One week after dropping a new Harlan Coben Netflix show, Missing You, Netflix rolled out the most violent, graphic, and brutal show you'll watch this year, American Primeval from Mark L. Smith and directed by Peter Berg.
Betty Gilpin and Taylor Kitsch star in the new Western series along with Jai Courtney, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Shea Whigham, Kim Coates, Daniel Dehaan, Derek Hinkey, Preston Mota, Lucas Neff, Joe Tippett, Shawnee Pourier, and more.
There are six episodes in American Primeval, and overall, the reception to the series from critics and viewers has been pretty mixed so far. I expect it'll stay that way or even get worse.
What is American Primeval about?
The Netflix series is set in the Utah territory in 1857, prior to the start of the American Civil War. The story revolves around Sara (Gilpin) and her son, Devin (Mota), who are heading West to meet back up with Devin's father and Sara's partner at a settlement. The only issue is that Sara's a wanted woman for murder and robbery. There's a bounty on her head, which attracts the attention of a band of outlaws, led by Virgil (Jai Courtney), who want the reward.
That story is set against the backdrop of a three-sided conflict between Governor Brigham Young (Coates) and bands of Mormons who are raiding and murdering settlers coming West, the US government with an interest in upholding laws and forcing the Native people away from their lands, and the Shoshone tribe, who is caught in the middle between fighting against the oppression of the US government, the Mormons, and other tribes who have been enlisted to help the Mormons and US government expand in the region.
As Sara and Devin cross the plains with a group of settlers, a Mormon legion attacks the settlers posing as Shoshone. Sara and Devin escape with the help of Isaac (Kitsch) and a young woman, Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier). After the attack, Isaac tries to lead them to safety.
That's the basics, anyway. This story becomes incredibly complex as it drifts to some of the other characters, including Abish (Lightfoot-Leon) and Red Feather (Hinkey). It also focuses on the Mormon legion responsible for some of the atrocities in the series.
Overall, American Primeval does focus on the women in this story, especially Sara, Abish, and Two Moons, more than other Westerns. That's one of the most refreshing aspects of the series, but it doesn't drift far enough from some of the common white-male-savior and damsel-in-distress tropes of Western movies and shows.
Is American Primeval good?
That's another area where American Primeval is complicated. There are definitely some good parts of this series. The performances from this cast are on another level compared to what we've seen in some recent Westerns or even the recent neo-Westerns released following the success of Yellowstone. These actors are incredibly talented, and that's on display throughout the series. Obviously, that's a testament to Smith's writing and Berg's direction, as well, but Kitch, Gilpin, and the rest of this cast are great. And, that's not a knock against Taylor Sheridan's shows, either. It's more of an apples-to-oranges comparison because the shows are so different.
Beyond that, the cinematography and camerawork are beautiful, as are the costumes, set design, and set pieces. There's a lot of brutal, graphic action in this series, and how these scenes are pieced together is as good as anything I've seen in a long time on Netflix. And, I have seen a lot of Netflix shows.
But, no, I don't think this story is anything revolutionary, anything we haven't seen before, or particularly inspiring or enlightening. There continue to be issues with how Indigenous people are portrayed in TV and film. In some ways, the series handles the stories of the Two Moons, Red Feather, and the Shoshone people with grace. It flips the stereotypical portrayal of Indigenous people in Westerns and places most of the blame for the brutality and violence of the West on the white settlers, Brigham Young and the Mormons, and forces of the US government.
Again, if these are the only stories being told about Indigenous people, is it right? And, the answer, to me, is clearly no in this instance. I can't get into spoilers, but I do not understand why some parts of this story were necessary.
And, on top of all of that, American Primeval is needlessly graphic, brutal, and violent. So many people get killed in almost every conceivable way (shot, stabbed, bludgeoned, drowned, etc.), and we see it all. Even with the characters who don't die, we see them scalped, whipped, attacked by wolves, and more. There is sexual violence and suicide. Animals are skinned and butchered, and again, we see it all.
Maybe, there are some people who enjoy this kind of violence, but it's not me.
So, again, there are some reasons to watch American Primeval. This show will likely land with some audiences. I do think the performances are incredible. Kitsch and Gilpin, especially. Coates is also really good as Brigham Young. The scenes where Coates and Whigham go toe-to-toe as Young and Bridger are a masterclass in acting. Throw in some stunning imagery and epic action, and that'll be good enough for some people. It's just the rest of it, including the overall story, that doesn't do it for me.
American Primeval is now streaming on Netflix.