10 Best TV Shows Like American Primeval You Need To Watch Next

Debuting in January 2025, the Netflix action-drama "American Primeval" continues the recent rash of top-notch Westerns on television inspired by true events. Whether it's hit entries like "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" — which doesn't tell the whole story — or the Epix series "Billy the Kid," streaming networks are rediscovering the incredible drama that can be found in the genre. Helmed by big-screen "Friday Night Lights" director Peter Berg, "American Primeval" dramatizes the lesser-known 19th-century conflict known as the Utah War.

Typically overshadowed by the bloodiest war in American history that followed it just a few years later, the Utah War — also called the Mormon Rebellion or the Mormon War — raged for more than a year beginning in May 1857. A clash of cultures, the conflict kicked off when the federal government sought to take more direct control over a region dominated by the controversial Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With the government seeking to end their sovereignty and curtail many of their religious practices — including polygamy — militias of armed Mormons violently resisted federal troops in a series of bloody battles that ultimately resulted in more than 150 deaths.

The story of two groups each fighting for what they believe in, "American Primeval" explores the cost of freedom and poses questions about the limits of authoritative power. Set in a time of lawlessness, when the government struggled to maintain control over its own territories, the series is full of fast-paced Western action, intense family drama, and plenty of moralizing. If you're hooked already, don't miss these 10 shows like "American Primeval" that you need to watch next.

Perhaps the first series you should stream if you've just gotten into "American Primeval," the Taylor Sheridan series "1883" is more of a miniseries, even if it's part of a larger canvas. Starring country music legends and real-life married couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, "1883" is a prequel to the smash hit "Yellowstone," but can be enjoyed all on its own. In some ways, it may be even better when viewed before that Kevin Costner-led show.

Like "American Primeval," the series takes place in a time when anyone could create their own future with little more than a horse and a rucksack. McGraw and Hill step into the boots of James and Margaret Dutton, while Isabel May plays their headstrong teenage daughter Elsa. Together with little John Dutton (Audie Rick), the family joins a wagon train of ill-prepared European settlers across the plains to find a new home. They are led by aging Union veteran Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) and a Pinkerton agent named Thomas (LaMonica Garrett).

Along the way, the group is forced to deal with all manner of catastrophes, from daring bandit raids to attacks by vengeful tribes of Lakota to devastating storms and the horrors of disease. In a time when merely crossing a river could lead to a massacre, nothing is certain, and "1883" hammers home the precarious nature of the untamed West. Though it didn't win any major awards, the series may be the best Western of the last decade, even if it left plenty of unanswered questions for audiences to ponder.

Although it's the only show on this list to take place in the present, you might be surprised at how close the story of "Yellowstone" feels to the 19th-century action of "American Primeval." In some ways one might even view the two shows as spiritual brothers: "Yellowstone" follows the descendants of the "1883" Dutton family, led by John Dutton III (Kevin Costner), as the clan has become a powerful force, owners of a sprawling cattle ranch that sits amid the mountains of Montana and is sandwiched between federal land and the Broken Rock Indian Reservation.

Though the Duttons have a lot of influence in the region, they come under threat from all sides. Like the heroes of "Primeval," they fend off attacks from the neighboring Native Americans, but also deal with assaults from big business interests and powerful politicians who all want a piece of the territory they've called home for generations. But some of John Dutton's biggest problems come from within, with his lawyer son Jaime (Wes Bentley), ruthless executive daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly), and maverick son Kacey (Luke Grimes) not always seeing eye-to-eye on the ranch's future.

A crime drama, a neo-Western, and at times even reminiscent of a gritty soap opera, "Yellowstone" has it all, from action to suspense to jaw-dropping twists and turns. And even though it's set in the 21st century, you'll still find plenty of rough-riding cowboys, sharp-shooting gunfighters, and plenty of social commentary. During its five-season run it was one of the hottest shows on TV, spawning a franchise with multiple spin-offs which might help tie up the finale's many loose ends. 

Between 2011 and 2016 there was no better Western on television than "Hell on Wheels." The title refers to the mobile shanty towns that follow the construction of railroads, and the series tells the story of perhaps the most famous rail construction project in American history: the building of the first transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. It's the aftermath of the Civil War and one-time Confederate colonel Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) is hired to oversee work crews for the Union Pacific Railroad as the rail construction makes its way westward.

