While most Westerns contain similar tropes, neo-Westerns are pushing boundaries, giving fans of the genre more creative TV shows. The “Golden Age of Westerns” is considered to be the 1940s-1960s, before the genre fell out of style. While there are plenty of TV shows that would not exist without classic Westerns, the revival is bringing new life to the genre.
Neo-Westerns feature many of the tropes and locales seen in older Westerns, but the stories take place in a more contemporary setting. There are now many great Western TV shows set in modern times, but the exact criteria for what is considered a neo-Western can be debatable, with space Westerns and genre mixes sometimes being counted and other times overlooked.
Shows like Breaking Bad and Luke Cage have often been described as Westerns, but their inclusion in lists of neo-Westerns is still subject to opinion, to a degree. While the genre is still evolving, the best neo-Western TV shows have become some of the most popular TV shows of all time, and many of them are currently streaming on Netflix.
Territory (2024)
An Australian Neo-Western That Was Canceled Too Soon
Despite positive reviews and an 87% positive critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix canceled Territory after just one season. Still, it is a neo-Western that is well worth watching. Territory takes the Western genre aesthetic and tropes to Australia’s Northern Territory, where the show’s Lawson family dynasty finds that their cattle station is sought after by several rival factions.
Many of the characters in Territory are based on classic Western archetypes like outlaws and cowboys, but the show brings them to the modern age. The six-part series stars Anna Torv as Emily, who was born into a family of cattle thieves but marries into the Lawson family. As the patriarch, Colin, becomes incapable of running the ranch, triggering a power grab.
A theme running through many classic Westerns is the battle over land, and this has generally not aged well, with classic Westerns showing Native Americans in a negative light. However, neo-Westerns are often able to change the narrative for a more realistic portrayal. Territory includes several nuanced and well-rounded portrayals of First Nations Australians, and references the Stolen Generations.
Ransom Canyon (2025-Present)
The Neo-Western Soap Drama Has A Dedicated Following
Ransom Canyon is Netflix’s first multi-season Western since 2020, and is lighter than many Westerns. The show gives equal focus to its relationships and land dispute plotlines, and by centering on the characters rather than the setting, the show explores the personal impact that many of the typical Western genre conflicts skim over. These include economic issues, generational trauma, and legacy.
The series follows a very typical classic Western story, with a land dispute and a mysterious figure arriving in town. As three rival ranching family dynasties fight for control of land, one rancher, Staten Kirkland, is on a quest for vengeance. When the troubled cowboy Yancy Grey turns up, his presence threatens to reveal secrets from the past.
While critics have generally given Ransom Canyon mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the show has had a much more positive reception from its audiences. Ransom Canyon might not be the most groundbreaking neo-Western on Netflix, but it captures the essence of the Western genre while blending it with the romance and drama often found in soaps.
The Ranch (2016-2020)
A Rare Neo-Western Comedy
While many classic Westerns have some funny moments, the neo-Western genre is often grittier, with a darker take on the struggles faced by the characters. The Ranch is a more lighthearted family sitcom that still works as a neo-Western. It’s set in small-town Colorado, and all of its episodes are named after country music songs.
The Ranch is a Netflix original and showcases great performances from Ashton Kutcher and Western veteran Sam Elliot. The show follows a typical sitcom format, complete with a laugh track, and unlike most other neo-Westerns, The Ranch makes fun of the genre in a way that is playful rather than mean-spirited. The show is about a family ranch in need of help.
When Colt Bennett returns home to his family ranch while waiting to try out for a sports team, he finds that his family has fallen on hard times and tries to help, often ineptly. The Ranch included typical Western themes but in a gentler way, without extreme violence and trauma. It ran for four seasons, with 80 episodes in total.
Song of the Bandits (2023)
South Korea’s Neo-Western Is Set In East Asia’s Borderlands
The South Korean Western Song of the Bandits includes plenty of typical Western tropes like gunfights, duels, and lone heroes, but offers a fresh take on the genre. The show is set in the 1920s against a backdrop of Japanese occupation, when many fled to the lawless Gando to unite and protect their land in advance of the Gando massacre.
The main protagonists follow typical Western storylines, with a focus on morally-conflicted heroes and antiheroes, like Lee Yoon, who becomes a bandit to protect people. Even the setting is a “Wild West” equivalent, with the arid deserts and dusty border towns. That said, Song of the Bandits is more than just a typical Western with a new location.
The show uses the history of South Korea to put a different and more politically-focused spin on the Western genre. This approach has brought typical Western themes to a wider audience, and made the show a success. Song of the Bandits has an 89% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been described as “one of the best Western shows in recent years.”
Dark Winds (2022-Present)
A Navajo-Focused Neo-Western Crime Drama
One of the most fascinating recent neo-Westerns on Netflix, and every season of Dark Winds has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The show is set in the 1970s and follows Navajo Tribal police officers as they solve crimes. Dark Winds has drawn particular critical acclaim for centering Navajo experiences and perspectives in a way that is still rarely done on TV.
Despite excellent reviews and a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, Dark Winds has never been nominated for an Emmy Award.
As the Western genre has regularly sidelined or caricatured Native American characters, Dark Winds is a breath of fresh air and an optimistic sign for the future of Westerns. It’s an exciting mix of genres, featuring typical Western settings and lawmakers like its central characters, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, but with a crime noir plot.
More than a typical murder mystery, Dark Winds pays as much attention to the lives of the characters as it does to the crimes. As Chee and Leaphorn investigate a series of crimes, they discover that the events are connected and bring up wounds from Leaphorn’s past. The supernatural element to Dark Winds adds another layer of intrigue to the story, making it one of the best neo-Westerns on Netflix.
