There’s been fairly a little bit of buzz about Taylor Kitsch because it was introduced {that a} Friday Night time Lights reboot is going on, however in the meantime, the actor who will all the time be recognized to some as Dillon soccer participant Tim Riggins has been holding busy with another initiatives on the 2025 TV schedule. American Primeval just lately dropped on Netflix’s 2025 calendar starring Kitsch as a information serving to a mom and son survive their quest to California. The collection appears to be profitable followers over, however is that the rationale Kitsch isn’t committing to the FNL reboot?
Critics And Audiences Give Taylor Kitsch’s American Primeval Their Stamp Of Approval
American Primeval started streaming to Netflix subscription holders on Thursday, January 9, and since then it’s amassed an 88% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter. Along with Taylor Kitsch, the collection stars Betty Gilpin as Sara Rowell and Preston Mota as her son Devin, who’re making an attempt to flee the vicious and harmful Utah Territory in 1857.
Many followers, just like the one beneath, who determined to offer the interval Western a shot have been hooked from the very first episode, posting to X (Twitter):
Simply completed episode 1 of American Primeval pic.twitter.com/1z5fJMgUBZJanuary 9, 2025
Different Netflix subscribers adopted swimsuit, with many noting how brutal the six-part collection is, in addition to how emotional they really feel over the occasions that play out. Different viewers reactions from X embody:
- American Primeval on Netflix with Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin is superior! It’s one of the best factor they each have ever carried out. It jogged my memory quite a lot of 1883 and The English. Journeying by way of Utah within the outdated west. Probably the greatest collection Netflix has made! – JiffSchwazz
- American Primeval is by a long way one of the best factor I’ve seen on Netflix in ages. – trivet1806
- You guys have gotten to look at American Primeval on Netflix. That shit is so effectively carried out. Like masterpiece carried out. – PINELANDGHOSTX
- American Primeval on Netflix is sensible!! It’s like Deadwood meets Yellowstone meets The Revenant. Find it irresistible!!! Unusual that it’s had little or no media. Neatest thing I’ve watched for ages. – paulbellis
- Taylor Kitsch is so fucking good in American Primeval. Everyone seems to be, however Taylor…rattling. – daytime_GG
- This present is so brutally intense and so good – American west of the 1860’s meets Squid Sport – TheRealMarkLevy
It’s straightforward to see how the collection may get an 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating with viewers members posting reactions like this to social media. Critics, nevertheless, have been barely much less taken by American Primeval, ranking it an amassed 59%. Aramide Tinubu of Selection calls it a “really immersive expertise,” writing:
Each single scene is profoundly detailed and intense. Blood is seen pouring out of skinned animals, the near-constant cruelty of the state’s differing climates is clear and the ruthless, murderous human beings pushed by capitalism and colonialism are deadly. It’s additionally clear that almost everybody, together with Sara, has some ulterior motive.
Nonetheless, different critics like Rendy Jones of RogerEbert.com say the plot takes a backseat to gratuitous violence only for the sake of shock worth. In Jones’ phrases:
The quantity of gratuitous homicide packed into the primary episode feels practically comical. Each neighborhood is depicted as equally savage—in a ‘dangerous males on all sides’ method—all conducting many grotesque strategies of homicide. Berg, who directed all six episodes, reverts to his 2010s self, nearly gleefully depicting graphic violence on everybody, together with younger youngsters, for shock worth.
Duly famous. Viewers, be ready for all of that in the event you select to hit Play on this present. My subsequent query is, will Taylor Kitsch be too busy with this collection to dedicate extra time to Friday Night time Lights?
Will American Primeval Preserve Taylor Kitsch From Friday Night time Lights Reboot?
Regardless of the optimistic reception the brand new Netflix present has obtained, it’s unlikely that’s the principle motive Taylor Kitsch appeared to solely be contemplating a small position on the upcoming Friday Night time Lights reboot. American Primeval was solely ordered as a restricted collection, and there’s no indication {that a} second season is coming. Even when there have been a Season 2, it’s attainable Kitsch wouldn’t even return.
If something, it might extra probably be his commitments to The Terminal Record that might trigger a scheduling battle. The motion collection (out there to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription) that additionally stars Chris Pratt, Constance Wu and Riley Keough was renewed for a second season again in 2023, and a prequel collection centered round Taylor Kitsch’s Ben Edwards was ordered.
We’ll should see if the actor pops up wherever else, however within the meantime, all six episodes of American Primeval are streaming on Netflix.