With cowboys, gunfights, outlaws, horse riding, railways, and an open wilderness, there’s much to love about Western movies. Most of the genre’s popularity grew as a result of the simplicity of its storyline and less use of sophisticated ammunition. The Old West or Wild West saw its movies gain popularity in the 1900s.
Western TV shows like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Wagon Train, and The Rifleman dominated the 50s & 60. However, with a wider range of new and multi-genre shows being introduced in the early 21st century, fewer Western TV shows were made. With Westerns making a comeback, here are the 10 best modern Western TV shows to catch up on, as ranked on IMDb.
10. Godless – 8.2
A good way to get started with Western TV shows is with the miniseries Godless. The Netflix miniseries comprised 7 episodes and was released on November 22, 2017. The series is set in 1884 and revolves around the life of a young outlaw, Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell). Goode, orphaned and adopted at a young age by Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), is on the run from Griffin after stealing loot from their planned robbery. A vengeful Griffin chases Goode across the Wild West, forcing Goode to hide in a small New Mexico town populated almost entirely by women.
9. Longmire – 8.3
Longmire is one of the most popular Western shows of the last decade. The show was based on Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire Mysteries book series, developed and adapted for television by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin. Longmire comprises 6 seasons with 63 episodes. The first 3 seasons premiered on A&E network before it was acquired by Netflix, which aired the last 3 seasons. However, all 6 seasons are available for streaming and bingeing on Netflix. The show follows the life of a fictional Absaroka County sheriff, Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), who investigates crimes within the county with his daughter, friends, and colleagues.
8. Hell on Wheels – 8.3
Hell on Wheels is the only American/Canadian Western show on the list. The AMC series aired from November 6, 2011, to July 23, 2016. Its 57 episodes are spread across 5 seasons, with each episode having a running time of 50-40 minutes. Hell on Wheels tells the story of the construction of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S., focusing on the life of Cullen Bohannon (played by Anson Mount). In search of revenge for his murdered wife and son, Bohannon joins the construction as a railroad man before becoming the foreman of the Transcontinental Railroad.
7. 1923 – 8.4
Harrison Ford is cast as Jacob Dutton in this Paramount+ Western drama, 1923. The show recently aired on December 18, 2022, and has seen impressive reviews, with an 8.4 on IMDb. 1923 was created as a prequel and sequel of two famous Paramount Network series, Yellowstone and 1883. With each episode’s running time of 47–69 minutes, the first season had 8 episodes, with an 8-episode season 2 already greenlit by the network. Helen Mirren plays the wife of Harrison Ford’s character and matriarch of the Dutton family, Cara Dutton.
6. Westworld – 8.5
Westworld is an HBO dystopian science fiction drama created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. The series is based on the 1973 Michael Crichton film Westworld. It also loosely draws inspiration from the 1976 sequel, Futureworld. Westworld TV series first aired on October 2, 2016, with its last episode on August 14, 2022. The 4 season series boasts an impressive cast. The cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, James Marsden, Luke Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, and Aaron Paul.
5. Justified – 8.6
With its sequel series, Justified: City Primeval, being released in mid-2023, now is a good time for the neo-Western crime drama audience to catch up on FX’s Justified. With an 8.6 audience rating on IMDb, Justified was a 78-episode 6 seasons masterpiece that aired from March 16, 2010, to April 14, 2015. The series follows the life of its handsome-face protagonist Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (played by Timothy Olyphant). Given reconnects with his past after being sent back to the city of his birth, Harlan, Kentucky.
4. Deadwood – 8.6
Deadwood is an award-winning HBO Western series, often regarded as one of the greatest TV shows ever made. With only 3 seasons and 36 episodes, TV Guide ranked it among its 2013 list of 60 shows that got canceled too soon. Deadwood aired on HBO from March 21, 2004, to August 27, 2006. Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant were part of the series ensemble cast, playing the real-life characters of Al Swearengen and Seth Bullock, respectively. Set in the 1870s, Deadwood follows the events and growth of the town from when it was a camp.
3. 1883 – 8.7
In an era of series’ prequels and sequels, 1883 was created as a prequel to Yellowstone. 1883 is a 10-episode Paramount+ miniseries created as the first of several prequels to give clarity on certain events in Yellowstone. 1883 aired from December 19, 2021, to February 27, 2022. The miniseries is set in the titular year and details the journey of the Dutton Family after the Civil War. It follows the family’s journeys from Tennessee, through Oregon, before arriving and establishing the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana.
2. The Mandalorian – 8.7
Unarguably one of the most popular space Western shows on television. The Disney+ series was created by Jon Favreau and based on George Lucas’ Star Wars. The Mandalorian is set after the events of the 1983 Return of the Jedi. The series revolves around a lone bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), who’s on the run to protect Grogu. The show premiered on November 12, 2019, and currently has 3 seasons.
1. Yellowstone – 8.7
On the top of the list is the Paramount+ neo-Western drama Yellowstone. The series is known for its rich ensemble cast, which includes Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, and Gil Birmingham. The series is set in Montana and follows the struggle of the Dutton family to retain their Yellowstone Ranch land. The series premiered on June 20, 2018, and is currently in its fifth season.Michael Crichton
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