Godless

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Nov 22, 2017
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 200 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 139 out of 200
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 200
  3. Negative: 37 out of 200

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User Reviews

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  1. Circe
    Dec 10, 2017
    9
    A solid classic Western with some twists. Great acting and beautiful cinematography, particularly the interplay of dark and light which highlights the main theme. People who thought it would be a "feminist Western" weren't paying attention to the trailer, which was 1/2 about the town full of women and 1/2 about the central conflict- which is pretty much how the series plays out. I did findA solid classic Western with some twists. Great acting and beautiful cinematography, particularly the interplay of dark and light which highlights the main theme. People who thought it would be a "feminist Western" weren't paying attention to the trailer, which was 1/2 about the town full of women and 1/2 about the central conflict- which is pretty much how the series plays out. I did find the ending somewhat rushed and disappointing, with some of the characters who had buildup being bumped off with little ceremony. I've seen criticism of the "Mormon villain," however Griffin is more a practicing atheist than Mormon. He teaches his boys that they act in the "absence of God," which is a theme he hits on to give the series its name. However, the series does touch on the dark side of Mormon settlement, with the Mountain Meadows Massacre and more subtly the treatment of Shoshone. All in all, even though there are western tropes here, the story is more complex than it may appear on the surface. Well worth a watch.… Expand
  2. BillJustBill
    Nov 26, 2017
    10
    Terrific show, great cast, great production values. Shows you what you can get with a truly fine writer, Scott Frank, who they had the show to and say you wrote it, so go ahead and make it the way you want to have it made. And then he does and it turns out terrific. Jeff Daniels has a wonderful juicy part and plays it to the hilt. Michelle Dockery is fine as is everyone else in the cast.Terrific show, great cast, great production values. Shows you what you can get with a truly fine writer, Scott Frank, who they had the show to and say you wrote it, so go ahead and make it the way you want to have it made. And then he does and it turns out terrific. Jeff Daniels has a wonderful juicy part and plays it to the hilt. Michelle Dockery is fine as is everyone else in the cast. It looks like they shot it on the Westworld set, but that's okay. This is traditional storytelling at its best, always interesting, revealing of character, and surprising. Netflix is pouring a ton of money into original programming, and they've hit a home run with Godless.… Expand
  3. lager96
    Dec 15, 2017
    9
    This series is filled with top notch writing and award worthy performances which makes Godless a fantastic western series. Not only is this a story of revenge, but a story of survival in the face of adversity. These two story lines are at their best when we get to know about the characters. There are parts of the show that fill in characters backgrounds to provide context for theirThis series is filled with top notch writing and award worthy performances which makes Godless a fantastic western series. Not only is this a story of revenge, but a story of survival in the face of adversity. These two story lines are at their best when we get to know about the characters. There are parts of the show that fill in characters backgrounds to provide context for their motivations. These can often take up a good majority of episodes benefiting the show when these two stories become linked. The middle can drag a little but the talented cast keep the series on track and help keep us invested in their story. Godless is one of the best shows of 2017, if not the best.… Expand
  4. earlsmet
    Nov 24, 2017
    10
    Watched it in 3 evenings. * * * * * Jeff Daniels stole the show. They used flashbacks brilliantly. The writers knew a lots about horses and what they were writing about. I'm 83 and I remember a bit about horses. As a young boy I learned that most cowboys broke wild horses. They had to get them ready to work fast, But we bred and raised our horses and I was taught "if you broke a horseWatched it in 3 evenings. * * * * * Jeff Daniels stole the show. They used flashbacks brilliantly. The writers knew a lots about horses and what they were writing about. I'm 83 and I remember a bit about horses. As a young boy I learned that most cowboys broke wild horses. They had to get them ready to work fast, But we bred and raised our horses and I was taught "if you broke a horse you would have a horse you could ride. If you tamed a horse you would have a friend you can ride" This seemed to be brought out in one episode. Most of the riders were well directed in the way you sit a horse and hold the reins. I catch little things like a sandwich that I could tell from the uniform slicing and shape was made from bread bought from a local supermarket. Overall it was exceptionally well done.… Expand
  5. MurrayT
    Jan 28, 2018
    10
    I honestly don't know how it could have been any better. And because reviews must be at least 75 characters, I'll say it again.
  6. andreamonetlump
    Nov 24, 2017
    5
    everyone needs a little godless in her life. Some honesty is a good thing. I wonder about the characters in this. Some seem you know like kinda flat.
  7. amk1963
    Nov 25, 2017
    10
    Watched it in one day. Rarely do you find such great story telling: religion, ethics, morality, loyalty, brutality, survival and ultimately, gratitude. The score is gorgeous, the cinematography breathtaking. The acting? In a word: Merritt Wever. Loved this series!
  8. BobGates
    Nov 28, 2017
    10
    You have to have some love of westerns to enjoy this series, but if you do, it is really great. What some call cliches, others will see as the essential archetypes of the genre (lonely widow, hunted gunman, young cocky deputy sheriff, etc.) And what some will see as slow development others, me included, find a deep and rich ability to fill in the back story of all the characters. And whileYou have to have some love of westerns to enjoy this series, but if you do, it is really great. What some call cliches, others will see as the essential archetypes of the genre (lonely widow, hunted gunman, young cocky deputy sheriff, etc.) And what some will see as slow development others, me included, find a deep and rich ability to fill in the back story of all the characters. And while the overall plot may follow some traditional paths, the individual characters and stories are individual and original. The striking moral ambiguity of the villain is a great example. Great acting by so many different kinds of characters, some of whom don't really come on scene until the end. Terrific cinematography. If John Ford were alive, he would approve.… Expand
  9. Thirdrail
    Nov 27, 2017
    6
    It's an extremely predictable and formulaic western, with a solid cast and excellent production values. There are a ton of interesting characters in Godless (a whole town full of them, really), but sadly, none of them ever escape the B story. Mostly it's a poor man's imitation of Pale Rider. which leads into the inevitable Magnificent Seven finale. In the end, you're left with one mainIt's an extremely predictable and formulaic western, with a solid cast and excellent production values. There are a ton of interesting characters in Godless (a whole town full of them, really), but sadly, none of them ever escape the B story. Mostly it's a poor man's imitation of Pale Rider. which leads into the inevitable Magnificent Seven finale. In the end, you're left with one main story (two dudes ride horses around aimlessly while coping with their anger problems) which could easily have been told in two hours but gets stretched in eight or nine hours, and a secondary story (about a town full of widows and the rancher woman they may or may not have all conspired to betray) that should have been eight or nine hours, but only gets two or three. It's also weird that this was heralded as some kind of feminist western, because even the sections of Godless that are supposedly about the women are needlessly burdened with not one but two separate male coming of age stories.… Expand
  10. VDS
    Dec 15, 2017
    7
    Lots of characters, lots of layers. It reminded me a bit of Fargo (the series), insomuch as I found myself trying to guess who was there just to die having achieved nothing.

