survived. Like Ellsworth’s lavender gloves, violence was de rigeur on HBO’s titular hit series, and from its chaos came the sort of progress and change that could propel a mangy camp into the future.

The colorful characters of Deadwood sure took their beatings, and as Al Swearengen notably said, “gave something back” in return. From the inevitable but no less exciting fistfight between Al and Sheriff Bullock, to the nail-biting and epic brawl between Captain Turner and Dan Dority, here are the best fight scenes of the series, and a few that left viewers wanting more.

10 BEST: AL VS BULLOCK

In the Season 2 explosive two-part opener, Seth goes gunning for Al Swearengen, who kept his gun and badge and embarrassed him in front of the camp. They take a tumble out Al’s window and over the Gem’s front balcony, where they continue fighting in the muddy streets.

The pent-up animosity shared by the two men was bound to come to a head, and fans were able to witness one of the most fulfilling fights in the series, with neither opponent coming out on top.

9 LET FANS DOWN: JARRY VS THE PEOPLE OF DEADWOOD

Whenever obsequious commissioner and government stooge Hugo Jarry rides into town, he brings nothing but bad news from Yankton that serves to line the pockets of government officials and never helps the people of Deadwood.

When he has a meeting with Cy Tolliver in the Bella Union about the future rights of citizens on their claims, the claim holders are naturally concerned. Eventually a mob comes for Jarry and corners him behind the cash-out counter, but the violence is stopped before anyone can really get their hands on the nefarious instigator.

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8 BEST: BULLOCK VS BRAVE

In his quest to bring the Coward Jack McCall to justice for the murder of Wild Bill Hickok, Seth gets ambushed and assaulted by a Native-American brave who was interrupted honoring his fallen brethren. The fight is merciless, with Bullock only able to survive by clinging to the man’s legs and then bludgeoning him with a rock.

Not only was the fight true to the chaotic realities of a real row, the aftermath was as well. Bullock is deeply and earnestly affected by the conflict and its unfortunate end. When Charlie Utter finds him, he’s insistent that they honor the brave the way they would have wanted.

7 LET FANS DOWN: THE EARP BROTHERS VS THE PINKERTONS

The sudden appearance of the Earp Brothers in Season 2 is cause for celebration, but the famous gunslingers don’t remain in Deadwood long enough to make much of an impression. They ruffle the feathers of Hearst’s Pinkerton agents and Bullock at the hardware store, which becomes the site for an inflammatory incident.

What might have been another Gunfight at the O.K. Coral becomes a simple matter of lawful interpretation when the youngest Earp draws on a Pinkerton, shooting him dead. In a rare moment of moral ambiguity, Sheriff Bullock warns them to ride out of town before Hearst catches wind, which they agree to without protestation.

6 BEST: DAN VS CAPTAIN TURNER

Matching their lieutenants against one another, Al Swearengen and George Hearst hosted a battle royale that any hooplehead worth their cinnamon peaches could tell was a surrogate match of epic proportions ⁠— Dan Dority versus Captain Turner.

Tragedy struck not with the killing blow to the Captain, but the fact that he was told to hold back. Since Al never called Dan off of him, he lost by way of heeling to Hearst’s wishes. Dan’s true opponent is his guilt afterwards, which he wrestles with for far longer.

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5 LET FANS DOWN: MERRICK VS THE PINKERTONS

Further solidifying his villainy on a scale even Al Swearengen couldn’t hope to match, Cy Tolliver once had Merrick’s printing press smashed. Not to be bested in the category of malevolence, George Hearst outdid even that by sending his Pinkerton agents to pistol-whip Merrick and break several of his ribs.

Fans who felt that A.W. Merrick had begun to represent the series ‘”soul” with his bleating ministrations about morality and justice hoped that not only would he have put up a bigger fight given his previous experience, but that Blazanaov would have come to render aid.

4 BEST: BULLOCK VS OTIS RUSSELL

Seth Bullock has a compulsion to right wrongs he perceives in Deadwood due to a moral high horse he can’t seem to dismount. But when it comes to Alma Garret, he will avenge her honor come hell or high water.

When her integrity-barren father comes to call, having found out about her prosperous gold claim, she’s backed into a corner. Seth locates the conniving patriarch who intends to use his daughter to eradicate his bad debts and pummels him within an inch of his life.

3 LET FANS DOWN: MR. WU VS MR. LEE

Unaccustomed to feeling powerless in his own professional territory, Mr. Wu had enough of Al Swearengen’s dismissive attitude towards Hearst and Mr. Lee’s advancement on Celestial Alley and decided to put an end to it.

The treatment of Chinese prostitutes was the last straw, inspiring Wu to really “let his hair down” and weaponize himself before marching straight for Lee to engage him in fisticuffs. Unfortunately, no such brawl occurred, leaving Wu to have to concoct a more fortified fight with Al’s men.

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2 BEST: CHARLIE VS WOLCOTT

Fans were in for one exciting confrontation when Charlie Utter made a fuss over Mr. Wolcott stepping on his toe. The harmless incident was nothing more than an excuse for Charlie to lay hands on Hearst’s minion for what he’d done to the women of the Chez Amis when no one else dared.

The fight that ensued was no more fair to Wolcott than what he deserved, and ended with Charlie throwing him out into the muddy street. It may not have been the sort of justice fans wanted for Wolcott’s victims, but it was something thanks to one man’s courage of conviction.

1 LET FANS DOWN: SAMUEL FIELDS VS STEVE FIELDS

Every time Steve Fields opened his mouth, fans expected him to get struck in the face ⁠— which Sheriff Bullock obliged. But when he dragged Samuel Fields into the street, they hoped he’d receive much more.

Though Samuel tried to put up a good fight, he was no match for the dozen men that came for him and Hostetler. The only closure he received was Steve getting accidentally kicked in the head by a horse from the livery.

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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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