Kurt’s ‘The Abandons’ premieres on Netflix

CALIFORNIA: The Western drama series “The Abandons”, created by Kurt Sutter, premiered on Netflix  on Thursday. The story is set in 1854 Washington Territory and revolves around a bitter power struggle between two formidable women — the ruthless mine-owner Gillian Anderson’s Constance Van Ness, and the devout Irish Catholic rancher Lena Headey’s Fiona Nolan — over land rich in silver.

The series explores classic Western themes–justice VS power, community VS privilege –as Van Ness uses her wealth and influence to try to seize the land from Nolan, who leads a band of orphans and outcasts living in Jasper Hollow.

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According to The Guardian review, the show delivers strong performances and high production value.

But it’s also criticized for heavy-handed seriousness and “very dodgy script moments” — some scenes feel overblown, and the writing occasionally falls into overly familiar Western tropes

Despite that, the show holds attention of the moral conflict, social themes, and emotional stakes (family, injustice, resistance) which make the drama overall compelling, wherein the clash between Anderson and Headey’s characters remains the central pull.