Despite the presence of Wu and a growing Chinese-American community (a vivid reflection of the real-life old west absent from plenty of western classics), the Chinese Zodiac is a concept far away from the town of Deadwood. It deals with the spiritual, psychological, and emotional. Deadwood is all about money and occasionally brute strength and force.
Fortunately, the Chinese Zodiac is not far from the psyche of David Milch. The Deadwood showrunner used the popular genre platform to develop some of the most realistic and complicated human beings depicted on television ever. Deadwood is not about gunfights or bank robberies. It is about personalities and types of people. This is what makes the connections between signs and beloved characters so vivid below. Odds are on that it's a thought exercise the famously painstaking Milch has already taken on.
12 Rat - E.B. Farnum
E.B. Farnum is always looking for an angle. A Rat in numerous senses, he is cunning, manipulative, and motivated always by personal gain. In the very first episode of the series, E.B. acts as a spy.
For a number of the Chinese Zodiac signs, it is difficult not to read negative connotation in English. It's important to remember that Rats have some quite enviable qualities. They are loyal and understand how to get the most out of being part of a group. Another which E.B. emanates is charm and humor. Despite being generally disrespected around Deadwood, he does chatter his way right into the position of mayor.
11 Ox - Charlie Utter
The Ox is the steady and strong sign of the Chinese Zodiac. As Charlie Utter does throughout Deadwood, they provide stability to many other, more volatile signs. Also introverted and insecure, Ox Charlie is also seen stumbling his way through flirtations with Joanie Stubbs.
Oxes are also known for getting the job done. In the short course of Deadwood's three seasons, Charlie plays utility man to gunslinger "Wild" Bill Hickock, head of postal operations in the town, and then deputy to Seth Bullock's Sherriff, all with success yet little comment.
10 Tiger - Seth Bullock
To be a Tiger is to be the center of attention in almost any venue. Such is the life of Seth Bullock (and increasingly, actor Timothy Olyphant as well). Career-wise, he is a no-brainer as to the town of Deadwood's Sheriff. In interpersonal relationships, he absolutely must either seduce or have the last word. To fans of the series, he is the face on the poster, despite frankly minimal participation in long stretches central drama.
Perhaps Seth's most apparent Tiger quality is the suddenness and tenacity of his rage. Many wrongdoers of Deadwood have experienced the sudden pounce of the Sherriff's fists.
9 Rabbit - Whitney Ellsworth
Whitney Ellsworth is one of the most morally upstanding characters in Deadwood. He is nothing but genuine compassion and affable positivity, prominent qualities in popular Rabbits. It may be that he is too nice, at least for this rough-and-tumble town. Even still, his spoonful of honey works well for him throughout the series.
Rabbits also thrive in the homestead. They love everyone being home, dinner on the table, safety, and kin camaraderie. Whitney archives this for a brief stint through his marriage to Alma Garrett, who plays mother to orphaned Sofia.
8 Dragon - Al Swearengen
Albeit fictional, few accounts of Dragons do not have them in a place of command. Al Swearengen is the man who calls the shots in Deadwood. He is the person you seek out when anything looms large. He can breathe fire if made upset...
Its the dynamism of Dragons like Al, however, that makes them so alluring and powerful. Dragons are not bossy and they are not dictators. Everything they have is due to charisma, energy, and especially an innate ability to lift others around them, whether that be emotionally or functionally.
7 Snake - Cy Tolliver
This sign is complex and is associated with a multitude of qualities, even that conflict with one another. Snakes are intelligent and in control yet can be among the most vicious of beings. They have generous personalities, although this sometimes reflects inner turmoil and self-consciousness.
Cy Tolliver exhibits duality in the form of a Snake. More polished in dress and manner than neighbor saloon owner Al Swearengen, he is every bit as vile when it comes down to it. He is also one of the more powerful men in Deadwood, yet the disordered state of his own life and mind is well-documented by the series.
6 Horse - Calamity Jane
Three overwhelming qualities reveal Calamity Jane as a Horse, which would perhaps be considered the most coveted sign among the old west folks of Deadwood.
First, her companionship is perhaps her strongest trait. Even after his death, she is a dedicated BFF to "Wild" Bill Hickock; and she shares this valued gift with others in the series along the way. Second, her primary mode is roaming. She resists being tied down or settled. Finally, Jane, while largely dysfunctional, does not ask anybody for help. Aggressively self-sufficient actually, she might spurn those who try to offer companionship to her in return.
5 Goat - Martha Bullock
Perhaps it is Martha Bullock's position within the society of Deadwood, rather than her actions, which suggest her as a Goat. She is a widow re-married reluctantly by the busy Sherriff Seth Bullock who later loses her young son. To be an affection-seeker and seem somewhat intimacy-deficient would make sense for Martha no matter her birth details.
Similar to actress Anna Gunn's role in another landmark television show, an action-packed, overshadowing husband prevents viewers from fully exploring her character. Martha is a proactively creative and intellectual rat, as is evidenced by her founding of an elementary school in Deadwood. This is quite the accomplishment that receives minimal fanfare.
4 Monkey - Johnny Burns
The Chinese Zodiac Monkey's positive and negative traits are woven of the same fabric. An aloof, carefree attitude, focusing on the short-term and only on the positive as much as possible, makes those with this sign enjoyable to be around and unlikely to be wicked, but also somewhat loosey-goosey with substantial moments and actions in life.
The character of Al Swearengen henchmen Johnny Burns encapsulates this perfectly. An indicated viewer might finger him as a background character deployed for comic relief. In reality, he is simply a Monkey type, who keeps banging cymbals no matter the situation. Whether this is right or wrong depends on your role within the South Dakota town.
3 Rooster - Reverend Smith
Reverend Smith, another of the series characters based directly and explicitly on a real person, has a rough go in the town. In best form he is a completely overlooked man of God who hosts sparsely attended funerals. At worst he is a violently sick man, afflicted with both epilepsy and a fatal brain tumor.
What allows Reverend Smith to avoid becoming discouraged are his Rooster sensibilities. Smith has a deep understanding of his purpose and the tasks at hand. His positive approach to nearly everything is founded by s belief in God's plans for him.
2 Dog - Dan Dority
Multiple scenes over multiple Deadwood episodes are dedicated to the Dan Dority's jealousy and hand-wringing when crime boss Al Swearengen begins handing more and more work instead to Silas Adams. Combined with his lockstep faithfulness to Al and shaggy good nature, there was no other sign possible for Dan.
But remember, every sign in the Chinese Zodiac, as well as every character in the imagination of David Milch, is complex. Another Dog quality observable in Dan that is not connected to Al is his impulsiveness. A quality not connected to his purported Dog sign is Dan's occasionally apparent lack of a central consciousness.
1 Pig - Mose Manuel
Pigs are good-natured beings who excel in getting along. In Deadwood's third season, Mose Manuel is the cogent realization of these qualities as he plays a sort of security guard role at Martha Bullock's school. He is comforted by the joyous children, friendly with Calamity Jane no matter her mood, and most importantly, stays politely out of the way.
But don't be fooled completely by doting Pigs. They can become harsh if crossed, as Mose demonstrates when he kills his brother over a money dispute. After this, as a temporary small gold tycoon, Mose seems completely out of character but knows what he is doing.
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