Get ready for more cowboys, more prostitutes, more gunfights and much, much, much more swearing. HBO has already signed on for a second season of the foul-mouthed David Milch Western "Deadwood."

Focusing on the mythology and immorality of the Deadwood camp in the Black Hills of South Dakota, circa 1876, "Deadwood" premiered on Sunday, March 21 to an impressive audience of 5.8 million viewers. The drama has managed to maintain that audience, drawing a respectable 4.9 million viewers in its second airing.

"'Deadwood' is off to a terrific start, having already generated a strong positive response from subscribers and critics," says HBO Entertainment President Carolyn Strauss. "I can't wait to see what David Milch has in store for the second season of this intriguing series."

The series stars Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Keith Carradine, John Hawkes, Brad Dourif, William Sanderson, Paula Malcomson and Powers Boothe and features a mixture of real characters. The first season of 12 episodes is already in the can and production on 12 new episodes will begin in July with an eye towards a 2005 premiere.

"I'm grateful for this vote of confidence," Milch says. "That it comes early, and without qualification, is typical of the way HBO operates."

HBO ordered a second season of the drama "Six Feet Under" before the first episode aired. The renewal for the more recent "Carnivale" came after the show completed its first season.