The dramatic vistas and the unforgiving mountain trails featured inWesternmovies and TV shows for decades have now found a special place in pop culture and the history of storytelling. From the earliest days of cinema itself, filmmakers were dedicated to gracing the big screens with tales of gunslingers and pioneering individuals who helped change and expand the Wild West into what it is today.
It was not long untiltelevision opened the gatesand allowed fans of the genre to settle in comfortably for multi-episode and multi-season journeys set against the backdrop of a Western landscape. Classics likeGunsmokeandBonanzaran for decades and made viewers a little too familiar with their beloved characters. But not every Western TV show managed to become permanent residents of the frontier. Some were either planned to be limited series or wrapped up prematurely.
While these short-lived Western TV shows still captured the atmosphere, grit, essence, and historical impact of the stories they told, they still had scope to be developed further. This list highlights some of these shows that deserved more than just one season.
10The English (2022)
The English
Written and directed by Hugo Black,The Englishis a revisionist Western series set against the backdrop of the Wild West during the 1890s. It follows an Englishwoman named Cornelia Locke, and Eli Whipp, a member of the Pawnee nation, as they embark on a journey to seek revenge against those who murdered her son and wrongfully claimed his land, respectively. They realize that their paths have crossed because of their shared histories.
Two Strangers Seek Retribution on the Frontier
Offering a fresh perspective on a volatile time, when the West was neither fully tamed nor fully wild,The Englishcenters around two companions navigating their frontier in their shared quest for justice. Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer lead the series with their deeply moving perspective and their understanding of each other’s characters is extremely profound. While theseries seems self-contained, with enough plot twists and fine storytelling, it seems as if their dynamic could be further explored to make their journey more captivating.
91883 (2021)
One of the four prequel series (of which, two are currently in development) to Taylor Sheridan’sYellowstone,1883borrows the success formula from the popular series and takes you to the post–Civil War era. The Dutton Family prepares to leave Tennessee and embark on a journey to the West, seeking a better future in Montana. The journey is led by the rugged and tough-as-nails Shea Brennan, who stays strong as they face unforgiving terrain and merciless weather conditions.
The Journey Towards a Promised Land
Sheridan’s vision has always been iconic. The way he brings the harsh realities of frontier life and the true pioneers to the screen is authentic, magnificent, and transportative. Which is why no single season of any series feels enough.1883offers a grueling close up of a saga of exploration that led the Dutton family to eventually establish the Yellowstone Ranch. The complexity of the characters and the high stakes of the native land are worth expanding upon.
8The Good Lord Bird (2020)
The Good Lord Bird
Inspired by the 2013 novel of the same name written by James McBride,The Good Lord Birdtells the story of young Henry “Onion” Shackleford, a fictional enslaved boy who finds himself entangled in the infamous abolitionist John Brown’s mission. He even participated in the 1859 Harpers Ferry raid in Virginia, and while the revolution was unsuccessful, Brown’s fight became responsible for starting the American Civil War.
A Hero’s Blazing Tale Left Partially Untold
The Good Lord Birdtells a historical story with a darkly comedic tone. It consists of seven episodes, revolving around the unusual and shared journey of Onion and Brown as they fought for identity, faith, and justice in a nuanced manner. Naturally, with so much context and commentary involved, a hoped-for future season would flesh out more material about the events. In McBride’s own words, Brown’s story had been kept buried for so long that its impact on American history and the Civil War needed to be given more time.
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From dusty trails to blazing shootouts to breathtaking chases, these action-packed Western movies keep the adrenaline pumping from beginning to end.
7Godless (2017)
Godlessis also among the most iconic small-screen Westerns. It follows Frank Griffin and his gang of outlaws as they seek revenge on a former protégé and stumble upon a smallfrontier town that is entirely populated by womenafter a mining accident took the lives of the town’s men. The quiet disruption from Griffin’s arrival causes the women to up their guard and a showdown slowly brews on the horizon.
Nuanced Exploration of the Wild West
Starring a who’s who of Hollywood’s finest actors,Godlesspresents the unforgiving 1880s New Mexico vividly on screen. Jack O’Connell and Jeff Daniels, as well as Michelle Dockery and Merritt Wever lead the ensemble with their intensely compelling performances. The show is steeped in themes of redemption and rebirth, which have long captivated Western stories and seem inexhaustible. It spans seven episodes, which are clearly not enough to paint the portrait of a female-occupied West.
6Texas Rising (2015)
Texas Rising
Directed by Roland Joffé,Texas Risingis a five-part History Channel Western series that spans some of the most vital years of the Texas Revolution. Through the eyes of General Sam Houston and Mexican General Santa Anna, it chronicles the conflict between the Texians, Tejanos, and Comanches during the former’s fight for independence. It covers events like the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto and the chaos that arises from each.
