the titanic fight between Gillian Anderson and Lena Heady, the best of a failed western

His CV was of little use to him when the producers of Mayans MC (2018-2023), sequel to sons of anarchythey removed him from his position, including in his dismissal letter adjectives such as abrasive cock after several crew members complained about his conduct on set.

Fiascos like The bastard executioner (2015), which was canceled even though they hadn’t finished airing the pilot yet. But it’s one thing to be the victim of a ratings failure, which anyone of Sutter’s status is accustomed to, and it’s another to be asked to close the door on your way out while the to show that you created is still in progress.

Things have not improved with The abandonedan ambitious western produced for Netflix that Sutter left with three weeks to finish filming, claiming “creative differences” with the platform. From the final cut, disjointed and disjointed, we understand the abandonment.

That doesn’t work either cardboard production designincapable of sullying the genre with expressive efforts as happened in Dead wood (David Milch, 2004-2006), a series which has assimilated a few touches of the best spaghetti western.

The citation of Milch’s creation is not a coincidence, since The abandoned The action also takes place in a town (Angel’s Ridge) where the law is enforced laxly or, more precisely, according to the wishes of Constance Van Ness (Gillian Anderson), owner of the region’s mines.

Precisely, their intention to expand exploitation to the detriment of the land where a handful of families led by Fiona Nolan live (Lena Headey) will constitute the common thread of this eight-episode mini-series.

Kurt Sutter plunders different thematic motifs typical of westerns, such as the struggle between ranchers and ranchers

Sutter plunders different thematic motifs typical of the genre, such as the struggle between ranchers and ranchers, which here translates into the expansionist desire of Mrs. Van Ness in opposition to the conservation of private property of the heterodox clans who occupy the Jasper Hollow ravine. Nor will it be missed romantic transfers doomed to failure between the members of the two families, the real triggers of the drama.

The big appeal of the series is found in the duel of the titans featuring Anderson and Headey. The first is a rich widow, an elegant harpywhich sees liquidity problems and will not hesitate to ignore the penal code to guarantee the peace of mind of its New York partners.

His sworn enemy will be Fiona Nolan, a former Irish servant of the Teller family who had to take care of her master’s children when he died. He rules his household, his adopted offspring, and the families who live on the adjacent properties with an iron fist. Two faces. the same currency. Lucrecia Borgia would be proud of both.