Calamity Jane kind of ruins the series
Her character is way overplayed and completely cartoonish throughout the whole series run.
shareI disagree. Her portrayal in the series closely matches what is known historically about her. Meek, unassuming women didn't become legends on the Frontier.
"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae
I agree. From what I remember of her history she was indeed a boozer and manly enough to often be mistaking for a man....yet on the frontier women were so scarce that even she was a prostitue from time to time to make cash. Not a lot of other work available to single women back then.
This actress seems to do really well playing rolls where she's not very likable. The first time I noticed her was on chicago PD where she was a IA agent who was a real jerk. Very easy to dislike.
Maybe Clamity Jane isn't all that like able, but the way she came through when her help was needed, and her extreme loyalty really made her a lot more complex than just a manly female drunkard. Definately not the sweetheart Clamity that Doris Day played in that musical from way back. Now that was real fiction......
Agreed, Jane was one of many brilliantly played characters on the show. There is enough historical reference to not find her to be overplayed much at all. One more thing, she was truly heartbroken at the death of Wild Bill. I find this Jane played so well by Robyn Weigert to be much more life-like and possibly true to the person than how Jane was played by Ellen Barkin in the movie Wild Bill with Jeff Bridges. Obviously the writing and direction go a long way to what the actor has to work with.
shareThe OPs claim os ridiculous.
Jane is one of my favourite characters, an independent self destructive vagrant alcoholic woman in a man's world, so foul mouthed yet so articulate.
As to the complaint that her character is exaggerated...
Firstly, there are not too many entertaining dramas that focus on dull characters...
Secondly, name a central character in the show that is not subject to some excess or exaggeration of character: Cy? Al? Trixie? Seth? Jarry (the politician)? EB? Joanie? Jules? Alma's father or her first husband? Wu? Mr W? Richardson? Leon? Reverend Smith? Steve? Samuel Fields? ?
All are drawn as larger than life characters.
I'll give you Ellsworth, Star, Tom Nuttall and Mrs Bullock as steady characters. But even Jerry Lewis needed a straight man occasionally.
The problem is that the OP reckons that only Jane's character is exaggerated and that consequently it is only character that ruins the show?
This is a ridiculous premise.
Perhaps there is some other unstated reason for the complaint?
Al and Jane both use complex phrasing and are highly articulate, and with the Doc and the likeable Ellsworth are my favourite characters.
It is the excesses and flaws of the larger than life characters that MAKE the show so wondrous.