Critics Skewer Netflix’s New Western, Thrones Star Can’t Save It

Netflix rode The Abandons into town this week with Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson up front. On paper: a gritty Western about an Irish matriarch and her adopted kids squaring off against English bureaucrats in her new home. In practice: critics say the saddle does not fit.

What this show is actually about

Created by Kurt Sutter, The Abandons follows Irishwoman Fiona Nolan and her adopted children as they push back against a takeover by English authorities. It premiered December 4, 2025. The concept is clean and punchy; the reaction, less so.

The early verdict from critics

Across the board, reviewers liked the premise but kept running into the same problems: thin writing, choppy pacing, and a finish that feels like someone cut the lights mid-scene. One reviewer even had to double-check if more episodes existed because the season just stops. Also eyebrow-raising: several episodes run closer to 30 minutes, which is unusual for a Netflix prestige Western and probably not helping the sense that pieces are missing.

'The Abandons is a frustrating, incomplete take on a compelling premise. The title refers to its underserved protagonists in more ways than one.'

- Variety

• The Wrap: Calls it an intriguing but wobbly attempt that keeps overcomplicating its own big idea. There is a strong central rivalry between two women from very different worlds, but the show muddies what should have been a clean shootout of a story.
• The Independent (UK): Says it lacks emotional weight and moves too fast to let the vistas breathe. The tone slides into soap, with stilted, cliched dialogue and characters defined more by their circumstances than their personalities. The supporting cast? Not much spark.
• The Hollywood Reporter: Not outright bad, but oddly bare-bones, rushed, and a little rough around the edges, like a final cut that lost whatever made it distinctive.
• Variety: Thin, compressed, and capped with an abrupt season end. Several episodes hover around a half hour, which undercuts the scope.
• The Guardian: The outlier. Finds it thoughtful and fundamentally solid, even if others clearly wanted more heft.

How it is scoring right now

Rotten Tomatoes currently has The Abandons at 29 percent on the Tomatometer from 21 published reviews. The Popcornmeter is at 37 percent. It is brand-new, so those numbers may shift once more people finish it, but the early read is rough.

Bottom line

The Abandons has a killer setup and star power to match, but critics think the execution is oddly stripped-down and rushed, with a finale that feels more like an exit wound than an ending. If you are here for Headey and Anderson, there is something to watch. If you want a sweeping, full-bodied Western, you might notice the missing pieces as much as the dust and gun smoke.