Ian McShane’s Al Swearengen Remains the Greatest Antihero in Western TV History

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HBO shows like The Wire, Oz, and The Sopranos were major draws for viewers. These series featured complicated male characters, but this aspect didn’t often become a central topic of discussion. David Milch’s Western, set in the town of Deadwood during the expansion of the American West, explored the lives of both historical and fictional characters. Before Timothy Olyphant became known as a Kentucky Marshal in Justified, he played a much more volatile Sheriff named Seth Bullock. Bullock worked to maintain order in Deadwood, crossing paths with famous figures like Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane.

Seth Bullock’s anger and unwillingness to become a lawman were just one part of what made the show Deadwood so compelling. The series wouldn’t have worked without Al Swearengen, the owner of the Gem Saloon, as a counterpoint. Ian McShane’s incredible performance gave the character a surprising amount of depth and humor, and many consider him to be one of the best television characters ever created.

Al Swearengen Had a Well-Earned Character Arc

The HBO series Deadwood featured a memorable group of characters, notably Al Swearengen, who ran both a saloon and a brothel. Swearengen came to Deadwood in 1876 and managed the Gem Theater for more than twenty years. His powerful and complex personality made him an ideal foil to Seth Bullock, a man who just wanted to live life his own way.

Seth Bullock, a former lawman, and his business partner, Sol Star, moved to Deadwood to start a hardware store. He hoped to leave his past behind, but the chaotic nature of the town and pressure from Al Swearengen led him to become Sheriff. In the very first episode, Seth initially wanted a peaceful life, but a reported attack on settlers by the Sioux brought him into immediate conflict with Swearengen.

Al was the mastermind behind the murder and Seth’s main enemy, because the victim threatened a profitable scheme Al was planning. Seth quickly suspected Al and this rivalry drove the conflict for three seasons. Swearengen was never just a simple villain; he consistently disrupted the possibility of peace and prosperity in Deadwood, and his complicated nature was apparent from the very start of the show.

Let me tell you, the man who ran The Gem was a stone-cold businessman – completely invested in its profitability. Any little hiccup, any problem with his investment, and Swearegen would react instantly. The real trouble started when one of his girls, Trixie, shot a customer. It wasn’t a random act; she did it because of how badly he’d treated her, and that threw a major wrench into Swearegen’s carefully laid plans.

Al responded with harsh violence, intending to punish her. Surprisingly, the incident concluded with them embracing. Though Al often acted without a strong moral compass, he consistently followed a personal code. He deeply valued those within his inner circle, including Trixie. When Trixie began pursuing interests outside of their work, particularly her relationship with Sol, Al disapproved. He saw her as someone under his protection and felt a fatherly concern for her well-being.

Al often proved his dedication to the town’s people, but unlike Seth who relied on the law, Al expressed his care through force. This was especially true with Reverend Smith, a good man who sadly declined throughout the first season.

Facing a fatal brain tumor at a time when treatment options didn’t exist, the man deteriorated rapidly as the cancer impacted his mind. In a final act of compassion, Swearengen suffocated him. Al also had a strange fondness for Mr. Wu, despite constantly making fun of him. He fiercely defended Wu from disrespect, even resorting to violence, like when he killed an agent working for George Hearst. This mix of brutality and unexpected kindness made Al a complex and compelling character, earning him a dedicated fanbase. Ian McShane’s performance was critically acclaimed, winning him a Golden Globe, and he became a beloved figure, contrasting with the show’s more purely malicious characters.

Al Was Never the True Villain of Deadwood

Al wants Deadwood to continue thriving, even the parts most people would consider immoral. This common goal brought him and Seth together, and Al actively promoted Seth as the public face of the town. Al believed Seth’s tough exterior would mask his own principles, which were different from those of the show’s outright villains.

While Al Swarek might have seemed like a bad guy, Cy Tolliver, who appeared in Season 2, was a much more formidable villain. Portrayed by Powers Boothe, Cy was Al’s main rival and, like Al, ran a brothel and had close ties with the women who worked there. However, unlike Al, Cy didn’t respect them at all.

Even Joanie Stubbs, who Cy treated as a favored madam and with whom he was romantically involved, suffered abuse at his hands. He had purchased her as a young girl after her own father sold her, leaving her with no real chance at a different life. She was raised as a prostitute and later became a hostess. Despite sometimes claiming he wanted her to leave the brothel and start her own business, Cy’s treatment of her was often harsh.

Cy consistently lacked a moral compass, readily crossing lines that Al refused to touch. Unlike Al, Tolliver had no such boundaries. He abandoned his friend Andy when Andy got smallpox and even teamed up with the most ruthless character in the show, George Hearst. As the series progressed, Cy became increasingly erratic, while Al proved to be a valuable member of the community.

The contrast between these two characters highlighted Al’s independent sense of right and wrong, while Tolliver firmly remained an opponent. Tolliver’s relationship with Swearangen wasn’t something developed for the show—it was established even before filming started. Originally, Boothe was chosen to play Al, but he had to withdraw due to illness, which led to McShane getting the role.

The actor joined the cast to play a character similar to the first, but far more violent. This intensity actually highlighted how different the two were, despite people initially thinking they were alike. Unlike the other characters on the platform – which was full of unpleasant people – Al stood out as unique.

Dark Antiheroes Were the Style of the Time

HBO became known for its high-quality shows, but also benefited from a shift in television culture. In the early 2000s, audiences started seeing a lot of flawed, often difficult, male characters on screen, and Tony Soprano from The Sopranos is often considered the first example of this trend.

Building on the popularity of Goodfellas, The Sopranos showed viewers the life of a New Jersey mafia boss, focusing on his emotional struggles. Despite these challenges, the show remained a weekly favorite, captivating audiences with its compelling characters. And though Deadwood hadn’t yet premiered, Walter White from Breaking Bad perfectly embodied the trend of complex, flawed heroes that viewers were beginning to embrace.

Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, originally envisioned a show focused on the transformation of an ordinary man into a villain. He wanted characters who were flawed and even unlikeable – and that was intentional, as seen in the complex portrayal of Al Swearengen by Ian McShane. Al wasn’t simply good or evil; he was a reflection of the era he lived in.

David Milch originally wanted to explore the origins of power and the growth of communities. He first envisioned a series set in Rome, but when a similar show was already being developed, he shifted his focus to Deadwood and its memorable characters. The character of Al Swearengen wasn’t meant to be simply shocking; he embodied the ruthless pursuit of the American Dream during that era – a dream that would be achieved no matter the price.

Look, Breaking Bad rightfully gets a lot of praise, but let me tell you, those who discovered Deadwood really got it. Even though it only lasted three seasons, it quickly became a favorite. What set Deadwood apart – and it was a huge difference – was David Milch’s writing. The dialogue was incredibly stylized, almost poetic, and the sheer artfulness with which profanity was woven into every scene… it was unlike anything else on TV. It wasn’t just swearing; it was a character all its own.

The show Deadwood ended prematurely due to conflicts within HBO and budget problems. While the story wasn’t continued until the 2019 film, that movie at least provided closure for all the characters, including Al. Unlike many complex heroes popular at the time, Al didn’t have a dramatic, fiery end. Instead, he received a peaceful farewell surrounded by his friends, giving fans a chance to say goodbye. However, his legacy will live on through the show’s three highly praised seasons.

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2025-10-26 02:08