Primeval. Synonyms include pre-historic and primitive. The United States could be considered primal in 1857. America’s growing pains were reaching a boiling point in the Utah Territory. The splintering issue of slavery had been deferred by the Compromises of 1820 and 1850. The bloodshed in Kansas was still raw. Utah had been established as a territory, and California declared a state. But realizing the “sea to shining sea” principle of Manifest Destiny was a vicious and ruthless undertaking. Native Americans were forcibly removed and exterminated as American settlers advanced throughout the west. The Mormons were searching for a homeland safe from religious persecution. Americal Primeval is an unflinching, brutal portrayal of this wild, wild west.
The show is centered around the Mountain Meadows Massacre, an attack by Mormon settlers, aided by Paiute Native Americans, on a wagon train of American western emigrants. At least 120 people were murdered. One of the survivors discovers his wife is missing and joins the Mormon militia to search for her. She embeds with the Shoshone tribe for safety since she was a witness to the massacre. At the same time, Sara Holloway is a wanted fugitive taking her son to his father in Crooks Springs. A bounty hunter is hot on their trail. These parallel storylines are the foundation of Americal Primeval.
The limited series was written by Mark L. Smith (you were expecting Taylor Sheridan, weren’t you?). Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie) as Sara dodges bullets, survives sexual assaults, and endures winter in the mountains, all while caring for her disabled son. Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch, The Normal Heart) is their skilled mountain man guide, raised by the Shoshone and haunted by the loss of his wife and son. From his namesake trading post, Pathfinder Jim Bridges (Shea Whigham, Boardwalk Empire) is under increasing threats to sell his land to the Mormons, led by Brigham Young (Kim Coates, Sons of Anarchy).
American Primeval is overwhelming at times. It is not a binge watch. My wife and I watched it early in the evening to avoid potential nightmares. Yes, it is grim but also gripping. While the separate stories don’t overlap or come together (as emphasized by the shifting scenery between the flatlands and the mountains), they expand the patina of the West and showcase the program’s sparkling cinemaphotography. You may wonder how these people survive their serious injuries by applying hot knives, poultice, and wooden splints, but their drastic circumstances force the actors to go to dark places. Betty Gilpin is particularly captivating as she confronts one traumatic situation after another. The ending offers her a hopeful destination, but reflective of her ordeal, it comes with a cost. Does American Primeval push the boundaries of cruelty with its bluntness? Maybe. But we all know in our gut that our country’s history of western expansion was merciless. We just rarely see it portrayed so realistically.
(American Primeval is streaming on Netflix, six episodes of about 50-60 minutes each.)
D² Rating: ◼◼◼◪☐
Trivia: Betty Gilpin starred as “Liberty Belle” in what Netflix series that ran from 2017-19?
Trivia: The Utah Territory was approved in 1850 by which U.S. President?
Answers below
Answers: GLOW and Millard Fillmore
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