Luckily, there are 10 Western shows that are absolutely perfect for longtime fans of the genre and newcomers alike. All of them offer something different, from a snapshot of what Westerns used to be to brilliant deconstructions of the genre that update it for modern times. No matter how you feel about Westerns in general, these 10 shows are must-watch television.
10
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Stream On: Paramount+
One of Taylor Sheridan’s best Western series isn’t actually connected to his Yellowstone franchise of shows. Lawmen: Bass Reeves follows a fictionalized version of the real lawman Bass Reeves, who was one of the first Black marshals working West of the Mississippi River. With just eight episodes, Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the perfect miniseries for anybody looking for a thrilling and action-packed adventure in the Old West.
Bass Reeves also has a lot to offer for viewers who are just dipping their toes into the Western genre. As it was made in 2023, Bass Reeves features a more modern style and production quality that can make it more engaging than older Westerns. It also has a star-studded cast featuring the likes of David Oyelowo, Donald Sutherland, and Dennis Quaid. Its story, of Bass Reeves going from slave to legendary lawman, is also extremely universal.
9
Longmire
Stream On: Paramount+
The Western genre blends well with many other genres, and Longmire is proof that Westerns and mystery thrillers are a match made in heaven. Longmire follows the sheriff of a rural county in Wyoming as he uses his knowledge of the land and common sense to solve murder mysteries. At the same time, he has to balance local politics with the nearby Cheyenne reservation, manage a severely understaffed team of deputies, and solve the mystery of his own wife’s murder.
There’s a lot to praise about Longmire. Its mysteries are engaging and thoroughly surprising, its overarching narrative provides a great through line between seasons, and it has some of the best characters in Western TV history, with the notable standouts of Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) and Vic Moretti (Katee Sackhoff). Each episode of Longmire is a surprise waiting to be discovered, and it very rarely disappoints.
8
Dark Winds
Stream On: AMC+
Another blend of Western and mystery thriller, Dark Winds, takes a different approach to the fusion of genres. Dark Winds follows Joe Leaphorn and his two main deputies as they police a huge swath of territory on the Navajo reservation in the early 1970s. The main trio has to contend with terrorist organizations, human trafficking rings, and murderous billionaires all while confronting supernatural pieces of Navajo folklore made real.
Unlike Longmire, the mysteries of Dark Winds take place over an entire season rather than individual episodes. The show also dives much deeper into the challenges facing Indigenous peoples and the realities of life on a reservation in the 1970s. That respectful approach to Navajo culture, coupled with some world-class acting performances by actors playing endlessly endearing characters, makes Dark Winds a must-watch.
7
Godless
Stream On: Netflix
Another short and sweet miniseries, Godless is also well worth watching. Godless takes place in a town mostly populated by women after a massive mining disaster that is visited by an outlaw on the run from his deadly gang. It’s a fairly simple premise of a town rallying to defend themselves against a murderous gang that’s reminiscent of The Magnificent Seven, but Godless‘ mostly-female cast gives it plenty of room to be wholly original.
Though it sometimes moves a bit slowly, Godless has more than enough intrigue to keep viewers hooked for its seven episodes. The women of La Belle are interesting with strong personalities, and the threat of Jeff Daniels’ Frank Griffin arriving gives everything a layer of suspense. Godless is also particularly exciting for fans of Westerns, as it does quite a bit to deconstruct tropes of the genre in interesting ways.
6
Hell on Wheels
Stream On: Paramount+/AMC+
AMC proved it was a powerhouse for Western shows long before Dark Winds thanks to Hell on Wheels. Hell on Wheels follows Cullen Bohannon, a Confederate veteran who begins working on the transcontinental railroad to get revenge on the men who killed his wife during the Civil War. Though it starts out as a simple revenge quest, Hell on Wheels grew over its five seasons to become a sprawling tale of political intrigue and subterfuge.
One of the best reasons to watch Hell on Wheels is its connection to real history. Like some other shows on this list, Hell on Wheels is inspired by one of the most fascinating periods of the Old West. It takes an in-depth look at Westward Expansion, the nearly all-powerful railroad barons of the times, and even the political unrest left in the wake of the Civil War. Hell on Wheels is a history buff’s dream, and it’s a great introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the time period.
