"The Abandons" on Netflix: Wild West Promise Goes West

If binge-watching marathons are becoming a tad too tedious, here comes a TV mishap. Meet “The Abandons”, Netflix's latest Western creation that seems, quite ironically, to be in a hurry to wrap things up, despite its magnificent canvas of sweeping landscapes. In the mysterious world of recent TV trends, it's undoubtedly more thrilling than most, even if it leaves you scratching your head about what just happened. Set amid the raw beauty of the 19th-century Washington frontier but shot in Alberta, the show feels like it's in hyperdrive, and creator Kurt Sutter's estrangement before the completion of filming doesn't help the cause.

At the heart of this whirlwind narrative is a feud between the aristocratic widow, Constance Van Ness, portrayed by Gillian Anderson, and Fiona Nolan, a devout Irishwoman, played by Lena Headey, head of an adopted family on land that Constance fancies. While the series echoes fond memories of “Deadwood” with its power struggles and unsavory alliances, Sutter's much-appreciated penchant for intense, familial conflict definitely takes center stage here. The tension is palpable as Fiona's home is tormented and her charges threatened by the Van Ness clan, with the town's seemingly blind-eye sheriff adding fuel to the fire. The plot really kicks off when a violent tussle ensues between Fiona's adoptive daughter, Dahlia, and the eldest Van Ness son, evolving a land feud into a rollercoaster ride.

The title, “The Abandons", ostensibly nods to Fiona's motley crew of outcasts who reside in the quaint, potentially valuable locale of Jasper’s Hollow. These include Elias and Dahlia, who Fiona raised as a nanny and share her late employer's land, Albert, the son of a Black schoolteacher and Native girl Lilla Belle. But the origins of their hard-knit bond and social abnormality aren't explored much, leaving a lot to the viewer's imagination. The result is an awkward balancing act between Constance's and Fiona's characters and the rest of the cast, with the uneven character development destabilizing the entire narrative and leaving us wanting answers.

While overlooking these other intriguing characters, “The Abandons” dedicates an oversized slice of the pie to its leading ladies. Gillian Anderson portrays a hardened entrepreneur with consummate ease, and Lena Headey births a wholesome mother figure willing to cross lines to safeguard her surrogate family. Add to that some thought-provoking monologues and extensive face-offs; the battle lines are drawn. While far from a feminist manifesto, “The Abandons” tactfully swaps gender roles in this Wild West backdrop, much more nimbly than its Netflix predecessor “Godless.” Yet, the series' fondness for ruthlessness appears in an unnatural scene where even the innocent mayor, played by comedian Patton Oswalt, isn’t safe from CGI grizzly bears.

Bottom line? “The Abandons” seems to have had a wealth of material at its disposal but didn't quite capitalize on it all. Despite its neglect of secondary characters, the show never fails to impress with its ruthless matriarchs until an unfortunately unresolved standoff soured the pie. Its story of a makeshift family seeking prosperity amid a society in the making could have made for an engaging piece if given the love it deserved. Instead, “The Abandons” comes across as a half-baked effort. While not every production with behind-the-scenes drama fails on-screen, “The Abandons” sadly falls short. But hey, if you're up for a quick binge session with some stellar actors displaying their impressive, darker sides, feel free to ride on over to Netflix where all seven episodes await you.