Deadwood: Ranking 15 Cast Members Worst To Best

Al Swearengen is the most iconic character from this show for a reason. The role that won Ian McShane a Golden Globe cannot be undersold as one of the greatest television characters in history. The owner of the Gem saloon and the unofficial leader of Deadwood camp is full of complexities to unpack.

Al could be vicious, despicable and downright evil at times. At one point, he attempted to arrange the murder of young Sofia and had got away with killing countless others. He was violent and narcissistic and had the foulest mouth on the show which makes his name equally fitting.

Al could also be incredibly charming, generous, loyal and even morally just. He showed a kind of backwards affection for his subordinates and had an even more problematic love for Trixie. Al hated injustices to the camp as a whole which put him directly at odds with the more straightforward villainy of George Hearst.

Al's criminal enterprise and manipulative nature painted him as the show's central antagonist early on, but as the series progressed, a more softer and generous side of Al was shown. He easily had the best lines (the majority of which are vulgar) and he tied the show together as he was connected to practically every storyline in someway. Forever deceptive and always unpredictable, Al Swearengen stands as the best character in all of Deadwood.