5
Justified
Stream On: Hulu/Disney+
As far as neo-Westerns go, few shows are better than Justified. Justified follows Raylan Givens, a US Marshal who has a complicated history with career criminal Boyd Crowder. Raylan and Boyd have one of the best rivalries in TV history, and the way their conflicting goals and shared history intersect gives Justified a great deal of tension throughout its six seasons. Each individual season also presents a new and interesting criminal conspiracy to unravel.
10 Best Lawmen From TV Westerns
Noble lawmen and morally ambiguous antiheroes have maintained law and order across the vast and varied history of Western series on television.
Justified is often hailed as one of both Timothy Olyphant’s and Walton Goggins’ best shows, and for good reason. The two actors have unbelievable chemistry, the show is very smartly written and well-structured to keep each season fresh and engaging, and the action scenes are as gripping and exciting now as they were 15 years ago.
4
Gunsmoke
Stream On: Peacock
Arguably the best Western TV show ever made, Gunsmoke, is a classic for a reason. Though it came out in the 1950s, Gunsmoke has stood the test of time. The series follows Marshal Matt Dillon and his time protecting the notorious frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas. Dillon usually dealt with new problems every episode, like newcomers to town and causing problems.
Gunsmoke ran for 20 seasons, so watching it all the way through is no easy feat. It is, however, worth it. Gunsmoke is the single best way to introduce yourself to the great American myth of the Old West. It’s the idealized vision of the West that every Western prior to the 1970s was built upon in its purest form. While later Westerns got acclaim for deconstructing this myth, Gunsmoke was one of the legends that created it in the first place.
3
Rawhide
Stream On: Philo
Even people who aren’t familiar with Westerns know that Clint Eastwood is a legend of the genre, and he got his start in Rawhide. Rawhide follows a group of cowboys that bring cattle from Texas to Missouri in the aftermath of the Civil War. Unlike Gunsmoke, Rawhide was one of the earliest Western stories to bring a more realistic and grounded tone to the idea of the Old West. Life in Rawhide was hard, and the problems facing America weren’t swept under the rug.
Rawhide is entertaining on its own, and it provides a sort of time capsule to see what general thinking was like in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but its real staying power lies in Clint Eastwood. Watching Rawhide shows that Eastwood had all the ingredients to become an iconic leading man right from the start. It’s fascinating to see him go from the impulsive and youthful Rowdy Yates to the stoic and iconic Man with No Name.
2
Yellowstone
Stream On: Peacock
There are plenty of bright spots in Taylor Sheridan’s litany of Western TV shows, but it’s probably best to start with the one that started it all: Yellowstone. Yellowstone follows the Dutton family and their titular ranch in Montana as they try to protect it from outside forces looking to capitalize on the land. The Duttons are a severely dysfunctional bunch, however, and they’re plagued by trouble within the family as much as they are from the outside world.
Yellowstone was largely responsible for the recent revival of the Western genre on television, and for Sheridan’s meteoric rise to fame. That’s largely because Yellowstone has so much to offer to so many viewers. It provides an idealized look at modern life in the West, it romanticizes tradition while also leaving room for change, and the family dynamics of the Duttons are peak drama. When taken alongside its spinoff shows, Yellowstone is a fantastic generational family drama.
1
Deadwood
Stream On: HBO Max
If you were only going to watch one Western series, Deadwood would be your best choice. Deadwood follows the real-life historical figures who settled in Deadwood, South Dakota during the gold rush. Every single member of the cast of Deadwood, which features a remarkable number of big names like Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane, has their own hidden agendas, their own political power plays, and their own vendettas against everyone else.
Deadwood is unique in that it’s just as thrilling to Western fans as it is to non-Western fans. The realistic and gritty depiction of the Old West is perfect for those who like Revisionist Westerns and good classic gunfights. The political gambits, snappy and profanity-filled dialogue, and well-developed relationships are perfect for anyone who likes television. If you need a Western show to watch, you can’t go wrong with Deadwood.