    I felt it got better once they’d decided they didn’t need to keep showing how bad Jeff Daniels’ baddie was. His possie were the usual band of mental cowboy folk, all deranged to the point of almost being    Lots of characters, lots of layers. It reminded me a bit of Fargo (the series), insomuch as I found myself trying to guess who was there just to die having achieved nothing.

    I felt it got better once they’d decided they didn’t need to keep showing how bad Jeff Daniels’ baddie was. His possie were the usual band of mental cowboy folk, all deranged to the point of almost being non-functional. There was the obligatory TV mini series lesbian love interest, but don’t worry they weren’t allowed to be the main characters, because in TV land that means it then becomes a gay show, not just a story where the main characters might be same sex.

    The production values were good, though the final shoot out must have involved shooting lessons from stormtroopers because half of those involved couldn’t hit a barn door (I think that’s a term the country folk like to use).

    On the whole quite enjoyable, if not predictable and clinched and looking like it wants to start a Fargo style franchise.    … Expand
  11. SteveS
    Dec 20, 2017
    8
    Good westerns can be few and far between, so I wasn't expecting much from Godless. To my surprise, the show was very refreshingly original. Not perfect, but original.The story line contains the elements of a good western without becoming overly complex or too cliche.

    Merritt Wever was exceptional as Mary Agnes and Jeff Daniels redeems himself from his Dumb and Dumber days. Likewise, the    Good westerns can be few and far between, so I wasn't expecting much from Godless. To my surprise, the show was very refreshingly original. Not perfect, but original.The story line contains the elements of a good western without becoming overly complex or too cliche.

    Merritt Wever was exceptional as Mary Agnes and Jeff Daniels redeems himself from his Dumb and Dumber days. Likewise, the musical score rates right up there with the best of them, western and bluegrass with a hint of rock.

