Jane Canary, Deadwood

Jane Canary (Robin Weigert)

Jane Canary was based on the legendary real-life gunslinger Calamity Jane. In the series she was a former scout for General Custer, and was portrayed as tough and abrasive, known for her hard drinking, swearing, and wearing man’s clothes, sometimes even mistaken for a man early on in the show.

Jane appeared in the series as a companion of infamous gunslinger Wild Bill Hickock and his friend Charlie Utter. After the three arrived in Deadwood, Jane forged a friendship with Doc Cochran, joining efforts in protecting the camp’s children and in fighting a smallpox epidemic. Later, after Hickok’s murder, Jane sunk into a severe depression and struggled with alcoholism. At the end of Season 1, she left camp, telling Utter that she could not bear to be a drunk in the place where Hickok was buried. Utter was seen voicing “grave doubts” about Jane’s future to Hickok’s grave.

Despite a constant tough front, Jane was overcome with fear when confronted with violence and the show hinted that she may have been abused as a child by her father. Eventually, she recovered somewhat due to her budding relationship with former madame and saloon hostess Joanie Stubbs. Their friendship began to grow at the end of Season 2, and by Season 3 Joanie invited Jane to live with her, helping her through her depression before eventually they began a romantic liaison.

The pair were still together by the Season 3 finale, and the show was canceled soon after.

Female love interests:

• Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens, lesbian, regular)

Relationship story arc with a woman: No

No male love interests

Relationship story arc with a man: No

Male love interest after being identified as a lesbian? No

Filter Relationship Arc:

• None

Storyline during sweeps? No

[1] A relationship story arc is defined as explicit, developed on screen, and lasting more than 3 episodes. It is listed as questionable or subtext if romance is only implied, mentioned instead of shown on screen, part of a dream sequence, or otherwise not explicit for the viewer.
[2] Sweeps episodes air in February, May, July and November, the periods when advertising rates are set. A character is marked as "sweeps" when there is a very limited number of episodes that address their sexuality, all air during sweeps period, and the storyline is otherwise ignore/dropped.