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Limited Series – American Primeval

Play trailer 1:05 Poster for Limited Series – American Primeval 2025 Action Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
70% Tomatometer 57 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.
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American Primeval — Limited Series

American Primeval — Limited Series

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Critics Consensus

Handsomely shot and thoroughly grim, American Primeval drives home its point about a nation's bone-deep savagery to persuasive, and sometimes deadening, effect.

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Critics Reviews

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Graeme Blundell The Australian It’s a visually arresting piece of work, the colours muted and grim as the storyline, full of pain, fear and confusion. Feb 7, 2025 Full Review Carol Midgley Times (UK) This is, to be clear, high-quality misery and an educational antidote to sentimental myth. Whether you want to put yourself through it is a matter for you. Rated: 3/5 Jan 27, 2025 Full Review Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Berg’s series pushes the limits of violence and cruelty, but his rugged, in-your-face style succeeds in keeping you on edge and spares no one. Rated: 3/4 Jan 17, 2025 Full Review Marcelo Stiletano La Nación (Argentina) The argument that only extreme realist can reconstruct what happened at that time and place doesn't feel enough. The insistence on this theme makes the narrative, at times, an exhibitionist display of gratuitous cruelty. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3/5 Feb 16, 2025 Full Review Ricky Valero FandomWire Peter Berg and Mark L. Smith created the first great TV show of 2025 with their brilliant and audacious look at the battle of the West. Rated: 8/10 Feb 7, 2025 Full Review Siddhant Adlakha Mashable Despite its threads unraveling in haphazard ways, the series is never boring, and never wanting for a good performance. Feb 3, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (330) audience reviews
Ben F Along with the fact that this ridiculous gore fest strays far from the historical record, it offers little in plot satisfaction or reality. The Mtn. Meadows massacre was far different than depicted (see Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven"), and the filth these people live in (and refuse to wash off their faces during the entire series), is honestly comical. Beyond the obvious exaggerations and mischaracterizations, normal human emotions (hate, fear, pain, love, joy, an occasional smile) are all traded for demon-esque characters and dark, really dark, camera lenses. It too bad the gorgeous scenery, the solid attention to period garb, and a decent gaggle of actors were all doomed by the writers and directors--who seemed to think a plot resembling a slaughter house tour (of a cattle factory) would be more engaging than an actual western plot. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Makayla N Absolutely worth watching you have to keep your eyes on the screen at all times to keep on top of it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Alun P I cannot comprehend why the characters do such stupid things in this. It is hard to have sympathy for them when they are such idiots. I gave up half way through because all I could think was "these people are morons". Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Caitríona M It brought me back to Dances with Wolves and gave me a Grâ as we say in Ireland to want a love to watch it again .. the American Indians looked after the Irish when the English took out food during the famine .The Indians sent us food ! Respect ! Cinamatogrophy and acting spectacular.. I loved every minute.. What it really was to live in that era of deprivation .as a woman ..challanged and protective at all costs for her son . The slow growing characters reminds me of the last of us ..Survival is real . Thinking of this ,is life right now .. nothing has really changed .. people are still living like this hoping for a better land .. TV does numb us from the real world but I'm sure we all know what is right in the end .. occupation is wrong .bring in humanity xx Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Colin Q Harrowing series which accurately conveys the dark and tortured history of the West. It is bold and direct regarding the atrocities committed by the Mormons in the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the blood on their hands. It also beautifully and grimly illustrates the struggles and pain in attempting to start over. It is beautiful, dark, twisted, and bloody. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/25 Full Review Tony C Not the worse,grim about sums it up,the woman goes though hell and high water,but miraculously has a set of clean pressed smart clothes at the end,the Mormons come across has very nice,next time they knock on my door I’ll talk to them though the letter box. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/11/25 Full Review Read all reviews
American Primeval — Limited Series

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Cast & Crew

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 9, 2025 At a desolate outpost, Sara and her son Devin forge new connections while searching for a guide to help them navigate treacherous trails further west. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 9, 2025 A frightening encounter takes Sara's party by surprise; a deeply wounded Jacob forms a posse to find Abish; Isaac reconnects with his past. Details Episode 3 Aired Jan 9, 2025 Following a lead, Jacob joins a bounty hunter's search; Brigham Young rides into Fort Bridger; Sara, Devin and Isaac come face-to-face with evil. Details Episode 4 Aired Jan 9, 2025 Red Feather vows to fight; Jacob acts on his suspicions; Abish receives shocking news; en route to Crooks Springs, the elements intensify. Details Episode 5 Aired Jan 9, 2025 As Devin's leg worsens, Sara faces a terrifying choice; Brigham Young makes Bridger an offer; Abish delivers a stark warning to the Shoshone. Details Episode 6 Aired Jan 9, 2025 Ignoring the danger, Isaac sets out to rescue Sara; Jacob's search for Abish comes to an end; Bridger celebrates before saying goodbye. Details

Season Info

Director
Peter Berg
Creator
Mark L. Smith
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 9, 2025
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