39 replies to this topic

[Tippi Blevins]

What's an old-timey word for "cock block"?

[ShortTimer]

Fantastic episode. The opening scene was both poetic and brutal.

Did not expect that outcome from the reverend -- not in that way, at least. I thought he'd stab him, but wow.

What a shock to see Toole back.

The scene with Joseph and Ruth was sweet. Young love.

What's an old-timey word for "cock block"?

No way Durant was going to let that happen, but there was really strong chemistry between Bohannon and Lily. Looking forward to how that will develop. Not too fast, hopefully, but I like the show of interest.

[HandBanana]

I like Joseph with Ruth, but I don't understand why he'd choose the reverend and the HOW crew over his tribe, vision of peace or not. The opening scene where they killed the Indians was unsettling to watch, to say the least.

[taiko]

I must have been watching another show did some railroad track get laid down?

Joesph left his tribe in the pre-credit sequence and became a Christian, his battle was similar to the American versus a State's citizen in the Civil War or Patriot versus Tory in the American Revolution. But I guess his reverend isn't a reverend anymore

[thuganomics85]

HOLY SHIT! I did not expect that ending. I mean, I did figure something would go down, because the reverend was being extra creepy, but I assumed it was going to be a hidden knife or something. But decapitating the Union's solider with his own saber?! Damn, that was brutal. And he really seemed to enjoy it, which was scary.

Speaking of brutal, Ellam scalping the Indians was surprising. Dude can get down and dirty when the coin is good. Curious to see what the future is for him and Doc.

The opening was intense and while I saw it coming, Joseph killing his own brother was sad to watch. Loved his scene with Chief Wes Studi also. Actually glad with the Joseph/Ruth hook-up, but I really have this bad feeling something horrible is going to happen to them. I just suspect young love will not fare well in this show.

Oh, Doc. Try as you might, I don't think you'll be stopping Cullen/Lily anytime soon.

I kind of have a feeling that things are going to get real ugly for The Swede. I suspect between his hell-bent vendetta against Cullen and his bad treatment towards everyone else, it's time for some karma-tic retribution.

Easily my favorite episode. Actually really looking forward to the finale and the second season.

[Westy8283]

I love how everyone is so ambiguous on this show. At any point, one character may off another, whether it is the (former) reverend or our "hero" or the emancipated slave. I don't know who to root for - sometimes I root for a character in one instance and then against the character in the next.

The only thing that took me out of this ep was the opening sequence. That was what, 15 Indians against five guys with guns? Coming from all directions, some on foot, others on horseback? Seems like the 15 should have overwhelmed the five in short order - especially if the 15 had shot arrows at the five as the opening volley. I do like how Cullen will do whatever it takes to win a fight ... that was a necessity then (and now, in poorer environments).

And I think Durant's warning, if it was intended to break up Cullen and Lilly, was disappointing and below that character, who seems focused on the big picture the rest of the time (protecting Cullen from the Swede even with proof of murder, playing the senator to get what he needed for his railroad, etc.).

[ObstinantGirl]

I really liked this episode. Ironic, though, that I'd been telling my husband about this show...and the one that he chooses to sit down and watch with me is almost 80% love stories & people hooking up! He was like "uh, is this another Lonesome Dove type miniseries?"

Still getting everyone's names straight. That was a heck of a return for the guy Common (Ellam?) shot & thought he'd killed. Wondering how that's going to turn out...is he REALLY a changed man? Maybe he'll be the new preacher!!!

Honestly, that Bohanon (sp?) is one sexy dude...the looks passing between him and Lily at the bar were charged with electricity! Hot!

[SanDiego]

Speaking of brutal, Ellam scalping the Indians was surprising. Dude can get down and dirty when the coin is good. Curious to see what the future is for him and Doc.

Word.

From the shallow end of the pool, Cullen looked more "bathed" than usual, so hubba hubba. He and Lilly sure traded some meaningful glances this week. I know this is a television show, but how in the heck can Lilly look so fresh and beautiful living out of a tent. Girl is seriously beautiful.
And HOLY COW, I wish I had some sort of saber/beheading warning! That was harsh. The Reverend is totally bat-shit crazy, so don't see anything good coming for Black Moon and Ruth.
Man, The Swede gets creepier and creepier each week, if that's even possible. At least we didn't have to see him scrubbing his floors naked.

[Vanilla Siren]

The scene with Joseph and Ruth was sweet. Young love.

