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Review: ‘American Primeval’ Paints a Bloody Picture of Pre-Civil War American West

The Netflix Original, Set in 1857, is Based on Real Events and Some Historical Figures

***Caution. Spoilers ahead***

There are Westerns with heroes and villains, and then there’s “American Primeval.” The Six-episode series certainly makes clear who you’re rooting for, but after that, the lines blur. Set in a portion of the Utah Territory, it is a story of settlers and swindlers, Native Americans, and a young Mormon faith trying to grow roots in a permanent home. Written by Mark L. Smith (who wrote the equally violent “The Revenant”) and directed by Peter Berg, it does not disappoint. I have watched the first two episodes for this recap.

The Mormons had been thrown out of New York and Illinois. When they headed West for open space, their leader Brigham Young famously declared “This is the place” as they arrived in the territory. But this time, it’s clear they would arm themselves to the teeth and fight for this space to be their own. The U.S. government and its army were among their adversaries. As the show begins, we meet Sara Rowell (“GLOW’s” Betty Gilpin) and her son Devin as they meet a Mr. Frye, who has promised to take them to Ft. Bridger, where another man, Mr. Beckworth, will take them the rest of the way to a place called Crooks Springs. Sara says Devin’s father is awaiting them there. Cut to a scene inside a Native dwelling, where a drunk man returns to find a Native woman and her young daughter, Two Moons, sleeping.

Despite the mother’s protest, he attempts to rape the girl, only for her to take a knife she had previously stolen and kill him. But rather than relief, the mother blames her daughter for them now having nothing. We learn the girl is deaf as she signs back to her mother, “I’ve had nothing forever.” She then flees into the wild. Sara and Devin arrive at Ft. Bridger to find not the “docile trading post” that Frye described but a very rough and muddy venue. Beckworth is nowhere to be found, but when Frye says he can take them the rest of the way, he’s immediately killed by another man who seems to want that work. The violence is so off-putting to the serious and determined Sara it is like a tough hit in a football game; a real “Welcome to the NFL” moment. Earlier, we also saw that Two Moons had sneaked onto their wagon.

A bit panicked, she asks Jim Bridger (a real historical figure played by the reliable and familiar Shea Whigham) for help. He tells them they should employ Isaac Reed*, a very serious frontiersman who tersely rebuffs Sara’s pleas. So Bridger connects them to a small Mormon party set to join up with a mix of other settlers to travel in safe numbers further along the way. Their leader, Jacob Pratt, also rebuffs Sara and Devin, but when his new bride, Abish, speaks up on their behalf, they are accepted to tag along (Abish is played by “The Agency’s” Suara Lightfoot-Leon).

An interesting exchange then occurs, as Sara thanks Abish and says, “This world doesn’t seem to be a world that favors a woman on her own,” to which Abish replies, “That’s why we got married, isn’t it?” They arrive to join the Fancher Party, who are gathering supplies to begin their journey further. But soon, Mormon Militiamen visit, telling Mr. Fancher (played by Director Peter Berg) and a few of his men that Governor Brigham Young
requires a permit to travel through the Utah Territory. Fancher at first tries to assure the Mormon Officer, James Wolsey (played by the familiar, bearded actor Joe Tippett), that they are merely passing through. But with Wolsey’s insistence that they turn around and leave the territory, Fancher becomes belligerent and defiant. Wolsey says something to the effect of “We gave you a chance,” and he and his party ride off.

Back at Ft. Bridger, a bounty hunter shows up with a wanted flyer, seeking a woman named Sara Holloway for murder back in Philadelphia. The bounty is a hefty $1,500. Bridger looks at the flyer, sees our Sara Rowell, and plays dumb. But a man nearby named Virgil gets a bit of a nod from Bridger, and that night he and some guys kill the bounty hunter and set off to hunt Sara down. Meanwhile, trouble comes for the Fancher party the next morning. A couple dozen men, some Native and other men in hoods dressed like Natives, storm the campsite, beating and killing all the men and tying up the women. A little research tells me the melee has a historical name – the “mountain meadows massacre,” and was the slaughter of more settlers than appear on screen here. Sara and Devin – along with Two Moons – somehow made it out of the fracas, but have been spotted as they enter the woods. But Isaac Reed, who had been keeping tabs on the Fancher party nearby, grabs them to safety as the perpetrators ride by. Still, they have to be careful. That night, they hide in a ditch – Two Moons nearby – freezing cold. But Reed tells them if they make a fire, they’ll be discovered.

Episode two sees the camp the next morning. A partially scalped Jacob Pratt awakens to show us he survived. The leader of a Native group, Red Feather, arrives to survey what’s happened. He lets Pratt live but kicks him right in the face. Again, “Welcome to the NFL.” He then directs his men to slit the throats of several women sitting in a row. When he comes to the last, Abish, she defiantly raises her head and offers the man her neck. For some reason, he spares her, but she is brought back as a work slave of the tribe. Jacob makes his way to Ft. Bridger with the help of U.S. Army Captain Edmund Dellinger and his men, who he tells what happened. Also at Ft. Bridger is Wild Bill Hickman, who complains to Jim Bridger about the U.S. troop presence. Jacob is determined to form a posse to find Abish, whom his whole soul tells him is alive. It sounds like a fool’s errand to Bridger, but Hickman says he’ll help.

I’m going to leave the recap there to avoid giving up too much more. But as always with my reviews, you should watch it all yourself to feel the effect these words can’t replace. But rest assured, Sara, Devin, Reed, and Two Moons are a long way from safety as they still have the natural environment, hostile Natives, and Virgil and his party all to contend with. I can’t wait to finish the other four episodes! And that’s what Todd’s watching.

*(Sidebar: Reed is played by “Friday Night Lights” star Taylor Kitsch. The show’s director, Peter Berg, directed “Friday Night Lights” the film and also brought the TV show to life. So American Primeval is a reunion for them).

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