Netflix has unveiled the first look at its next Western series, and it’s an exciting one not only for fans of that genre, but Sci-Fi and fantasy as well. All three of those are things the streaming service is well-versed in, with some of its biggest hits – such as Stranger Things and Wednesday – falling into the latter two. And with its new show coming in December, they’ll be hoping to repeat some of that success.
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The series in question is The Abandons, which hails from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter. The show takes place in Washington Territory in 1954, following a pair of feuding (and very different) families, with the matriarchs of each at the very center of the narrative. There’s Lena Headey’s Fiona Nolan, who has a family of adopted orphans, and Gillian Anderson’s wealthy Constance Van Ness, who looks to control the town, both of whom are revealed in the first images [via Netflix on X and Tudum].
The Abandons Is Full Of Genre Actors – And Continues Netflix’s Westerns Trend
The first look photos do a great job of selling its Old West setting, and one of the most exciting aspects of the series: Headey facing off with Anderson. Both are two incredible acting talents, and have been showcasing exactly that in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy realm for decades. Anderson, of course, starred (and was brilliant) in The X-Files and its two movies. Headey led the cancelled-too-soon The Sarah Connor Chronicles, before going on to greater acclaim as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, giving one of the show’s best, most layered performances.
There are a few other Thrones actors in the cast as well, including Michael Huisman (the second actor to play Daario Naharis) and Aisling Franciosi (who portrayed Lyanna Stark in Seasons 6 and 7). Sutter is also bringing back some Sons of Anarchy actors, including Ryan Hurst (Opie Winston) and Michael Marisi Ornstein (Chucky Marstein). There’s even room for an X-Men star, with actor Lucas Till (who played Havok in First Class, Days of Future Past, and Apocalypse) among the main cast.
Both Headey and Anderson know how to play complex characters and portray power struggles, and that should be evident again here; the thought of them facing off, in particular, makes this a very exciting prospect. Similarly, with Sutter at the helm, it’s unlikely the series will hold back on the grit, hardships, and violence of the era it’s portraying. This is something Netflix has form with in its Westerns, going back to the miniseries Godless (2017), and more recently, this year’s American Primeval.
That series marked a notable push for Netflix into doing more with the genre, which proved to be a great success, as it aims to capitalize on its small-screen revival in recent years, which has mostly been through Taylor Sheridan shows such as Yellowstone. The popularity of that is clearly something the streamer is looking to replicate, which it’s also tried to do with Ransom Canyon and now, The Abandons. Based on the talent involved, this has a real chance of being a hit.
The Abandons will release on Netflix on December 4th, 2025.
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