Deadwood is an American western television series created, produced, and largely written by David Milch, that aired on the premium cable network HBO from March 21, 2004 to August 27, 2006, spanning 36 episodes and three seasons. The series, set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota, before and after the area's annexation by the Dakota Territory, charts Deadwood's growth from camp to town, incorporating themes ranging from the formation of communities to western capitalism. The show features a large ensemble cast, and many historical figures appear as characters, such as Seth Bullock, George Crook, Wyatt Earp, E. B. Farnum, George Hearst, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Jack McCall, Sol Star, Al Swearengen, and Charlie Utter. The plot lines involving these characters include historical tr