8 Years Ago, Netflix Quietly Released the Best Western TV Show of All Time
Netflix’s *Godless*, a seven-part Western limited series written and directed by Scott Frank, premiered in November 2017 and drew praise from critics and audiences. Set in the late 19th-century New Mexico, it uses a town largely populated by women to refresh familiar Western themes and has been described as an unusually inventive television take on the genre.
Outlaw Frank Griffin, played by Jeff Daniels, pursues Roy Goode, his former protégé, after Roy leaves the gang and finds refuge near La Belle. As Roy seeks redemption with Alice Fletcher, played by Michelle Dockery, Griffin’s approach threatens the already battered town. The article also singles out Carlos Rafael Rivera’s score as a major strength.
- *Godless* brought a fresh approach to the Western as a Netflix limited series.
- The story centres on outlaw Frank Griffin’s pursuit of Roy Goode.
- Carlos Rafael Rivera’s score is highlighted as a standout.
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Western stories are usually set in the American frontier in the 19th century, where small settlements faced violence, isolation and disputes over land and law. Godless is a seven-part drama set in New Mexico, centred on La Belle, a town whose population is largely women after a mining disaster.
Outlaw Frank Griffin is hunting Roy Goode, a former member of his gang who has left him and found refuge near the town. Alice Fletcher offers Roy a chance to build a different life, while Griffin’s pursuit puts La Belle at risk. The series revisits familiar Western themes of loyalty, justice and survival through this unusual community.