American Primeval’s Updated Rotten Tomatoes Score Improves Drastically By 19% After Initial Poor Reviews

American Primeval
has improved drastically on Rotten Tomatoes following a disappointing early score. Created by Mark L. Smith and directed by Peter Berg, the hit Netflix Western chronicles the lives of a handful of characters in the American West and the often violent ways in which they collide in a lawless frontier. American Primeval reviews haven’t all been glowing from critics and the show, which stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, and Saura Lightfoot Leon, debuted to a lackluster 43% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes earlier this month from seven reviews.

Now, with more reviews having been added, American Primeval is sitting at a much more respectable 62% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 39 reviews. This new score means the show is no longer designated “Rotten” as it was initially, but this could still evolve as more reviews are added. The Netflix series now also has an audience score, and that’s far higher than the critics’ score at 87%.

What American Primeval’s New Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For The Show

The Netflix Western Series Has Been A Viewership Hit

Smith is one of the writers responsible for The Revenant (2015), meaning expectations were high heading into American Primeval. That film, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, won star Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar. Initial reviews suggested that American Primeval, despite its similarities to that movie, fell far short of it, offering up a story heavy on brutality and despair that never quite evolves beyond this one note. While the show’s criticisms are still very fair, more reviews being available has added nuance.

Critics’ response aside, it’s clear that American Primeval and its characters are resonating with audiences. The show has been a big viewership hit since its release on January 9, entering the Netflix top 10 for its first week and claiming second place. The show’s viewership success, now combined with a lukewarm but still positive critical reception, bodes well for a potential American Primeval season 2, which has not yet been confirmed given the show’s release as a limited series.

Our Take On American Primeval’s Improved RT Score

The Netflix Show Deserves To Continue

American Primeval doesn’t feel like a show that should have carried a “Rotten” designation considering the strong performances and filmmaking craft on display, and the new score is probably still not quite high enough to accurately reflect how much I enjoyed it on a personal level. But this variation in opinion is ultimately part of what makes movies and TV shows interesting to discuss, and one person liking a title doesn’t make another person wrong for not liking it.

There’s been no word yet on confirmation of an American Primeval season 2, but the generally positive response from viewers is a promising sign that more could be coming. In a time when Yellowstone and its spinoffs and prequels have been so popular, Netflix would do well to create a Western universe of its own, as there’s clearly an appetite for this kind of material.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

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American Primeval is a Netflix limited series that follows the lives of several men and women in the middle of the expansion of the American West. Social dynamics clash as men and women battle for a piece of the new world against rivals and each other.

Release Date

January 9, 2025

Network

Netflix

Cast

Taylor Kitsch
, Jai Courtney
, Dane DeHaan
, Betty Gilpin
, Nick Hargrove
, Kyle Bradley Davis
, Derek Hinkey
, Saura Lightfoot Leon
, Preston Mota
, Shawnee Pourier
, Joe Tippett

Character(s)

Isaac
, Sara Rowell
, Gant
, Buffalo Run
, Jacob Pratt
, Abish Pratt
, Red Feather
, James Wolsey
, Virgil Cutter
, Two Moons
, Jim Bridger

Creator(s)

Peter Berg
, Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith

Producers

Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith

Seasons

1

Writers

Peter Berg
, Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith

Directors

Peter Berg

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