I know we're supposed to focus on the romantic/sexual tension between Lilly and Bohannon, but I find Joseph/Black Moon and Ruth infinitely more appealing. My only question is, how far did they go? Did they stop at kissing? Ruth does seem demure at times but she's shown she's got some fire and passion in her.

I thought for sure the Reverend was gonna bite the dust. Did not the freakin' DECAPITATION coming! Whoa!

And hey, they finally got around to building the railroad!

This show took a while to find its groove, but I like it. Looking forward to the season finale, and here's hoping they get a season 2.

[Fisher King]

I thought the decapitation was a little over the top, along with Toole surviving the point blank shooting being quite implausible.
Glad that the Union soldier was stopped by the crazy Rev before he got to Joseph, however.

What's an old-timey word for "cock block"?

Ha! If this was Deadwood, it would probably be cock block.

[8matt8]

Wonderful episode! So many shockers...Toole stumbling back into the land of the living(I hope he really did change. I'd enjoy him more if he was a good guy.) Griggs losing his head(there's no way he'll miraculously return) Joseph and Ruth hook-up.
The opening scene was great...I loved the background song. I also liked the conversation between Joseph and his father after they performed Pawnee-Killer's funeral rites...so sad. Wes Studi has always been a great actor.
Tom Noonan is great at playing crazy/scary. I could totally picture him hacking settlers to death with John Brown.Yikes!
Very excited to see how things play out for the finale...many loose ends to be tied up. I can hardly wait!

[nodorothyparker]

Fantastic episode. The opening managed to be both brutal and almost lyrical. And they even managed to work on the railroad a little this time out, although weren't we told just an episode or two ago that they were nowhere close to hitting the 40-mile mark?

The reverend really wasn't kidding when he told Bohannon several episodes back about hacking settlers to death with a dull knife, was he? Interesting how in a camp full of killers and morally ambiguous characters, he may turn out to be the scariest of them all. He kept up the goofy grin all the way the decapitation.

I haven't decided yet how I feel about Toole's resurrection, although I did enjoy watching all the bit characters' reactions to seeing him walk back into camp. He was in the scene where they hit the 40-mile mark, so I guess he just dusted himself off and went straight back to work. While surviving that kind of wound does seem unlikely, I know there are several famous stories of people in this time period surviving injures that should have killed them. Texas patriot and later governor Sam Houston walked around for years with an open wound that never healed. The real question is whether Toole's conversion is real or whether or he'll revert back to general malcontent and shit stirrer within an episode or two.

I'm also glad Lily has found something useful to do to explain her continued presence in the camp, although her crisp white linen did seem a little unlikely after all the pains they went to last week to show us the filthy living conditions. She and Bohannon were giving off serious sparks in the saloon, almost enough that I nearly forgot to be bothered by the fact that a proper woman of the time never would have set foot in the place.

My husband laughed all the way through the Swede's beating of the whore. He said "I guess that's how he has to reestablish his own cred after the public asswhipping he took from Bohannon last week."

[Vanilla Siren]

The opening scene was great...I loved the background song.

The episde actually draws its name from the title of the song playing during that scene: "Timshel." It's by the Irish Folk band, Mumford and Sons, from their debut album, "Sigh No More." You may know this already, just thought I'd mention it. I highly reccomend the album if you like that kind of music.

[ShortTimer]

Inside look at episode 1-9 Timshel
(May take a minute to connect)

[vadafaith]

This episode kept up the pace of the last few, although I thought the fight with the Swede's posse worked better. It was better choreographed, and it played out in real time instead of slo-mo.

I was surprised by Elam's blood-thirsty streak. I thought he had more empathy than that, but I reckon I wanted to attach 21st-century sensibilities to a mid-19th-century character. The oppressed becomes the oppressor. There were certainly plenty of freedmen fighting in the frontier west after the Civil War.

The scene between Bohannon and Elam in the saloon was tense and effective. Elam's now officially a bad-ass, and ready to bash anyone who gets rowdy with him. I think Durant's treatment, the cigar and the sit-down talk, was enough precedent for him to push harder. But Bohannon didn't know what new shit was about to rain down. Luckily the Swede inadvertently saved the day and gave Bohannon the chance to make an awesome speech and anchor himself as a foreman, not a hired gun. The Swede looks effing crazy even when he's not doing something crazy.

I could live without the Irish brothers. Nothing against the actors, but the story line just takes away from more interesting arcs. And I thought the comic relief bit with them driving spikes fell flat.

Ruth and Joseph are sweet together, but there's something off about her. She embraced, caressed, and kissed him. These days I'd call it a come-on. She just seems too forward to be sexually innocent. I suspect previous indiscretions. I am not convinced she's pregnant, but if she were, she now has a cover story. And boy, did she stand up to Daddy.

