
From the start, the series The Abandons appears to be tackling important issues of representation. It features Lena Headey (known from Game of Thrones) and another actress in leading roles, playing characters who are very different but complement each other well. While the supporting cast is still largely white, several key roles are played by actors who are Black, Indigenous Salvadoran-Mexican, and Native American. Importantly, these characters – and the show’s female characters in general – aren’t defined by how they differ from the typical white, Christian male perspective of 1850s America. This gives The Abandons a unique strength, allowing its story to develop over its seven episodes, though some fundamental issues still hold it back.