Employing migrants and freed slaves, it's a difficult situation for the former Southern soldier who is hiding his own dark secrets. But Bohannon finds an unlikely friend in Elam Ferguson (Common), a freedman who knows that the end of slavery hasn't translated to acceptance, let alone true freedom. The pair toil for real-life railroad baron Thomas "Doc" Durant (Colm Meaney), a ruthless businessman whose only concern is his wallet and who's willing to stomp on anyone who gets in his way. Together they're forced to deal with the rigors of their work while fighting off conflict from without and within.

A mix of intense character drama and explosive Western action, "Hell on Wheels" sees Bohannon and his crews face off against neighboring tribes of Native Americans, angry Mormon settlers, and even the federal government itself. If you're looking for a period piece that showcases the rising tensions that pioneers faced as they pushed their way West, there are few better shows to watch.

"American Primeval" chronicles the many troubles and conflicts that arise between wildly different groups who all settle in the American West during the last great era of unbridled freedom. If you want to know more about how those kinds of freedom-loving fortune seekers lived together, check out "Deadwood," the story of the infamous Wild West town that's been the subject of countless Western tales. It's a place where all manner of people settle and come together to find their future, from wild-eyed optimists sure they'll strike it rich to the filthiest souls that ever walked the plains.

It's in this messy, muddy burg that we meet Deputy U.S. Marshal Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), a real-life lawman who most probably never have heard of, but who is famed by historians and Wild West aficionados. Bullock arrived in Deadwood in the 1870s, and it's there that he had infamous run-ins with Wild West legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp, both of whom show up in the series. But Bullock's true adversary is Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), a hard-drinking, ill-tempered, foul-mouthed lout who owns the town brothel and has his hand in just about everything else. 

Pitch-perfect casting was the show's strongest point, with the then-little-known Olyphant giving a career-defining performance, while McShane instantly became one of TV's best bad guys. Though it only ran for three seasons and 36 episodes, it wrapped up its story in 2019 with "Deadwood: The Movie." Not only is it one of the best shows to watch after "American Primeval," but "Deadwood" might be the most definitive Western of the 21st Century.

When it comes to iconic Western acting legends you might think of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, but the most underrated might be Kevin Costner, who's quietly built an entire career out of Western movies and TV shows. From "Silverado" to "Horizon: An American Saga," he always seems to be peering out from under a cowboy hat, and in 2012 he starred alongside the late Bill Paxton in the historical miniseries, "Hatfields and McCoys." 

Just as "American Primeval" explores a smaller-scale war in the Western territories in the 19th century, so does this three-part mini-series. Instead of a clash of cultures, however, it's a clash of clans, telling the true story of one of the nation's deadliest family feuds. A bitter rivalry that raged for generations, even history isn't clear on who really started it. Whoever was responsible, though, the end result was numerous deaths on both sides. The fight was led by William Hatfield (Costner) on one side, and Randall McCoy (Paxton), on the other. The two families fought on opposing sides during the Civil War, and during Reconstruction seemed to keep the war going in their own backyards.

Essentially a three-part movie, "Hatfields and McCoys" is the perfect binge-watch after "American Primeval." Costner and Paxton are joined by Tom Berenger, Powers Boothe, Sarah Parish, and a young Boyd Holbrook. Though it wasn't striving for historical accuracy, the mini-series is a riveting family drama in a time where even the slightest offense could end in blood.

Set partially in the decade before "American Primeval," the 2017 series "The Son" is a prestige period drama that ran for two seasons on AMC. It's also the first starring role in a small-screen series for Pierce Brosnan since his run in the 1980s spy drama "Remington Steele" — the series that stopped him from almost playing James Bond in 1985. Instead of a swaggering super-spy, Brosnan plays wealthy Texas cattle baron Eli McCullough, whose business is on the verge of collapse in 1915.

With his luck waning, the charming but often aloof McCullough seeks to expand his operations and begins exploring the booming oil business. Despite his trouble, he still has hopes of rebuilding his empire and regaining his former fortune so that he might have something to leave to his two sons. But we soon learn that his children may have their own secrets. Still, the real story of "The Son" is back in the 1800s, as we see a much younger McCullough experience one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable: As a young boy, McCullough (played by teenage actor Jacob Lofland) is abducted by a group of violent Comanches and held captive for several years. 

As the story unfolds we learn more about McCullough's past, and how it defined his life and shaped his dogmatic and ruthless view of the world. Though critics were divided, audiences agreed it was one of the better Westerns in recent years. Brosnan, meanwhile, is in top form, delivering some of the finest work of his illustrious career.

