Netflix’s gritty new western, American Primeval, premiering January 9, isn’t afraid to show us the brutal realities of westward expansion. The series, featuring Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, and Dane DeHaan, follows a diverse cast of characters as they struggle to survive in the untamed wilderness of 1849. This stark portrayal has sparked debate about its historical accuracy. While the show doesn’t claim to be a strict historical document, it raises the question: how much of American Primeval is rooted in truth?
The series focuses on the period just after the Mexican-American War, a time of massive upheaval and transformation. This era saw a surge of settlers pushing west, lured by the promise of land and opportunity, often at the expense of Indigenous peoples. Kitsch plays a trapper navigating the changing landscape, while Gilpin portrays a woman challenging the traditional roles of the time. DeHaan embodies a ruthless and ambitious character who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
The show depicts this land grab, showing the conflicts and uneasy alliances that formed between settlers, Native American tribes, fur trappers, and other groups vying for control. American Primeval also highlights the lawlessness of the era, with minimal government presence and justice often dispensed by the barrel of a gun. These portrayals align with historical accounts of the Wild West, where violence and exploitation were rampant.
While American Primeval doesn’t follow specific historical figures, the characters’ experiences are often based on real events and trends. For instance, the show portrays the hardships faced by women on the frontier, who often lacked basic rights and protections. Their stories echo the real struggles women faced, including domestic abuse, disease, and social isolation. The series also accurately portrays the devastating impact of westward expansion on Native American tribes. The encroachment of settlers led to displacement, broken treaties, and violent clashes, as seen in the show’s depiction of land disputes and raids. These plotlines, while fictionalized, are informed by historical accounts of the era’s tragic conflicts.
American Primeval also focuses on the environmental challenges of the frontier, portraying the rugged terrain, scarce resources, and harsh weather conditions. This reflects the reality of life on the frontier, where survival was a daily struggle against the elements. The show also touches on the psychological toll of frontier life, as characters grapple with isolation, fear, and moral compromises. These struggles were common among settlers and explorers who faced the uncertainties and dangers of the unknown.
However, it’s important to remember that American Primeval is ultimately a work of fiction. While it incorporates historical elements, it also takes creative liberties. The show compresses timelines, combines characters, and invents storylines for dramatic effect. Therefore, viewers shouldn’t take every detail as historically accurate. Instead, the series serves as a starting point for further exploration of this complex and often brutal period. American Primeval aims to capture the spirit of the era, not to recreate it verbatim.
American Primeval premieres January 9 and is a A24 Television production for Netflix. Executive producers are Peter Berg, Eric Newman, Mark L. Smith, and René Echevarria.
