The Abandons isn’t the mess it could have been – but there’s a bigger problem with this Western misfire

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With so many streaming services competing for viewers, companies are facing a tough choice. Should they focus on the types of shows and movies they already excel at, or try to compete directly with rivals by offering similar content?

A few years ago, when Netflix was actively seeking new shows, they seemed to prioritize competing with popular content. While Paramount+ gained recognition for Westerns like Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, Netflix also wanted to offer similar programming.

It wasn’t looking for just one hit show; it wanted several. Over the last fourteen months, we’ve seen three new series – Territory, American Primeval, and Ransom Canyon – though they haven’t all been equally successful.

Next up is The Abandons, a seven-episode series that was originally commissioned in 2022. It’s been reported that the show faced a lot of difficulties during production before finally being completed.

The first season was initially planned to have ten episodes, but the episode count changed several times and ultimately landed at a shorter, seven-episode run.

The series’ creator, Kurt Sutter, had been developing the idea for it even before his show Sons of Anarchy started, but he unexpectedly left the project just three weeks before filming was completed.

Initial reports from Deadline stated the decision stemmed from disagreements about the show’s creative direction. They also revealed the first episode was originally much longer – an hour and forty minutes – and had to be split in two with a new cliffhanger added. Netflix executives reportedly found the episodes felt disconnected and lacked momentum.

I tried to watch the episodes without thinking about the problems behind the scenes, but I admit I was half-expecting a disaster. Luckily, it wasn’t like that at all – the final product was actually quite good.

The series is generally well-made, despite a few odd choices like inconsistent episode lengths and some endings that feel rushed. It’s seamless enough that you likely wouldn’t notice these issues without looking for them. Unfortunately, there’s a more significant problem with the show that needs to be addressed.

The show features Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson as the heads of two distinct families in Washington Territory, 1854.

Lena Headey plays Fiona, the leader of a close-knit group known as the Abandons, who function as a chosen family. Unable to have children of her own, she’s dedicated herself to raising a group of orphans and those who don’t fit in elsewhere.

Constance Anderson leads the powerful Van Ness family, and they’re determined to acquire the Abandons’ land, which contains valuable silver deposits. They’ll stop at nothing to get it, but the Abandons are prepared to defend their property.

The film also features strong performances from Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lamar Johnson, Natalia Del Riego, Lucas Till, and Aisling Franciosi, all of whom deliver excellent work.

Honestly, I was really hoping to love “The Abandons,” but it just didn’t grab me. It was… well, pretty boring, if I’m being honest. I was expecting so much more!

According to a Deadline report, Netflix worried the show lacked momentum, and even with efforts to fix this, it remains the biggest weakness.

After watching all seven episodes, it feels like not much of importance actually occurred. The story starts with an initial event, but then spends a lot of time on discussion and fairly tame family issues.

Honestly, the show is made up of a bunch of separate storylines, and while some of them are okay, none of them really grab you or feel particularly original. They all kind of meander along without a lot of excitement, you know?

The most compelling storyline might be the romance between Elias, played by Nick Robinson and a member of the Abandons, and Trisha, the daughter of the Van Ness family.

Okay, so it definitely has its sweet and dramatic parts, and both actors really commit to their roles – it’s totally engaging to watch! But honestly, the story feels incredibly predictable. If you’ve seen any movie or read any book with a forbidden romance, you’ve seen this before. It’s just… very cliché.

Everyone occasionally uses a cliché, and that’s okay – sometimes clichés are popular because they simply tell stories in a way that resonates with people. A familiar idea isn’t always a bad one; it can be effective because it’s been proven to work.

When a series consistently delivers similar results, it makes you question the purpose of continuing, particularly if progress is incredibly slow.

It’s unlikely we’ll ever see Sutter’s initial vision for this show, considering all the changes that were made. As it stands, it feels like a Western created by too many people – a series that’s frantically trying to be relevant by relying on every familiar Western cliché, without offering much of a unique perspective.

With two women in their fifties as the main characters, you’d expect the story to offer a fresh perspective. However, it surprisingly doesn’t seem interested in exploring what that means, especially considering the context of the time and place.

The show is overly serious, which makes it both boring and tonally flat.

Despite its flaws, this series has some strong points. It’s beautifully shot, and clearly had a large budget, which is evident in its amazing locations and overall visual appeal.

Also, the actors aren’t really used to their full potential, even if that’s true for most or all of them.

Lena Headey and David Anderson absolutely crackle whenever they share the screen – their rivalry is a real highlight. Honestly, those scenes made me wish the show had focused more on their dynamic and given both actors more room to really explore their characters. You get a taste of what could have been, and it’s pretty fantastic.

If the show had explored this central conflict more closely, maybe with fewer characters and a tighter focus, it could have been more distinctive. A rivalry between two powerful women in the 1800s sounds like a compelling premise for a series.

The movie offers glimpses of familiar stories – we’ve seen these types of plots before – set against a visually impressive, but predictable, backdrop. While beautiful, the setting doesn’t feel fresh or exciting because it’s become a standard for this kind of film.

Look, I love a good Western now and then – there are definitely some classics I really enjoy. But honestly, I wouldn’t call myself a true Western fanatic. So, while hardcore fans might get a kick out of this, I’m coming at it as someone who appreciates the genre, but isn’t completely immersed in it.

Even the show’s biggest fans might eventually get bored with its slow speed and predictable characters and storylines.

Netflix can take some solace in the fact that “The Abandons” is perfectly enjoyable, especially considering the production difficulties it faced. However, anyone hoping this show would compete with “Yellowstone” will be disappointed. It’s not a potential franchise-builder – it simply doesn’t measure up.

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2025-12-04 12:37