American Primeval is one of the most popular Netflix shows of 2025 so far! After fans tuned in for the first season of the series, everyone is looking for another Western series to watch. If that describes you and your search, we have you covered!
The new series from writer Mark L. Smith and director Peter Berg follows a mother and her son, Sara and Devin, played by Betty Gilpin and Preston Mota, on a journey West in 1857. After getting caught up in an attack, Sara and Devin find themselves in the middle of a conflict between the US Army, Brigham Young and the Mormon people, and the Indigenous people. With the help of Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch), Sara tries to stay a step ahead of those who wish her harm.
There's already some chatter about a possible prequel series, so while we wait for more information, you should check out one of these six good shows like American Primeval to watch right now. Let's get the list started with another Western series on Netflix, Godless.
Godless
Godless is the perfect Netflix show for you to watch if you're a fan of American Primeval. Not only is this one of the most underrated Netflix shows of all time, but it's easily the best Western series on Netflix. It's even better than American Primeval!
The series from Scott Frank premiered on Netflix in 2017. Godless has an incredible cast, including
Jeff Daniels, Merritt Weaver, Jack O'Connell, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Tantoo Cardinal, and Sam Waterston. You might recognize Coates from American Primeva, as well. In that series, Coates starred as Brigham Young.
Godless tells the story of Roy Goode (O'Connell), an outlaw who is on the run from his old gang after taking something that doesn't quite belong to him. Roy finds shelter in a small town in the West, but pasts have a funny way of catching up on people.
Godless won a few awards at the 2018 Emmys, including Supporting Actor and Actress wins for Daniels and Weaver. And before we continue, I just have to say that Weaves is absolutely incredible in this series.
- Premiere date: Nov. 22, 2017
- Seasons: 1
- Created by Scott Frank
- Where to watch: Netflix
1883
You probably guessed that 1883 would find a spot on this list of shows like American Primeval. The shows are set around the same time. American Primeval is set in 1857, while 1883 is set in, well, 1883, but a lot happened during that time, of course, in America. The landscapes are similar, but the subject matter is quite different in each series. Thematically, the shows differ in many ways, too, especially in their treatment of the Indigenous people in each story.
1883 tells the story of the Dutton family on their journey to the West, which obviously leads to Yellowstone. Taylor Sheridan basically reveals how the Dutton family settles in what becomes their family home, but it's not an easy journey. There are many struggles along the way for the Duttons.
1883 has an incredible cast, including Sam Elliott, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Eric Nelson, Isabel May
LaMonica Garrett, Audie Rick, Marc Rissmann, Noah Le Gros, and James Landry Hébert. It was so successful that Paramount+ ordered a spinoff of 1883, which then became Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
- Premiere date: Dec. 19, 2021
- Seasons: 1
- Created by Taylor Sheridan
- Where to watch: Paramount+
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Lawmen: Bass Reeves is another Paramount+ series set around the same time as American Primeval. The series is based on the life of Bass Reeves, the first African American who became a lawman in the American West following the Civil War. Lawmen: Bass Reeves tells Bass's story.
In the series, David Oyelowo stars as Bass Reeves, the lawman who patrolled the American West in search of outlaws and other criminals terrorizing the Indigenous people, settlers, and pioneers.
In addition to Oyelowo, Donald Sutherland, Lauren E. Banks, Dennis Quaid, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper, Demi Singleton, and Grantham Coleman star in the series. You can watch Lawmen: Bass Reeves on Paramount+ right now.
- Premiere date: Nov. 5, 2023
- Seasons: 1
- Created by Chad Feehan
- Where to watch: Paramount+
Deadwood
If you've seen American Primeval and Godless, Deadwood is the next best show from this list to watch right now. If you haven't seen it and like Westerns, you're in for a treat!
Deadwood was created by David Milch and premiered on HBO in 2004. The series ran for three seasons on the network through 2007, but it probably should have lasted longer. Deadwood tells the story of the town of Deadwood in the 1870s and the interesting, villainous, and terrible people who inhabit the town in the post-Civil War Western expansion.
Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane star in the series, along with a fantastic cast. Again, it's a bummer that this show ended when it did, but it's easily one of the best Western TV shows of all time.
- Premiere date: March 21, 2004
- Seasons: 3
- Created by David Milch
- Where to watch: Max, Hulu, and more
Hell on Wheels
Hell on Wheels is another obvious pick for this list. The series created by Joe and Tony Gayton premiered on AMC in the fall of 2011 and ran for five seasons through 2016. It's one of the older shows on this list, but hey, maybe more people have yet to watch it for that reason.
The series is similar to American Primeval in a lot of ways. Hell on Wheels follows the exploits of the workers of the Union Pacific Railroad during its construction in post-Civil War America. It's probably set closest to American Primeval to the other shows on this list. And, it's the easiest to stream. You can watch for free on Prime Video and Tubi right now!
Hell on Wheels also has a terrific cast, including Anson Mount, Common, Dominque McElligott, Colm Meaney, and many more. Seriously, this cast of characters is massive!
- Premiere date: Nov. 6, 2011
- Seasons: 5
- Created by Joe Gayton and Tony Gayton
- Where to watch: Tubi, Hulu, Prime Video, AMC+, and more
Yellowstone
Of all the shows on this list, Yellowstone is probably the least like American Primeval in terms of premise and plot, but I think many of the shows' themes of protection, doing what's necessary to protect what you think is yours, and more are very similar.
The neo-Western series tells the story of the Dutton family, led by John Dutton (Kevin Costner), as he expands his ever-growing ranching and business empire near Yellowstone National Park. The series follows John and others in the family business as they come in conflict with others in the region over land, power, money, and more.
Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, and more star in the hit series from Taylor Sheridan. Yellowstone just came to an end on the Paramount Network after five seasons. Don't worry, though, it looks like some of these characters will return in a spinoff of Yellowstone.
- Premiere date: June 20, 2018
- Seasons: 5
- Created by Taylor Sheridan
- Where to watch: Peacock
That's the list of shows to watch if you like American Primeval! Stay tuned for more news about the possible prequel series.