Taylor Sheridan fans who’ve felt a nagging void since 1883 concluded in 2022 will find Scott Frank’s award-winning Western drama Godless on Netflix to be a more perfect follow-up to the Yellowstone spin-off. In addition to the dusty environs of the Old West set in neighboring states in early development, Godless begins one year after the events depicted in 1883. Despite coming from different networks and showrunners, both limited series feel like opposite sides of the coin that should be watched in unison.
While Godless has been recognized for superior performances led by Jeff Daniels in his first Western, what makes Godless and 1883 so simpatico is the portrayal of hard-living, strong-willed women in a male-dominated genre and time period. In what could also make an ideal companion to Netflix’s new western series, The Abandons, Godless, and 1883 share more than enough in common for Sheridan’s fans to indulge.
What is ‘Godless’ About?
Before creating the massive Netflix hit miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, Scott Frank created, wrote, and directed Godless, a 7-part Western miniseries released in November 2017. The story begins in 1884, when a notorious outlaw named Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels) rides into Crede, Colorado, pursued by Marshal John Cook (Sam Waterston). Frank and his right-hand, Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell), steal money and flee to the town of La Belle, New Mexico, where a wounded Roy hides the loot and begins turning against Frank and his criminal behavior.
In La Belle, Roy is nursed by Alice Fletcher (Michelle Dockery), an independent-minded widow who runs a small ranch outside of town with her native mother-in-law, Iyovi (Tantoo Cardinal), and half-native son, Truckee (Samuel Marty). Once Roy comes to, he soon discovers that La Belle is a town populated and run by nearly all women after a fatal mining accident killed most of the men.
Marshal Cook comes to La Belle to warn the local sheriff, Bill McNue (Scoot McNairy), that Frank’s gang is expected to arrive. Roy confesses to his crimes in exchange for protection, building relationships with the townsfolk as Frank’s posse storms into town looking to retrieve the hidden loot and murder every witness in sight.
Aside from the unforgiving realities of frontier living in the 1880s, Godless and 1883 are most comparable in their depiction of heroic female characters. In Godless, Bill McNue’s sister, Mary Agnes McNue (Meritt Weaver), is the most driven, intelligent, and sensible character, forging a new life following the death of her spouse, LaBelle’s former mayor. Mary falls in love with Callie Dunne (Tess Frazer), a former prostitute turned schoolteacher. Between Alice, Agnes, and Callie, La Belle is ruled and run by women, who stand up and fiercely protect the town from Frank’s violent gang.
How ‘1883’ Portrays Women Relative to ‘Godless’, Explained
Created by Taylor Sheridan as a Yellowstone prequel, 1883 follows the Dutton family’s pilgrimage from Tennessee to Texas to Montana following the American Civil War. Traveling in a wagon train led by Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott), James Dutton (Tim McGraw), and his wife Margaret (Faith Hill), do their best to provide a better life for their children, Elsa (Isabel May), Spencer, and John (Audie Rick).
While 1883 chronicles the early days of the Dutton family as they evolve from European immigrants to natural-born Americans in the 19th century, it has a sympathetic focus on the strong-minded female characters. One of the most compelling characters is Claire Dutton (Dawn Olivieri), James’s widowed sister, who suffers one grave tragedy after another relating to her children. The other most significant character is Claire’s daughter, Mary Abel (Emma Malouff), a prim and proper young lady who tries to live up to her mother’s image.
Much like the widowed Mary Agnes in Godless, the widowed Claire underscores the unbearable living conditions for women during the 1880s, while America was still in its societal infancy. This theme is magnified by Noemi (Gratiela Brancusi), a Romani native who loses her husband in the inciting mining accident and must raise her two young sons alone as a widow. Noemi eventually sparks a romance with Thomas (LaMonica Garrett), a U.S. Army Sergeant and Buffalo Soldier who accompanies the Dutton family on their sojourn.
Both Godless and 1883 dramatically chart the immigrant experience of families seeking to improve their lot after the Civil War, with compassionate emphasis placed on the unsung women who bravely fought for better lives. 1883 may be more popular, but Godless is more acclaimed.
‘Godless’ Does Almost Everything Better Than ‘1883’, Explained
Although 1883 lasted 10 episodes and Godless lasted seven, the latter eclipses the former in nearly every other category. For as revered as Taylor Sheridan has become for his prolificacy, Scott Frank has more experience and screenwriting bona fides that shine through in Godless. As Steven Spielberg’s uncredited longtime script doctor who also wrote superb screenplays for Dead Again, Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report, The Lookout, Logan, and more, Frank is one of the best and most underappreciated Hollywood scriptwriters.
Once transitioning to television, Scott delivered Godless as his first Netflix foray, retaining an auteur’s unwavering vision by writing, directing, and running all seven episodes. After the acclaimed Netflix western miniseries Godless, Scott turned in The Queen’s Gambit, one of Netflix’s all-time biggest hit miniseries. With talent superior to that of Sheridan, it’s no wonder Godless won three Primetime Emmy Awards, while 1883 was nominated for three but won zero.
Beyond the superior writing in Godless, the performances are also better than those featured in 1883. Jeff Daniels and Merritt Weaver both won Primetime Emmys for their unforgettable performances in Godless. The show also won a 2019 CSA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting. Although Sam Elliott is a fine actor and does some good work, Godless‘ award-winning ensemble blows 1883‘s cast out of the water with its nuanced, cinematic performances.
Yet, fans of Western miniseries set in the 1880s that can be easily binged, Godless and 1883 feel like spiritual cousins that should be seen in tandem. Whether Sheridan was inspired to tell a female-driven tale after seeing Godless is unclear, but the two shows explore similar themes, time periods, and complex characters that are sure to thrill Yellowstone fans to the core.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
