Ep 1. A Lie Agreed Upon (1)

In the second season premiere of Deadwood, entitled "A Lie Agreed Upon (1)," tensions between rival factions in the lawless town continue to grow. The episode opens with Al Swearengen, the town's ruthless saloon owner, organizing a meeting of business owners to discuss the recent arrival of a contingent of soldiers from the nearby Fort. While some see the soldiers as a potential boon for the town's economy, others, such as the ambitious mining magnate George Hearst, see them as a threat to their own interests.

Meanwhile, a new family arrives in Deadwood, much to the delight of Alma Garrett, the town's only female entrepreneur. Alma has been struggling to keep her gold mine afloat, but has been hindered by the fact that she is a woman in a world dominated by men. With the arrival of the Bullock family, however, she sees an opportunity to finally get the respect and support she deserves. However, things quickly take a dark turn when one of the Bullock brothers is shot and killed by a man claiming to have been hired by rival businessman Cy Tolliver.

As tensions mount and the body count rises, it becomes clear that a full-scale war is brewing in Deadwood. The soldiers from the Fort are soon drawn into the conflict, siding with various factions as they try to maintain order in the lawless town. All the while, Al Swearengen continues to pull the strings behind the scenes, manipulating everyone from the new arrivals to the corrupt lawmen in charge.

By the end of the episode, it's clear that the situation in Deadwood is only going to get worse. With so many powerful players at work and so few morals to guide them, it's anyone's guess who will come out on top. All that's certain is that there will be plenty more bloodshed to come.