Right at the top of 2025, Taylor Kitsch landed his latest television series hit with the release of American Primeval on Netflix. The series dropped on Jan. 9 and has remained in the daily top 10 most popular ranking since its release. But if you're a fan of the actor, then you know this isn't his first rodeo on the small screen.
In fact, his breakthrough role was in a television series you might have heard of called Friday Night Lights. Ring any bells? Of course it does! He played the troubled bad boy football player Tim Riggins that stole everyone's hearts. But between American Primeval and Friday Night Lights, Kitsch has starred in plenty more shows.
After watching his new hit Netflix limited series, are you looking to add more Taylor Kitsch to your watch list? We're sharing six of the series he has starred in and suggesting whether to watch or skip each title. Let's get started with his most recent starring role!
American Primeval
Watch! Obviously, we have to include Kitsch's latest show and the one everyone's talking about. American Primeval, the dark and violent Western drama about the fight for the American West in 1857, stayed put at the peak of Netflix's top 10 most popular series one week after its release, and it's likely to clock many more weeks in the ranking.
While reviews have been critical about the series, mentioning its graphic violence and thin characterizations, viewers seem to be enjoying it much more than critics. If you're a fan of Kitsch's work, there's no way you're skipping American Primeval. Just keep in mind, this show's content might not be for everyone, so proceed with caution!
- Seasons: 1
- Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkley, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, Shea Whigham
- Creator: Mark L. Smith
- Where to watch: Netflix
Friday Night Lights
Watch! Who would ever choose to skip Friday Night Lights and not binge-watch the whole series? Even if you have already watched the show... or rewatched it more than once... it's never a bad idea to take a nostalgic trip to Dillon, Texas and relive all of the most unforgettable moments. (And even the ones we wish we could forget, too — mostly season 2.)
It's also the perfect time to sneak in another rewatch of the NBC classic since Peacock is currently developing a reboot. Kitsch recently confessed that he'd been approached to reprise his role as Riggins, though he'd likely only guest star in the reboot not star full time. The possibility of even seeing Riggins in present day is exciting and worth revisiting FNL.
- Seasons: 6
- Cast: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Taylor Kitsch, Jesse Plemons, Scott Porters, Aimee Teegarden, and others
- Creator: Peter Berg
- Where to watch: Available for purchase
True Detective season 2
Skip! Even the best shows can have a slump of a season, and that's unfortunately what happened with HBO's True Detective. After a slam-dunk first season starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, that broke viewership records and also HBO Go (what the network's streaming component was called at the time), the second season didn't live up to expectations.
The star-studded cast of the follow-up season wasn't enough to avoid the sophomore slump and attract the same viewership. While some fans might have enjoyed True Detective season 2, the overly complicated and dark narrative was a bummer. The series eventually bounced back with seasons 3 and 4, but Kitsch's starring season can probably be skipped.
- Seasons: 4 total
- Cast: Coline Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, Kelly Reilly, Vince Vaughn
- Creator: Nic Pizzolatto
- Where to watch: Max
Painkiller
Watch! Before American Primeval premiered in 2025, Taylor Kitsch also starred in Netflix's 2023 miniseries Painkiller. Based on both a magazine article and a book, the series centers itself in the realities of the opioid crisis and the Sackler family's responsibility in it with their Purdue Pharma company. Kitsch stars in the series as OxyContin addict Glen Kryger.
As a whole, Painkiller received mixed reviews for its tricky balancing act between honoring those who were impacted by the opioid crisis and making an entertaining show. But the performances were excellent, especially Kitsch's. If the topic of the series interests you, there are only six episodes to watch, making for a quick and moving binge-watch.
- Seasons: 1
- Cast: Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi, West Duchovny, Carolina Bartczak, Brian Markinson, John Rothman, Tyler Ritter, Sam Anderson, John Ales, Ron Lea, Jack Mulhern, Noah Harpster
- Creator: Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster
- Where to watch: Netflix
The Terminal List
Watch! For as big of a hit as it was when it was released, it seems like Prime Video's action thriller series The Terminal List has been a bit forgotten in the shuffle of other popular series of its genre. But the series, which is based on Jack Carr's novel of the same name, should be on the watch list of anyone who wants to see even more Taylor Kitsch.
Chris Pratt might be the star of the show and its forthcoming second season, but Kitsch will be the star of the upcoming prequel series, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Kitsch will reprise his role as Ben Edwards, and Pratt will be back for the prequel, too. If you missed it the first time around back in 2022, make sure to catch up on The Terminal List.
- Seasons: 1
- Cast: Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, Riley Keough, Arlo Mertz, Jeanne Tripplehorn
- Creator: David DiGilio
- Where to Watch: Prime Video
Waco
Skip! Kitsch stars in a number of true crime and history related limited series, and one of his first forays into that territory on the small screen was the 2018 Paramount Network miniseries Waco. Based on the deadly 1993 standoff that took place in Waco, Texas, the series digs into the tragedy that centers on cult leader David Koresh, who's played by Kitsch.
Waco earned mostly positive reception from critics, though some found fault in how the series chose to portray Koresh with a bit of sympathy. The series returned to Showtime with a sequel miniseries, Waco: The Aftermath, in 2023, but that edition didn't star Kitsch. His fans definitely won't skip Waco, but Kitsch has a few better shows than this one that are more worth watching.
- Seasons: 1
- Cast: Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch, Andrea Riseborough, Paul Sparks, Rory Culkin, Shea Whigham, Melissa Benoist, John Leguizmo, Julia Garner, Glenn Fleshler
- Creator: John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle
- Where to Watch: Paramount+