"Boothe had menace and charisma to burn, but the town—and the story—simply passed him by."
Isn't that the point? Tolliver's a dying breed, a guy who made his bones in the lawless West by brute force and general evil. Hearst and Swearengen are definitely bad guys, but they're always looking toward the future.

"Boothe had menace and charisma to burn, but the town—and the story—simply passed him by."
Isn't that the point? Tolliver's a dying breed, a guy who made his bones in the lawless West by brute force and general evil. Hearst and Swearengen are definitely bad guys, but they're always looking toward the future.

Livia would have been just as powerful a character if she was dead before the pilot episode.

Livia would have been just as powerful a character if she was dead before the pilot episode.

Exactly. It's like a "who wants it more" type thing, and also a way to cut the dead weight like Shelley with some justification.

Exactly. It's like a "who wants it more" type thing, and also a way to cut the dead weight like Shelley with some justification.

With Mamet, the possibility always exists that he is epically trolling. I'm not counting on it, but you gotta keep hope alive somehow.

With Mamet, the possibility always exists that he is epically trolling. I'm not counting on it, but you gotta keep hope alive somehow.

Burns plays a douchebag?

Burns plays a douchebag?

Arthur Miller is one of the luckiest men in show business, in many ways. Talent-wise, he was rather lacking.

Arthur Miller is one of the luckiest men in show business, in many ways. Talent-wise, he was rather lacking.

I like Trotsky Icepick too

I like Trotsky Icepick too

Lena Dunham sucks. The end.

Lena Dunham sucks. The end.

I'm pretty sure he wrote the "magic fish" sketch in one the early '90s SNL episodes. I always loved that one. Any time he actually had a role in a sketch the audience didn't know if it was OK to laugh because he was so dry and deadpan.

I'm pretty sure he wrote the "magic fish" sketch in one the early '90s SNL episodes. I always loved that one. Any time he actually had a role in a sketch the audience didn't know if it was OK to laugh because he was so dry and deadpan.

I don't think anyone has mentioned yet the unaired Ben Stiller Show sketch where an entire high school snubs a kid because his mom caught him masturbating. Fred Willard plays the principal (I think). It's on the DVD.

I don't think anyone has mentioned yet the unaired Ben Stiller Show sketch where an entire high school snubs a kid because his mom caught him masturbating. Fred Willard plays the principal (I think). It's on the DVD.