Deadwood's premise and opening credits sequence are dishonest. It is not a show about gunfights or legendary cowboys. It is a show about human beings. It just happens to take place within one of the most fascinating environments in world history - the wild west. Among an uncertain and uncivilized setting, Dan is a constant.
He's a barkeep and gunslinger for Al Swearengen at The Gem who rarely contributes to a sideways storyline or faces much characterization. Even his most violent actions tend to be within the old west system - they merely keep things moving smoothly rather than disrupting them. From this very simplicity stem a few things which make no sense about Dan Dority, given the available information. He's a Deadwood crowd favorite, and we'd love to know more.
10 Where Did He Come From?
While Deadwood captures the tale of a town "in medias res", something of a backstory is established for plenty of main characters. Calamity Jane and Charlie Utter roll into town with the famous "Wild" Bill Hickock, Al Swearengen has ties to the east coast and old country, and Seth Bullock goes into many a monologue concerning his dramatic family past.
Not a word is spoken of the upbringing of Dan Dority - a fact that may influence other open questions on this list. In his book Deadwood: Stories of the Black Hills, show creator David Milch likens Dan to a type of wild west natural inhabitant, nearly a wild animal.
9 How Many People Has He Killed?
Toward the beginning of Deadwood, Dan Dority is introduced as Al Swearengen's trigger man. He is part of the botched operation which left Sofia alive and is seen on-screen "attending" to Brom Garrett's gold claim.
Dan is clearly an expert who has earned his stripes with Al through many years of such assignments. And in the time between the end of the series and the Deadwood movie, there's no telling what sort of loose violent occurrences might have sprung up in the always-eventful and dynamic wild west. The character's lifetime body count may be in the dozens.
8 And Why Does He Have No Conscience?
All his murderous activity appears little more than a workday's burden to Dan. He saunters around The Gem making sure he's got clear direction (which he never questions) and then gets the job done. He's far more emotionally reactive in moments where he has been personally slighted than after being involved in such dirty deeds.
Perhaps Dan has sociopathic tendencies. It could also be that the old west is simply a rough reality, which requires such an unaffected mindset of its citizens. Certainly, Dan's dopey charm amid vicious bloodshed is indicative of the show's gritty philosophy.
7 Why Does He Love Al So Much?
Dan is one of the most doting henchmen in the history of television criminals. He exists at the beck and call of Al Swearengen, whether this requires him to get his hands dirty or simply laugh at all the right moments.
However, Dan's affinity for Al goes beyond the dutiful. He seems emotionally attached to his crass and outwardly-careless boss. Perhaps he, like all of Deadwood and Deadwood viewers, is simply under Al's charming spell. Or, could Al represent some sort of security in his life regarding the circumstances of his first joining The Gem's employ?
6 And Why Does He Hate Adams So Much?
Dan Dority and Silas Adams are something of opposites, at least as it goes with old west thugs. Dan, as established, is full-throttle involved with the livelihood of his gang. They are his family. Adams, on the other hand, seems to have more ready loyalty for a high bidder than a longtime friend.
This aloof capacity makes Adams the most useful man for some tasks of Al's, and also a somewhat untrustworthy character for a longer period. For both of these reasons, Dan seems to take issue with Adams, but his behavior is so regularly assertive that there could be more to the picture.
5 But Seriously Why Does He Love Flora So Much?
HBO and Deadwood creator Davi Milch demonstrated their talented vision, among much else, in casting. One of the future stars featured on the show was Kristen Bell, who portrayed a darling runaway thief with her sights set on Cy Tolliver's cash stock.
During this story arc, Dan finds himself taken with young Flora. However, a different ruffian makes his pass at her first. This upsets Dan greatly, as he demonstrates by driving the man into a taxidermist deer to his death. While we've all had our hearts stolen and broken, this seems like particularly reckless behavior, even for the old west and The Gem.
4 Where Did He Learn To Gouge Out Eyes?
Deadwood's third season finds gold magnate George Hearst bullying townspeople, including even the likes of Al Swearengen. As these criminal leaders scowl at one another, so do their underlings. After some time stewing, Dan and Hearst's muscle Captain Turner agree to duke it out officially.
In one of the show's few completely gratifying moments, Dan thankfully wins this fight. After taking a beating from his much larger opponent, pure emotional rage proves to rule the day. His finishing move involves tearing out "The Captain"'s eye. Viewers must wonder who first fostered such violent instincts and skills in Dan.
3 How Is The Actor Who Plays Dan Also Warren In There's Something About Mary?
Dan Dority is played by a man with a name even more fit for a cowboy - W. Earl Brown. Another of his roles sees him working opposite of Dan in almost every regard, as kind, goofy, and mentally-handicapped Warren in the comedy classic There's Something About Mary.
As mentioned, many of Deadwood's guest stars went on to become household names. Strangely, its main characters' careers have been less visible. Except for cult-followed Timothy Olyphant and once Oscar-nominee John Hawkes, Deadwood fans are left to scour the pages of IMDb for more of the excellent work from this talented ensemble. Brown in There's Something About Mary is not to be missed.
2 How, Despite Everything, Is He So Loveable?
Deadwood sets out from its first episode to betray western genre expectations. Sometimes the handsome Sherriff is boring. Sometimes the bad guys win. Sometimes the most screen time is given to seemingly random individuals. The result is a large, complex community of characters with no clear archetypes, protagonists, or antagonists. Your favorite character may reveal more about you than about the HBO show.
Dan Dority, who has murdered many and been altruistically noble little, often finds himself receiving much positivity from the fanbase. On this Ranker list, he is number seven, above Doc Cochran, Calamity Jane, and Alma Garrett.
1 What's His Long-Term Plan?
Dan makes it out of the Deadwood movie alive. The film provided artistic closure to the canceled series, but, as any Deadwood finale, provided as many questions as answers. Dan still works at The Gem, tending to both drinks and guns - will he do so forever?
Deadwood fans must wonder if Dan will ever settle down with a family. It's hard to imagine, but possible, that he will take over as crime boss when Al passes. Providing even more uncertainty, the statehood of South Dakota will bring significant changes to Deadwood. Might Dan make more sense in the civilized world as a bar owner or a lawman himself?
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