Is 'American Primeval' Coming Back for Season 2?

american primeval l to r preston mota as devin rowell, taylor kitsch as isaac in episode 101 of american primeval cr matt kennedynetflix © 2023
Is 'American Primeval' Coming Back for Season 2? Matt Kennedy - Netflix

American Primeval is one of the first major TV successes of the new year. The Netflix series about the Utah War is thrilling and brutal in its portrayal of the Old West—much to the excitement of audiences finished with Yellowstone and its spin-offs. Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) leads as our Western hero, along with a creative team of Peter Berg (Painkiller) and Mark L. Smith (The Revenant). Though American Primeval was only pitched as limited series, fans are already asking for season 2.

Much like other limited series Westerns such as 1883, there are not many characters who survive all six episodes of American Primeval. Kitsch’s leading character, Isaac, dies in the final episode as he protects Sara (Betty Gulpin) and her son Devin (Preston Mora). American Primeval also finishes its adaptation of the Mountain Meadows Massacre—a real-life event in 1857 when a militia of Latter-Day Saints killed roughly 120 pioneers for ignoring Utah Governor Brigham Young’s decree of martial law.

When the Netflix series ends, Sara and Devon ride off into the sunset toward California. The mother-and-son duo is also accompanied by an Indigenous runaway named Two Moons. Outside of Fort Bridger owner Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham), they are some of the only characters who survive to the end of the series.

american primeval l to r preston mota as devin rowell and betty gilpin as sara rowell in episode 101 of american primeval cr justin lubinnetflix © 2024
Sara (Betty Gulpin) and her son Devin (Preston Mora) are some of the only characters to survive American Primeval. Justin Lubin - Netflix

Will American Primeval Return for Season 2?

If American Primeval returns for another season, the creative team will likely need to look back into American history with an all-new cast. An anthology series isn’t out of the question. It’s also possible that Sara and Devon show up a bit late to the Gold Rush in season 2, even though it’s very unlikely that their story continues if American Primeval moves forward.

According to director Peter Berg, nothing is off the table. “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 told Decider after the finale. “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.”

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