American Primeval

Streaming on: Netflix

Episodes viewed: 6 of 6

American Primeval is a Western set before the Wild West was formed. As such, there are no saloons or cowboys here, not in a traditional sense. Nostalgia has been stripped away completely, scalped in favour of a grimy, far more authentic journey that takes us back to how the so-called land of the free really came to be.

Written by The Revenant scribe Mark L. Smith, American Primeval revisits similar bleak territory with an extremely violent brutality that makes for an uncomfortable watch. But you're not supposed to feel comfortable. That's the whole point. Episode 1 establishes this quickly through the eyes of Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) and her son Devin (Preston Mota), who experience bloodshed firsthand and continue to do so relentlessly, caught between warring factions at every turn. At times, it's almost too relentless, but even in constant survival mode, flashes of humanity ground this mostly fictitious story that captures the heart of what life must have really been like in those godforsaken times.

Every bleak, muddy shot is so washed out that you can almost feel the cold emanating from your screen. It's not a beautiful show in that sense, although the landscapes are breathtaking to behold in the few moments where you are able to catch your breath. It's in these quieter scenes where the always impressive Gilpin shines most. Taylor Kitsch is less exciting as her guide, Isaac, who's occasionally one-note, especially compared to Kim Coates or an especially manic Dane DeHaan.

With the help of cultural consultants, efforts have been made to avoid stereotyping the Indigenous American characters, although the show's focus still rests largely on the principal white cast. A predictable ending and naive character choices also hold the show back somewhat, but at its best, American Primeval is a raw, bloody odyssey that will pierce your skull like a hatchet flung face-first.