American Primeval Season 1 Review – A gory and ambitious undertaking that fails to fulfil its potential

Episode Guide

Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 2.5/5

Ever wished for more Frontier-like shows that focus on the different types of settlers in 19th-century North America? Or have you ever wondered about the Native Americans during this period of colonization? Well, one of Netflix’s shows for 2025 happens to be American Primeval, a dark and gritty ensemble tale of warring factions in the Utah territory in 1857. 

With exciting themes of Frontier adventures, found family, betrayals and murder, it’s for those who love gory Westerns. The 6-episode series has some familiar names like Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Derek Hinkey, Jai Courtney, Dane DeHaan, Shea Whigham and Saura Lightfoot-Leon, and is helmed by Mark L. Smith of The Revenant fame. With a writer who is known for dabbling in the Western genre successfully, does his mini-series prove a worthy addition? 

Well, American Primeval Season 1 begins with the misadventures of pioneers, outlaws, Native Americans and the Mormons of 19th-century Utah. While the Shoshone tribe struggles to keep control of their land, Brigham Young plans to make it a Mormon territory with the help of his illegal militia. Caught in the crossfires is the Mormon couple, Jacob and Abish Pratt who are separated after a mysterious attack on their group.

Meanwhile, Sara Rowell and her son, Devin hope to make it to Crooks Spring further west while bounty hunters are after them. After the mysterious attack which also targets the Rowells, Isaac, a recluse is forced to help them and a Native girl who befriends Devin.

For lack of a better description, American Primeval is not bad but it’s not great. It doesn’t give time to marinate and really get into each of the storylines. Season 1 could have easily caught attention by exploring Isaac and Abish’s dynamic with the Shoshones, Sara’s dangerous past or the extent of Brigham Young’s influence.

On top of that, the technical execution of the finale is quite strange. While it intercuts between the different storylines in the previous episodes, the finale opts to finish one storyline after the other. This doesn’t allow for the emotional reaction one may expect from the conclusions as it quickly jumps to the next segment.

Had the conclusion of the different storylines happened at the same time with rapid jump cuts, it would have had more impact. The cast does its best to evoke emotions as they are not afraid to get dirty and bloody but there is only so much they can do with limited space for fleshing out their characters.

However, American Primeval definitely has potential which is evident with the in-depth research of the Native Americans in Utah, the deft handling of a controversial historical figure like Brigham Young, and the clash of cultures between the old and new inhabitants of the land. American Primeval Season 1 makes it clear that life is complex as it portrays the good and the bad sides of the different factions and those caught in between.

It also makes impressive use of its landscape by turning New Mexico locations into the snow-capped Wasatch mountains, the barren lands of Wyoming and the Shoshone-filled woods. These are weaved into the storylines and become characters in their own right as each area gets its own colour schemes which represents the challenges the human characters face.

While the pioneers are mostly in greyscale and the Mormons in sepia-toned surroundings, the Natives who are in touch with their land have the most colour. The Netflix show could have also done more with its soundtracks, such as incorporating Mormon sermons juxtaposed with the Native Americans’ melodies (which we do hear occasionally), but we will let that pass as the dark and depressing plot doesn’t call for much music.

All in all, American Primeval Season 1 is a gory and ambitious undertaking that fizzles out in the end. Had it taken on a traditional series format with a longer duration and multiple seasons, it would have probably done justice to its story.

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