Forgotten Eastwood-Inspired Western Series is a Must-See for 1923 Fans

Summary

• This powerful period drama doesn't deserve to sit on the shelf.
• It's a tense neo-western set in the Depression era.
• It has politics, religion, and family feuds, and you can stream it now.

Taylor Sheridan 's 1923 has shed light on a period of US history that has been largely ignored on television in recent years. But with the Great Depression, labour strikes and warring classes, it's a period that offers plenty of fertile ground for shows to explore.

An epic neo-Western that is as compelling as it is captivating

Though it lasted only one season, Tony Tost's Western drama Damnation was a hit with many fans. Set in Holden, Iowa, the show focuses on a farmer's strike from two points of view.

Seth Davenport (Killian Scott) is a fake preacher with a chequered past. Fiercely pro-labor, he's behind the strike and tries to rally the workers to stand up for their rights. He believes that the industrialists and local banks have an unfair advantage due to their wealth and status, and that they're exploiting their position of power.

On the other side is Creeley Turner (Logan Marshall-Green), Davenport's estranged brother. Neither the farmers nor the industrialists know that the two are related. But they do know that Creeley is both a convicted murderer and a Pinkerton detective.

The two brothers, who are at odds over the strikes, are desperate to make up for past transgressions and atone for their respective sins.

Inspired by some greats – including Clint Eastwood

Tost describes the show as "1/3 Clint Eastwood, 1/3 John Steinbeck, 1/3 James Ellroy. By way of explanation, he said it "takes some characters you’d normally see in a tough western, plops them in the world of Grapes of Wrath, and places them in the sort of pulpy paranoid narrative you see in Ellroy’s novels."

If what you're imagining from that summary is a combination of gritty western, class warfare, and a touch of pessimistic soul-searching, you're right.

But the success of the show is not so much that it borrows from those other greats, but that it deals honestly and openly with tough issues of the time that still resonate today.

Exploitative business, technological advances and the class divide are at the heart of the action. But politics also play a huge role in the story. Like many of the best shows of recent generations, Damnation explores all sides of the political manoeuvring, seeking authenticity over taking sides.

This is politics and daily life as it was at the time. It's not black and white, but shades of gray. Add social unrest, racism and religion and you have the makings of a great show.

A family at war

Damnation is about class warfare, but it's also the story of two brothers at odds with each other.

Both have their own motivations for taking the side they've chosen. But the viewer is left in little doubt that there is a burning mutual hatred that drives them.

The dynamic between the two fuels the story and adds a layer of complexity to an already multi-faceted show. Both see themselves as the solution to the problem and find it very easy to see the faults in the other. But if you're looking for a good guy and a bad guy, you won't find them here. These are just two guys.

Where to watch

Damnation was cancelled after only one season. With only ten episodes to watch, it's definitely a bingeable show. And trust me, once you see the opening scene, you'll be hooked.

It has a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is available to stream on Vudu, Prime and Apple TV.

Source: Fayetteville Flyer.