A coincidence that The Walking Dead promo played just prior to the scene of Toole stumbling back toward camp? At any rate, it was funny.

I was taken aback when Lily came into the bar. Bohannon's expression said he was too. It seems out of character for her to set foot in there, but I thought back on the fight episode when she lingered outside. She wanted to go in then, I think, but hadn't built up the courage. Ruth went in to watch, for instance, and no one said anything to or about her for it. Anyway, it really underscored how alone Lily is: she can't go celebrate with Durant; her only other friend is Eva, who is busy nights; and she knew she'd find Bohannon there. But the whole scene played way too modern for me. Bar stools? I kept expecting to see a hanging fern in the background. That said, the chemistry between them is hot. He gives her those long hungry looks. Yowza.

And lol upthread at cock block. Those are precisely the words that came to my mind when Durant intervened. And Bohannon's expression was priceless.

Durant overheard the Swede and the Senator plotting. Now he knows how the Senator knew about the shares. I wonder if he calls the Swede on it in the final episode? And how much cash does the Swede have stashed? The public beat-down of the madam was a bad move. He's trying to reestablish dominance, but he's so much more effective with a quite word or two in private. Now the whole camp is aligned against him. It made him look weaker, not stronger. Is Durant planning to put Elam in the Swede's place? Will Durant play Elam against Bohannon? That's the obvious move.

Edited by vadafaith, Jan 9, 2012 @ 5:55 PM.

[HandBanana]

Ruth and Joseph are sweet together, but there's something off about her. She embraced, caressed, and kissed him. These days I'd call it a come-on. She just seems too forward to be sexually innocent. I suspect previous indiscretions. I am not convinced she's pregnant, but if she were, she now has a cover story. And boy, did she stand up to Daddy.

Excellent point about her seeming a bit too forward. If she's pregnant, it better be by another American Indian guy or her fib might be very obvious when the kid arrives, lol. (Possibly, but not necessarily.)

I didn't like the decapitation; too gross for my taste. A sword through the chest would've been more than enough (I hate gory violence.)

[lisacog]

I had a horrible thought. What if the reverend killed Griggs knowing Joseph could be blamed? Would his daughter publicly state that he was with her? He may not know about that night's embrace, but he has surely seen the way they look at each other, and may have noticed her waiting for him every night.

[Fisher King]

Gory violence doesn't really bother me when it's realistic to the time and circumstance. It also seems to have become a staple with current AMC shows. The song that played as the brutal battle occurred was an impressive & creative touch. A much better alternative to hearing the violent sounds for a change, IMO. The part that was most intense to me was Elam scalping the slain warrior. The decapitation just didn't seem as realistic, but I understand why it was added. I agree with the poster who said that a simple sword-gutting would have been just as effective.

Really like the Joseph and Ruth storyline.

Thanks for the info on the Mumford & Sons song, Vanilla Siren!

A coincidence that The Walking Dead promo played just prior to the scene of Toole stumbling back toward camp? At any rate, it was funny.

Yes! Ironic and funny.

[taiko]

I had a horrible thought. What if the reverend killed Griggs knowing Joseph could be blamed? Would his daughter publicly state that he was with her? He may not know about that night's embrace, but he has surely seen the way they look at each other, and may have noticed her waiting for him every night.

I don't think so. He was the go between with a US Senator and the local tribe in peace efforts and war still broke out. When the Lieutenant stated that he would hunt down Joseph and presumably get away with murder he reverted to what he was as one of John Brown's raiders.

[Dowel Jones]

One way or another, the Reverend has until Sunday to explain all that blood on the canvas walls.

It seems that Lily is as skilled as her late husband was at the art of surveying, which would explain her financial ability to stay in camp. I like that she fronted Doc off by showing him how his errant road building actually cost him distance and money. Building in a washout, indeed.

I agree that the Swede (or whatever they called Norwegians back then) has limited time. Just as in the movie Unforgiven, the other women could band together and pony up enough money to arrange his demise. Plus, it seems that he will soon lose Doc as his backup.

[NYC2007]

And hey, they finally got around to building the railroad!

I kept wondering when Bohannon was actually going to work on the railroad.

It seems that Lily is as skilled as her late husband was at the art of surveying, which would explain her financial ability to stay in camp. I like that she fronted Doc off by showing him how his errant road building actually cost him distance and money. Building in a washout, indeed.

Did I miss the scene where she gets this job from Doc? Was it last week?

