The Abandons is an American Western action-drama series created by Kurt Sutter for Netflix. Set in the 1850s, the show follows the conflicts among several outlaw groups. It premiered on December 4, 2025, with seven episodes and stars Lena Headey as Fiona Nolan and Gillian Anderson as Constance Van Ness.
Set in the 1850s, the story follows Fiona, a devout Irish woman who cannot conceive and chooses to build her family by adopting four orphans. Constance, meanwhile, has two adult sons and a daughter and is pressuring Fiona and her family to sign over half of their land.
I was looking forward to this series, especially because of some of the cast members. Unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. The pacing was slow from start to finish, the plot felt disjointed and lacked real depth, making it difficult for viewers to connect with the characters. Additionally, the writing, directing, and cinematography were underwhelming, and the show relied on the same tired clichés often seen in Westerns featuring female leads. It really needs a fresh perspective.
Additionally, the actors’ accents and the various storylines never fully came together the way I had hoped. That said, there were a few things I did appreciate, the show was entertaining at times and managed to keep the audience engaged to some extent. I did end up watching all seven episodes, and with the cliffhanger ending, I’m hoping for significant improvements if it gets another season, because the potential is definitely there.
In summary, although the series did not fully meet my expectations, it demonstrates potential for meaningful improvement.
