Worst show I've seen in years. Paper thin characters, dramatic soundtrack and camera shots even when nothing is going on, and the rest is just violence for violence's sake.

Worst show I've seen in years. Paper thin characters, dramatic soundtrack and camera shots even when nothing is going on, and the rest is just violence for violence's sake.

Just finished American Primeval and honestly, it felt like a missed opportunity. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning. The wide shots really sell how vast and untouched the frontier used to be. It made me think about how much smaller and more tamed the world feels today. The variety in landscapes like snow, desert, forests, lakes was probably the best part aside from learning about the real history behind some of the events. But the pacing was a major problem. The first and last episodes had all the intensity and payoff, while the middle just dragged. It felt like they were trying to do a slow burn, but there wasn’t enough substance to hold it together. Scenes meandered without building tension or character depth. They touched on interesting themes like survival, trauma, belief, and what people are willing to do for meaning. But none of it felt fully explored. The show hinted at something powerful but never committed. I ended up googling the actual history after the finale, and the real events are way more horrifying than what the show portrayed. That should have been the emotional core, but it got buried under subplots. Character-wise, Bridger was easily the standout. He had some range and actual development. Isaac was too closed off to connect with, and Sara was one of the most obnoxious characters I've seen especially at the beginning. The kid’s acting was hit or miss. Did he or did he not have a limp? Most of the cast just didn’t leave a strong impression. Feels like this would have worked better as a focused two-hour film. As a series, it had potential but didn’t land for me. Solid idea, great visuals, weak execution.

Really good series and based on historical fact. Tough times.

This is a respectable story, and I genuinely appreciate the cast. Having a good cast is indeed important.