The best Western shows of the last ten years. Western movies may not be as popular as they once were, but Western TV is doing fine.

Western television has come a long way from the days of Rawhide and Gunsmoke; so much so that it's helpful to separate the genre's television efforts into classic and modern eras. Though the modern era of Western TV has seen some exceptional shows, like American Primeval and Outer Range, its peak was in 2004, and no show since then has been able to sur it. That's not for lack of trying, either, as Western shows have only gotten more popular in the last 20 years, but even the best examples of Western TV still can't top HBO's Deadwood.

Deadwood Is Still The Best Western TV Show

Many Western Shows Have Come Close, But Deadwood Is Still The Best Example Of The Genre In A Serialized Format

Even after more than two decades and countless other shows, HBO's Deadwood is still the best modern Western series ever put to the screen. That's not to say more recent Westerns are bad; it's simply a statement that Deadwood was and is truly groundbreaking in almost every category. The entire cast of Deadwood, which included Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) and Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), was phenomenal. Deadwood also told a fascinating, sociological story of power, morality, and greed that is as topical today as it was in 2004. That, coupled with the amazing, period-accurate sets and costumes, phenomenal writing, and more, made Deadwood an instant classic.

This isn't just my opinion, either. Deadwood is widely regarded as not just the best Western show ever, but as one of the best TV shows of all time in general. Almost everyone who has seen Deadwood can attest to its quality: it has 92% with critics and 95% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, for example. Newer shows like That Dirty Black Bag or Wynona Earp have reached wide audiences and found a lot of success, but they simply can't match the way Deadwood dominated in every relevant category of what makes for a good show. They also all owe a debt to Deadwood.

Modern Western TV Doesn't Happen Without Deadwood

Even After Two Decades, Deadwood Has Left An Indelible Mark On Western TV

Another sign of how great and influential Deadwood was is its lingering effect on the Western genre as a whole. Every Western show since 2004 has, without fail, been influenced by Deadwood in some way, and the current state of Western television simply wouldn't exist without Deadwood. For example, Godless features the same gritty, revisionist view of the Old West that Deadwood did, while Yellowstone focuses on multiple different characters fighting for land and power, just as the cast of Deadwood struggled for control of the titular town. Deadwood changed the face of Western TV shows in much the same way Star Trek changed science fiction TV.

Deadwood changed the face of Western TV shows in much the same way Star Trek changed science fiction.

Deadwood doesn't just serve as inspiration for more modern Western TV shows, it literally changed the TV landscape in such a way that made those later shows possible. Before Deadwood, Gunsmoke was the best example of a Western TV show, and it was seen as outdated and overly sentimental. Deadwood brought the Revisionist Western movement - which started with films like Unforgiven - into a serialized format and proved that the genre could still be taken seriously in the 21st century. Other Westerns like Yellowstone would never be as popular as they are if Deadwood hadn't carved a path for them.