The Western has an important part in the history of television. It’s hard to dwell on the beginnings of the medium and not think about cowboys and gunfights. As time moved on, the genre waned in popularity and the traditional conception of the Western faded away. You could still find elements of the genre, but they were mixed in with other things. In recent times, the trend has been to portray a more realistic version of the West. This usually translates to “add more blood and dirt.”
In American Primeval, Netflix’s new Western miniseries, both are free flowing. Written by The Revenant scribe Mark L. Smith, the series takes place during the Utah War, an armed conflict between Mormon settlers and the US government. We begin by following Sarah Holloway and her son Devin as they flee from their past and head west. They soon find help in a mysterious mountain man who begrudgingly agrees to guide them. All the while, a battle rages on, with both sides unsure of their next moves.
Director Peter Berg brings a visual flair to the proceedings that helps the show stand out. Despite copious amounts of desaturation, Berg still finds time to show off the natural beauty around all the violence. His use of shaky close-up shots might seem jarring at first, but adds a frenetic pace to the proceedings, creating a tension that refuses to let up. This works to impressive effect in the first episode’s big set piece, the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre. The confusion and horror of the moment are conveyed by the camera’s refusal to leave our character’s side.
Horror and misery play a big role in the day-to-day lives of these people. Primeval doesn’t shy away from showcasing these daily affronts to the contrary, it arguably shares too much. There are copious amounts of blood, murder, and yes, the threat of sexual violence. So much so that it’s rare to find scenes not containing some sort of pain being inflicted on a poor soul. The show’s aim is to take away from the myth of the West. Instead, it leaves you numb to everything on screen.
American Primeval offers multiple perspectives on life during this era, which means a big ensemble cast. With only 6 episodes to spare, the show isn’t able to provide much depth leading to a sea of one-note characters. Still, there are a few standouts. Namely, Betty Gilpin and Taylor Kitsch as Sarah and the aforementioned mountain man, respectively. Gilpin plays Sarah as strong-willed and courageous, quick to judge and wary of everyone. All traits that help her survive in the West. Kitsch’s Isaac starts as the silent loner type, but slowly reveals more layers, eventually becoming a bright spot in a show sorely in need of them.
Plenty of Westerns also act as reflections of current America and Primeval tries to follow that model to mixed results. It’s admirable to want to offer a Native American perspective while shining a light on the horrors inflicted on them, but it feels like an afterthought. It becomes hard to weigh one act of hideous violence against another when they happen so frequently. This is a show desperately trying to say something about America and its history. What it misses is that these types of messages work best when the story attached is interesting. Shock and awe can only take you so far.
American Primeval is currently streaming on Netflix