4 Netflix Westerns You'll Love If You're a Yellowstone Fan
Each of these Western shows is unique and incredibly entertaining in its own way.
Westerns have always been popular, but after the incredibly successful Yellowstone, developed by Taylor Sheridan, as well as its more classic for the genre prequels, there is a special love for them returning.
Yes, the genre can be problematic at times, glorifying people who live a life of murder and exploitation. Not to mention, it often glosses over issues of indigenous oppression and rampant racism. But you probably didn't come to this article to hear about the problematic aspects of Westerns.
We love Westerns for their relentless spirit of freedom and Shakespearean drama set amidst picturesque landscapes. What could be better than imagining yourself riding a trusty steed through the vastness of the Wild West, with nothing but adventure ahead?
Viewers are particularly interested in modern approaches to the genre, whether it's revisionist films and series that critique classic tropes, neo-Westerns that collide the modus operandi of the Old and New West, or foreign Westerns that transpose events from North America to other historical contexts. Luckily, Netflix has a pretty good library. Are you a fan of Yellowstone? These series are sure to please!
4. Godless (2017, miniseries, Rotten Tomatoes score 83%)
In 1884, a young outlaw has escaped from his gang and taken refuge in the isolated New Mexico town of New Bell, populated and governed mostly by women, as many men were killed in a coal mine explosion, once the town's main source of income. The young man was once the protégé of a famous outlaw who terrorized the West with his gang, and so an incredibly sinister threat looms over New Bell. When the dangerous gang comes to town, the townspeople must band together to fight back against the bandits.
3. Longmire (2012, 6 seasons, Rotten Tomatoes score 88%)
The Neo-Western subgenre is an excellent example of combining the virtues of the Old and New West, showing that human problems and misdeeds are always the same, based on selfishness, greed, and envy.
Based on the novels by Craig Johnson, the series follows the eponymous character, Walt Longmire, a respected sheriff in his fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming. Longmire has all the virtues of a classic western hero, being cold-blooded and having a strong sense of justice. In addition, the series focuses on the problems of the Cheyenne people and the criminal activity on their reservation.
2. Wynonna Earp (2016, 4 seasons, Rotten Tomatoes score 92%)
Wynonna Earp is a blend of the western, horror, and fantasy genres, and that alone is enough to draw attention to the show! Based on the IDW comic book series of the same name by Beau Smith, Wynonna Earp follows the great-great-granddaughter of famed lawman Wyatt Earp who, instead of fighting outlaws, brings justice to demons from Hell.
1. Song of the Bandits (2023, 1 season, Rotten Tomatoes score 100%)
Westerns appeal not only to Americans, but also to the rest of the world. In the 20th century, many began to imitate American productions, either by making their own versions set in the 19th-century USA, such as Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, or by transferring the action to other countries, such as the Japanese Sukiyaki Western Django.
South Korean productions also kept up with the Japanese in their day: many may remember Kim Jee-woon's action film The Good, the Bad, the Weird. But in 2023, a new Korean series came out with a much more serious approach, making it incredibly entertaining and well worth its perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series is set in the 1920s in the border region between Korea and Manchuria, where many Koreans have fled from the Japanese occupation. It is a lawless land, but the refugees band together to fight back against the Japanese.