A Rich and Epic Frontier Saga
Texas Risingwas made on a history-changing scale, in that it followed a diverse group of characters with intertwining fates to duly depict the events that shaped Texas. It also featured an outstanding cast including Bill Paxton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Ray Liotta, Brendan Fraser, Kris Kristofferson, Thomas Jane, and more. While its dramatic retelling and sweeping vistas are enough to tell you the important history, the storylines are so intricate that they require more time and space to properly unfold.
5Klondike (2014)
In their pursuit of prosperity and riches during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, two childhood best friends, Bill Haskell and Byron Epstein, set off on a harsh journey to Klondike. On the way to the booming town of Dawson, they face many hardships, brutal weather conditions, and encounter several other desperate and unforgiving individuals.
The North Kept Its Secrets
Based on Charlotte Gray’s novel and developed by Simon Cellan Jones,Klondikeis an extremely enthralling Western series that brings the mysteries of the North to glorious life. Its portrayal oftwo determined men fighting for survivalis a stand-out. They are played by Richard Madden and Augustus Prew; both of their characters had room to be richer and more developed. The show was Discovery Channel’s first scripted drama and it only lasted three episodes.
4Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
Hatfields & McCoys
Based on the oldest, widely-known, most infamous American feud,Hatfields & McCoysis a brilliant Western series that chronicles the bitter rivalry between the two families. They are led by patriarchs Devil Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, who were friends once, after they return to their respective homes in Kentucky and West Virginia, respectively, after the Civil War, and face mounting tensions, hostility, and conflict within their communities.
Barely Scratches The Surface of the Feud
A generation-spanning blood feud that tore two close friends and their families apart, this saga plays out against a lush and glorious backdrop. It stars Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton in the roles, their captivating performances adding gravitas to the show. It’s an epic story, which gets its due in a single well-crafted and critically acclaimed season, but a couple more would have further developed the complex familial bonds and the great social impacts of their folklore-like feud.
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3Into The West (2005)
Into the West
A collaboration between Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks,Into The Westis an ambitious series that tries to achieve a lot within its six two-hour-long episodes. It captures the American expansion from 1825 to 1890 through the eyes of one white American and one Native American and their interconnected stories. The series is narrated by two protagonists, namely Jacob Wheeler and Loved By the Buffalo.
The Glorious Transformation Story
Epic, both in scope and in production values,Into The Westweaves an authentic tale of how the culture and conflict in the Wild West evolved across decades. It trails certain significant events like the California Gold Rush and the discord over land distributions, but given the span, it could only hint at the tales that helped shape the nation. Dividing them up into multiple seasons would have shifted the focus to the diverse perspectives of the Natives and the women involved. Overall,Into The Weststill leaves a lot more history uncovered.
2Firefly (2002)
Set in the year 2517, Firefly follows the crew of the Serenity, a smuggling ship operating on the fringes of Alliance space. Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is a veteran of a civil war, bitter about having fought for the losing side and now making his living as an outlaw smuggler out among the distant colonies forgotten and ignored by the Alliance. However, after taking on paying passengers, Mal finds himself caught up in a conspiracy likely to bring the whole Alliance military down on him and his crew.
Venturing into a different direction in terms of storytelling and aesthetic is the beloved and popular space Western calledFirefly. It is set five hundred years into the future, where, after a universal civil war lay waste to almost everything, humanity resorted to a new star system. The series follows the renegade crew of a spaceship named Serenity and its inhabitants, who take on freight jobs of patrolling and gunslinging to survive.
An Unfinished Saga of Space Cowboys
Joss Whedon, the extremely talented showrunner ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer, helmed thisEmmy-winning, short-lived drama. He created a brilliant sci-West hybrid by combining character-driven arcs with action and adventure. Naturally, viewers found themselves drawn to the motley crew and their idiosyncrasies. While their battles for survival were anything but smooth, the setting was so rich and compelling that it developed a forever loyal fanbase that still looks back on its cancellation with a frown.
1Lonesome Dove (1989)
Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dovewas where it all started – the revival of Westerns in the form of televised storytelling and miniseries. Directed by Simon Wincer and adapted from Larry McMurtry’s epic novel (first in the series), it centers around two retired Texas Rangers, Captain Augustus “Gus” McCrae and Captain Woodrow F. Call, on their cattle drive from Texas to Montana. Along the way, their personal demons surface, and their lives change forever.
Redefined Westerns for Television
Featuring powerhouse performances from Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones,Lonesome Dovecaptured the sweeping frontier and reminded fans about why the frontier is so majestic but at the same time so achingly human. In just four breathtaking parts, it touched the soul and enriched the stories of the two Texas legends. However, McMurtry wrote a series ofLonesome Dovenovels and there were clearly countless stories that would enhance the adventurous Western had it continued on.
