American Primeval on Netflix transports viewers to the Utah Territory in 1857, a time of intense conflicts between Indigenous peoples, white settlers, and devout Mormons leading to frequent violence. The series primarily follows Sara Rowell portrayed by Betty Gilpin and her son Devin, played by Preston Mota, as they navigate the harsh environment. Assisting them on their journey to California are seasoned guide Isaac Reed, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch, and resourceful Pawnee girl Two Moons, played by Shawnee Pourier.
Throughout the show, the resilient quartet in American Primeval repeatedly faces perilous situations. The audience is left wondering if these protagonists manage to survive, especially the feisty Mormon woman Abish Pratt portrayed by Saura Lightfood-Leon. Will their stories continue into a potential second season of American Primeval on Netflix?
**Spoilers for all six episodes of American Primeval, now streaming on Netflix**
Viewers acquainted with Netflix’s American Primeval recognize that the series delves into dark and gritty themes. The first episode alone includes scenes of public executions, ruthless killings, self-defense homicides, scalping, and the harrowing Mountain Meadows Massacre. The survival of any character amidst such brutality seems almost miraculous. In fact, as a SPOILER ALERT, it is revealed that most characters in the series do not make it through all six episodes. Even Fort Bridger, considered a bastion of civilization on the frontier, meets its demise before the conclusion of Episode 6 in American Primeval. (Historically, it falls to the Mormons, but Jim Bridger played by Shea Whigham is spared.)
Given all that, is American Primeval intended to be a limited series? Could it be an anthology following new groups of pioneers as they attempt to survive the elements and each other? Here’s what American Primeval director and executive producer Peter Berg had to say on the topic of a potential second season of the Netflix show…
We don’t know yet! Netflix has yet to announce plans for a second season of American Primeval, but director and EP Peter Berg told Decider, he’s game — with a couple of caveats.
“You know, after we wrapped and I looked at all the actors — the ones that were still alive — I felt such affection for them,” Berg said. “And I do think there are many ways that we could go.”
“I’ve still got to thaw out from my time spent up on those mountains in the winter, but maybe if they got to lower ground, that wasn’t quite as cold, we could. We could go back.”
“If [Indigenous Consultant] Julie [O’Keefe] will come back, I’d be up for discussing it,” Berg teased.
“As long as I don’t have to have ice cleats again, I definitely will come back,” O’Keefe said.
So is that doable? Well, first, lets look at the actors playing characters who are still alive. Besides Mormon bigwig Brigham Young (Kim Coates) and real life frontiersman Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham), that would basically just include Betty Gilpin’s Sara, Preston Mota’s Devin, and Shawnee Pourier’s Two Moons. Poor Isaac dies saving the trio from the bounty hunters after Sara, ensuring the three of them are able to continue on to meet Devin’s father.
However, American Primeval ends with Sara, Devin, and Two Moons deciding to press forward to California. If they arrive there in early 1858, they’ll have missed the heyday of the California gold rush, but there the Bald Hills War will be about to start between the U.S. government’s forces and local militias against many native tribes. So, you know, that could be a thing.
If Netflix decides to move forward with a second season of American Primeval, fans will likely have to be patient to learn what happens next. The first season was ordered in December 2022 and then filming was halted by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. That means it probably takes 18 months to two years to make a season of American Primeval.
The earliest fans might expect American Primeval Season 2 would likely be late 2026 or even early 2027.
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