In the mid-2000s, despite the success of "Deadwood" on HBO, there still weren't that many Westerns on TV, but one of the few worth checking out is the 2006 event miniseries, "Broken Trail." Based on a novel by Alan Geoffrion, who also wrote the script, the series was directed by Walter Hill, whose long career includes screenwriting duties on hits like "48 Hrs" and directing the 1995 Jeff Bridges Western "Wild Bill."

In "Broken Trail" we meet Prentice Ritter (Robert Duvall), who attempts to reconnect with his nephew, Tom Harte (Thomas Haden Church), after the death of his estranged mother. But while embarking on a cattle drive bound for Wyoming, the pair discover that a former army captain, Billy Fender, is trafficking young women into sexual slavery. After rescuing a few of the women, the uncle and nephew find themselves targets of the vicious gang who want their women back.

A more black-and-white story than most modern Westerns, it's refreshing to find a pair of cowboys who are morally upstanding heroes, fighting truly despicable adversaries who are anything but sympathetic. Some might call it a White Savior myth, but either way, it's a good series, with a strong story and engaging drama. Ultimately, like "American Primeval," it's the story about doing the right thing in a time when doing so could get one killed.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Not every period piece on our list is set in the same century as "American Primeval." After all, not every story about pioneers and frontier conflict happened in the American West. One great story of borderland war is chronicled in the 2016 Netflix original drama "Frontier." The aptly named series stars DC fan-favorite Jason Momoa as a Declan Harp, a warrior whose bloodline gives him European and native roots. 

"Frontier" is set in the late 1700s in the wilderness of the Great White North, as the fur trade is exploding in the region and turning a once-wild land into a bustling outpost for fortune seekers. As the series begins, the area is all but controlled by the powerful Hudson Bay Company, while dangerous outlaws and wild renegades seek to steal riches any way they can. The English trade organization has completely taken over and is in constant conflict with the locals, who are being pushed out as industry destroys their way of life. Caught in the middle is Harp, who has ancestors on both sides of the conflict. 

Exploring an era that is often left out of the history books, "Frontier" shines a light on an underrepresented historical conflict. With high-stakes action, luscious visuals, and ambitious storytelling, it has more in common with "American Primeval" than just its Wild West energy. It's the story of a man fighting to protect his home against forces that would seek to destroy it in the name of progress.

Going back even earlier than "Frontier" is the 2020 limited series "Barkskins," which aired as an original scripted drama on the National Geographic network. Released during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled so many TV shows, "Barkskins" didn't get much attention, and might be the most underrated show on this list. The action takes place at the tail end of the 17th century, when French settlers are first arriving in the New World, in a region that was then known colloquially as "New France."

The French Colonial drama centers on a group of men and women who arrive in this new, untrodden land seeking a better life. The men are signing up to become indentured servants, certain it will brighten their future with the promise of owning their own land. The women, meanwhile, hope to find husbands among the rabble of available male suitors. Unfortunately, they are all in for a rude awakening, as the promise of a better life isn't what it's cracked up to be. Wars with the indigenous population are just the tip of the iceberg, as even their own governments make only empty promises.

A violent, visceral series, "Barkskins" stars David Thewlis and Marcia Gay Harden are likely the only names you'll recognize, as the series is led by an almost entirely unknown cast. Nevertheless, the series isn't lacking in quality, breathtaking cinematography, or stellar performances, even if much of the story is well-trodden ground.

If you love TV gunslingers and want some serious Western drama, but aren't as well-versed in the real history of 19th century America, then this one is for you. "Into the Wild Frontier" is a four-season docudrama that aired on the little-known Western network INSP, beginning its run in 2022. The series mixes documentary-style interviews with movie-like retellings of real-life historical events, accompanied by expert historical analysis, and switching back and forth between historians and dramatizations in a way that makes you want to see more of the other each time. 

Unlike some docuseries, "Into the Wild Frontier" doesn't tell a single story, but is more episodic in nature. Each installment showcases a real historical figure, usually a famous pioneer or legendary lawman, and often the infamous renegades they fought as well. The series recaps the exploits of everyone from fabled duos like Lewis and Clark and Mason and Dixon to Western folk heroes like Daniel Boone and lesser-known figures like Kit Carson and Joe Meek. 

Across more than 30 episodes you'll find the riveting stories of explorers, fur trappers, cowboys, and mountain men who helped settle the region. Part historical retrospective, part Western drama, "Into the Wild Frontier" is the perfect mix of education and entertainment for anyone with an interest in the history of the Wild West and the brave men and women who called it their backyard.