[Westy8283]

Did I miss the scene where she gets this job from Doc? Was it last week?

There was a throw away line from Durant in either this ep or last week's (I watched them together so I am unsure which one) where he comments in his train car something like, "Now I just need to find a surveyor, if there are any out here." And poof! Lily is a surveyor. But no, there was no "Eye of the Tiger" training scene with Lily shown touting surveying equipment as she learns the ropes and demonstrates her ability.

[rove3]

What's an old-timey word for "cock block"?

LOL! Oh Durant, that's a losing battle there my skeevy friend. I am glad though that Cullen at least took the chance to admit to Lily that he had seriously underestimated her.

Good episode. I really liked the opening sequence. When it came down to scalping the indian warriors for money, Cullen wasn't on board. Neither was he on board with killing the Swede (who's really from Norway, lol) for money. I watched the BTS video that AMC has up on their site and Anson Mount (Cullen) said that Cullen almost had his feelings hurt at the realization that the reputation he's garnered would have people thinking that he's willing to be a hired gun and kill for money.

At least we didn't have to see him scrubbing his floors naked.

Was it ever explained just WHY he was scrubbing his floors au naturale?

I am very glad that the show got a second season. I am liking it more and more with each episode.

[ObstinantGirl]

Ruth and Joseph are sweet together, but there's something off about her. She embraced, caressed, and kissed him. These days I'd call it a come-on. She just seems too forward to be sexually innocent.

I think it seemed understandable - given how distant daddy's been, how desperately she wants his love, now even daddy's gone completely off his rocker, she's very much alone, and Joshua's been incredibly sweet towards her --- and she'd clearly been worrying & agonizing over him while he was gone.

[smithgirl]

Just wondering - did Lily find the watch? Inquiring minds want to know. It represents too much emotion to just drop that prop. Maybe it will turn up later?

[irishmaple]

My first episode after the marathon/binge of the previous seven was not a disappointment. The opening scenes were extremely well done. Bohannan and Elam were amazing in their battles, all ruthless and relentless. I could have lived without the deliberate drowning, that being one of my personal horrors, but Elam did seem rocked by the necessity of it too. I was a bit surprised that he went back for the scalps, but it was a lot of money and why pass on the opportunity? I wonder if Doc is positioning Elam as a possible replacement or back-up to the Swede? That guy's list of enemies is getting longer and longer.

Bohannan and Lily certainly light up a room, don't they? He's pretty irresistible when he smiles, especially since he doesn't do it very often. I would love to know how she manages to stay so clean. Is she hiding a tub in her little tent? Everyone looks a little grimy and the only bathing option seems to be the bath tent, which is pay-per-use, so what's her secret? I wasn't too surprised to see her doing the surveying. I thought that would be her play when she hid the maps. I'm assuming she worked closely enough with her husband to learn.

Toole's return was a huge surprise for me and I'm very curious to see how long his miracle lasts. I thought he'd choke on that apology to Elam's official new girlfriend. Taking a chance on him worked out well for her, if it keeps her out of the life. Tom Noonan is awesomely creepy as the unravelling Reverend and I can't wait to see how/if he covers up what he did.

[nerdymya]

After the Reverend decapitated the Union soldier, my first thought was "is this going to be blamed on Joseph?"

I am finding the moral values of Cullen and Elam interesting. Bohannon is willing to kill for revenge and kill for survival; however, he draws the line at being a hired gun and scalping. Elam on the other hand is pushing the limits of his newly found freedom as he shows that he will do anything it takes to earn some extra money, such as the scalping and his "job" interview with Durante. I like that Bohannon and Elam had a good old-fashioned stare-down over the scalping. I am pretty sure Bohannon was proud of Elam's new killing skills until he made the decision to scalp the dead Indians. I think that might have broken Bohannon's heart a little bit.

[bucconeer]

So THAT was Lily's plan! I thought she was going to pressure Durant into divorcing his wife in order to marry her. It didn't occur to me that she would have mad surveyor skillz and wanted a job. Good on her!

[RooKanga]

The be-heading was a shock - and disturbing, as was Wes Studi's cutting himself. When he kept grimacing as he was speaking to Joseph I thought perhaps they were working up to a heart attack. I never dreamed he was whittling skin off his own forearm!

[Dowel Jones]

...he will do anything it takes to earn some extra money, such as the scalping and his "job" interview with Durante.

It occurs to me that the interview with Durante, in which Durante mentions "a little something off the books", coupled with his overhearing the Swede talking with the Senator, implies that Durante already has it in for the Swede, and he's setting things up.