Netflix’s ‘Godless’ Trades Sheridan’s Men For A Town Of Women, And It Works Better

Netflix is pushing a seven-episode Western as a counterweight to Taylor Sheridan’s current run of shows, and the pitch is almost entirely about what it is not. The streamer’s recommendation for “Godless” hinges on the idea that viewers tired of Sheridan’s gritty, character-driven westerns need a different kind of frontier story — one centered on women, set in late-1880s New Mexico, and built around a mining disaster that kills most of the town’s men.

The problem is that “Godless” shares more with Sheridan’s work than it admits. It is a period piece, closer to his “Yellowstone” prequels “1883” and “1923” than to the contemporary settings of “Yellowstone” and “Landman.” And the comparison is thin: seven episodes, three Emmys, and a recommendation that mostly explains the premise rather than the execution.

The Town That Survived

“Godless” follows the town of La Belle, where women have taken over after most of the men died in a mining accident. The series puts them at the center of its story, a move that sets it apart from the genre’s usual cast of male gunslingers, sheriffs, and cowboys.

The show’s central tension comes from an outlaw named Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell), who seeks refuge in La Belle after fleeing his former gang leader. His arrival draws the attention of Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), the villainous outlaw hunting him down, and the town’s new leaders must defend their community against both threats.

Why Scott Frank Chose This Story

Scott Frank created and directed “Godless,” and he had wanted to make a Western for years before finally getting the chance. In a 2017 interview with NPR’s “Fresh Air,” he explained his approach to the genre.

“I love the Western so much,” Frank said. “Why not embrace every single cliche I can think of from the breaking of horses, to the train robberies, to the two guys facing each other in the street — all of that stuff? The mysterious loner — why not find a way to put them all in here and see if I can do it in some sort of different way?”

Frank drew inspiration from real accounts of women left to sustain mining towns after deadly accidents. He wanted to bring a fresh perspective to a genre dominated by men, and the result is a show that trades the swagger of a lone gunman for the strength of a town built by survivors.

The Emmys, and the Rest of the Reception

When “Godless” dropped its lone season on Netflix in 2017, it received favorable reviews from critics and audiences alike. The praise focused on the show’s talented cast and its handling of classic Western action and drama.

The show won three Emmy Awards. Two of those went to actors directly tied to the story:

• Merritt Wever’s performance as Mary Agnes McNue, the sheriff’s sister
• Jeff Daniels’ portrayal of the villainous outlaw Frank Griffin

The source does not detail the third Emmy win.

What “Godless” Actually Is

The recommendation frames “Godless” as a Western not written by Taylor Sheridan, which is technically true but oddly narrow. The show shares a period setting with Sheridan’s prequels, and its exploration of complex family dynamics is a familiar Western theme. The difference is that “Godless” places women at the center of its story, a move that sets it apart from the genre’s usual focus on male characters.

That comparison is the whole pitch. The source describes the show’s plot and tone only through its setup — the mining accident, the outlaw seeking refuge, the town’s defense against the villainous Griffin — and then moves on to the Emmys and the reception.

A Recommendation Built On One Season

Seven episodes is a short run, and Netflix’s promotion leans heavily on the show’s identity as a non-Sheridan Western. The recommendation is framed as a way to get away from Sheridan’s current slate, but the actual content of the show is barely described.

The comparison is amusing precisely because it is so thin. It is a recommendation for a show that is not Sheridan’s work, based almost entirely on what it is not.

What To Watch Instead

If you want a Western with a different perspective, “Godless” is worth your time. The show won three Emmys, including recognition for its lead performances, and it offers a fresh angle on a genre that often tells the same story from the same point of view.

But the recommendation’s value is limited. It points to a show that exists outside Sheridan’s world without explaining what that means for the viewing experience. The pitch is a recommendation dressed up as a one-season summary.

Here is the schedule of events as the source presents them:

The show is available to stream now, and the recommendation is a good reminder that the Western genre has room for stories told from unexpected points of view. Whether you watch it as a break from Sheridan or simply as a solid piece of television, “Godless” stands on its own merits.

The pitch is thin, but the show is not. Seven episodes, three Emmys, and a town of women running things on their own — that is the foundation of “Godless,” and it is worth seeing for itself.

Source material: “If You're Tired Of Taylor Sheridan Westerns, Netflix Has The Perfect 7-Episode Alternative,” TVLine.

Emmys · Godless · Netflix · Taylor Sheridan · Western