‘John From Cincinnati,’ 10 p.m. Sunday HBO

From the warped mind behind the wonderfully foul “Deadwood” comes a different type of oddball drama.

David Milch didn’t lick his wounds long after HBO unexpectedly ended his critically acclaimed Western after three seasons. Instead he dove into “John From Cincinnati.”

Milch has teamed with “surf noir” author Kem Nunn to delve into the dirty underbelly of the surfing scene in southernmost California.

Set in Imperial Beach, at the center of “John From Cincinnati” is the Yost family. Patriarch Mitch Yost (Bruce Greenwood) was a surfing star until he wore out his knee. His son Butchie (Brian Van Holt) was the bad boy of surfing until he slid into drug addiction. Now grandson Shaun (Greyson Fletcher), who lives with his grandparents, is the family’s next best hope. Holding the Yost clan together is Mitch’s wife, Cissy (Rebecca De Mornay).

Then a stranger enters their lives. John (Austin Nichols) is a young man with a wad of cash and a credit card, who spouts weird expressions while parroting what those around him say. Strange things start happening to the Yosts after John’s arrival, which pulls the estranged family somewhat back together.

As in any Milch work, the most interesting roles are those that orbit around the central characters. The standout of this sort in “John” is Ed O’Neill, the retired policeman who shares his home with a collection of exotic birds and who has been a surrogate father to Shaun. There’s also a sleazy surfer manager (Luke Perry), a gay man (Matt Winston) returning to town after buying the local motel and that motel’s manager (Luiz Guzman).

It’s inevitable that “John From Cincinnati” will get compared to “Deadwood” (it has more than its share of profanity) and “The Sopranos,” whose 9 p.m. Sunday time slot it will inherit starting next week.

That’s not really fair, as “John” deserves to be appreciated on its own considerable merits. It’s certainly no wipeout. There are many mysteries yet to be unraveled during this first 10-episode season. So grab your board and enjoy the ride, however bumpy it might be.