The Abandons Review: American Primeval Just Found Its Biggest Western Competitor

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Many Western shows today are trying to move beyond the typical tropes of classic Westerns. Older Westerns often showed Native American characters as either aggressive and dangerous or as simply wise and spiritual, but newer shows are attempting to create more complex and realistic portrayals (though there’s still room for improvement). The same is true for how women are depicted – there’s been progress in showing them more fully, but they still aren’t represented as well as they should be.

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.

The Abandons Juggles an Ensemble of Characters

Created by Kurt Sutter, the mind behind Sons of Anarchy, The Abandons is set in Washington Territory in 1854, with filming nearly complete. While Lena Headey and Jacob Anderson are both leads, Headey plays the central character, Fiona Nolan. Fiona is a strong and respected mother figure to her four adopted adult children – Elias (Nick Robinson), Dahlia (Diana Silvers), Albert (Lamar Johnson), and Lilla Belle (Natalia del Riego) – after the death of her husband. This unconventional family, brought together by choice, shares a powerful and unbreakable bond.

Constance Van Ness, played by Anderson, is another figure in a position of power, now leading her family after her husband’s death. Unlike other parents who value their children’s achievements and character, Constance primarily takes pride in the fact that they are biologically hers. The Van Ness family represents the most unlikeable aspects of The Abandons. By portraying them as the villains, Sutter seems to be dismantling tired tropes and contrasting them with Fiona’s family, who are presented as more admirable and heroic.

Willem (Toby Hemingway) is the eldest and most problematic brother, embodying the classic troublemaker who disregards others. His brother, Garret (Lucas Till), is focused on building a career with the family’s wealth. Their sister, Trisha (Aisling Franciosi), is a bit of a rebel and sometimes sides with Fiona’s group. Rounding out the key players are Willem’s close friends, Roach (Michiel Huisman) and Jack Cree (Michael Greyeyes).

This only scratches the surface of the many important characters involved in the ongoing family conflict. Ryan Hurst delivers a surprisingly gentle and warm performance as a father figure, hinting at a troubled past. It’s a welcome departure from the typically harsh roles he’s known for, even though his character often blends into the background.

The Abandons Keeps Its Plot Simple and Sensible

With a large cast of characters, The Abandons benefits from a straightforward and engaging story. The families have been feuding for years, ever since Constance tried to steal Fiona’s land, and that tension explodes right away in the first episode. A brutal crime throws them into direct conflict, and hidden secrets become their most dangerous weapon. While the crime itself isn’t unique to the 1850s American West – it’s a familiar trope in Westerns – this could have been a great opportunity to explore a fresh conflict between blood relatives and a chosen family.

The American West is often portrayed as a harsh and dangerous place, as many Westerns depict. The Abandons delves into the gritty side of this era, focusing on a community struggling to establish law and order. What makes this show different is its setting: a developing town, rather than the open plains or wilderness. These aren’t traveling pioneers seeking new land, but people fighting to protect homes their families have built over generations. It’s a thoughtful watch, though viewers expecting excessive action might find it a bit restrained.

The show The Abandons consistently portrays conflict as brutal and disturbing. Characters are driven to commit terrible acts by their desire for possessions, showcasing the worst aspects of human greed. However, unlike many shows today, The Abandons doesn’t rely on graphic violence to shock its audience. While some writers believe more violence equals more realism, this show demonstrates that restraint can be far more impactful and emotionally devastating.

While simplicity can be effective, The Abandons dives deep into complex themes. The entire first season focuses on Fiona, exploring her challenges as both a mother and a leader, and how far she’ll go to defend her community. Lena Headey delivers a nuanced performance as Fiona, portraying a strong woman whose power comes from her maternal instincts. Fiona’s difficult choices, made for the sake of her family, make her a compelling and fascinating character. A subtle expression, like a knowing smirk or a critical look, often hints at the depth of her motivations.

When we see Constance, she’s a stark contrast to her earlier self – she’s lost almost all warmth and nuance. She presents a cold, imposing figure, always dressed in black and speaking very formally. Anderson portrays her as a haunting, almost demonic presence on her property, and this persona ironically traps her in her own unhappiness. While she occasionally claims to care for her children, it seems more like a performance for others than genuine affection. Overall, she’s a deeply dark and villainous character.

The Abandons Feels Out of Touch… and Out of Time

Okay, let me tell you, while The Abandons aims for something really ambitious – a deep dive into the gritty side of the American West during the Industrial Age – it sometimes gets bogged down. Specifically, when the story focuses on Constance and isn’t about Fiona and her kids, it loses steam. Honestly, I kept finding myself wishing the show would get back to the more relatable, straightforward challenges Fiona and her family were facing. It tries to do a lot, and it ends up feeling a little…overstuffed, and frankly, a bit boring when it strays too far from that core group.

Similarly, The Abandons conveniently overlooks many important problems facing America in the 1850s due to its setting. While slavery was officially banned in the Washington Territory by 1854, the show’s creators sometimes seem to interpret that as meaning racism was simply mild in the area. It’s important to note that adding more overt racism or harmful depictions of characters of color wouldn’t improve the show – that often damages a story. However, the show feels historically inaccurate because it doesn’t fully engage with the social and political realities of the time period.

The same issue applies to the Indigenous characters in the series. Aside from Jack, they largely serve as supporting elements in the stories of the white characters, either helping or creating obstacles for them. A single well-developed character doesn’t make up for the others being flat and stereotypical. This pattern often reduces Native Americans to afterthoughts in Westerns, feeling like they’re included simply because they’re expected in the genre and time period. However, it’s worth noting that Indigenous consultants were hired for the show, so perhaps some of the issues stem from the creator, Sutter, and his perspective.

The story behind The Abandons suggests the creators weren’t entirely sure what the show was meant to be. It started with an interest in the origins of the Sicilian Mafia – specifically how they arose in response to unfair landowners – and a potential second season might explore that connection further. Hopefully, Netflix will continue to support this Western with a female lead. However, the show would be stronger with a more solid understanding of American history, particularly regarding race and the experiences of Indigenous people. Once that foundation is built, the show’s good qualities will really have a chance to shine.

The Abandons is now streaming on Netflix.

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2025-12-04 11:12