    Yes, there is cliche, but it's a western. Where may series go on for too long or try to tell too much story, I found myself wishing Godless had been a bit longer and had explored some additional back-story.    … Expand
  12. snorlax634
    Dec 2, 2017
    9
    Great Show. One of Netflix's greatest original shows. It knows its a Western and it does it well. The cast was well chosen. Jeff Daniels steals the show as the bad guy. I highly recommend this show, one of the best new Westerns I have seen in a long time. The setting and scenery was beautiful, it makes me want to travel to Colorado.
  13. Injun
    Nov 27, 2017
    9
    Very, very good show. Well written and acted. I love the Western genre and Godless captures the harshness of life at the time perfectly.

    There's a few episodes that are a bit dull but essential to the telling of the story. The ending was perfectly timed and had me on the edge of my seat and wanting more.
  14. LAPPOLATE
    Nov 28, 2017
    9
    7화 까지 모두 시청하였습니다. 개인적인 소감은, 넷플릭스 작품중 손에 꼽을만 하네요 :)
    광활한 서부의 자연을 보는것 만으로 플러스. 그 시대를 살아가는 매력적인 인물들이 등장합니다. 현대적인 연출과 서부의 매력이 한곳에 어우러진 느낌입니다. 전체적인 디자인과 스타일이 특히나 마음에 듭니다. 음악도 빼놓을 수 없겠군요. 시즌2가 나왔으면 하는 바람입니다. 정말 재밌었습니다! :)    7화 까지 모두 시청하였습니다. 개인적인 소감은, 넷플릭스 작품중 손에 꼽을만 하네요 :)
    광활한 서부의 자연을 보는것 만으로 플러스. 그 시대를 살아가는 매력적인 인물들이 등장합니다. 현대적인 연출과 서부의 매력이 한곳에 어우러진 느낌입니다. 전체적인 디자인과 스타일이 특히나 마음에 듭니다. 음악도 빼놓을 수 없겠군요. 시즌2가 나왔으면 하는 바람입니다. 정말 재밌었습니다! :)
  15. 998817268
    Nov 22, 2017
    5
    The first episode is both boring, and in need of exposition. It appears to begin in medias res, and the themes of the show are developed through interactions between an incompetent sheriff, a bandit on the run, and a town full of frontierswomen. The whole thing is clearly, slowly leading to a confrontation between the bandit's ex-leader, and the people who give him shelter. It just hasn'tThe first episode is both boring, and in need of exposition. It appears to begin in medias res, and the themes of the show are developed through interactions between an incompetent sheriff, a bandit on the run, and a town full of frontierswomen. The whole thing is clearly, slowly leading to a confrontation between the bandit's ex-leader, and the people who give him shelter. It just hasn't managed to convince me to come along for the ride.… Expand
  16. apannilsson
    Nov 23, 2017
    5
    Missed opportunity to make something fun and exciting.
    It's an ok western, but the story is kinda boring and puts way to much focus on the most mainstream and boring characters.
    There is a whole town of interesting widows, an interesting love story in the town over, but they all get to take the back seat for a slow and tedious rivalry between two outlaw men with troubled pasts. Again,    Missed opportunity to make something fun and exciting.
    It's an ok western, but the story is kinda boring and puts way to much focus on the most mainstream and boring characters.
    There is a whole town of interesting widows, an interesting love story in the town over, but they all get to take the back seat for a slow and tedious rivalry between two outlaw men with troubled pasts.
    Again, it's an ok series, and some really nice characters. But unfortunately nothing out of the ordinary.
    Which is a shame because the premise of the series sounded so good.
    It's a 5 because yeah. It's ok and yeah, I finished it. But only barely.    … Expand
  17. Dodger
    Dec 3, 2017
    6
    Excellent show (with a few pacing issues), gets better and better all the way through, right up until the second half of the last episode.
    At this point all the tension, story and tone that had been built up just flies out the window as it takes a nosedive into cliches and mediocrity, such a disappointing end to what was otherwise an very good series.
    TL;DR Good show, Poor pacing,    Excellent show (with a few pacing issues), gets better and better all the way through, right up until the second half of the last episode.
    At this point all the tension, story and tone that had been built up just flies out the window as it takes a nosedive into cliches and mediocrity, such a disappointing end to what was otherwise an very good series.

    TL;DR Good show, Poor pacing, Terrible ending.    … Expand
  18. EludiumQ36
    Dec 15, 2017
    3
    Oh God, I could barely make it through the first episode. What a sleepy a$$ series. Reminds me of "Lonesome Dove" in the 80s which turned me off too. You have to be a real Westerns aficionado to appreciate this series. You have to love slow pacing, scenes that take a long time to play out, and sweeping vistas of barren, steppe landscapes. This is set in the 1880s so the people are dirtyOh God, I could barely make it through the first episode. What a sleepy a$$ series. Reminds me of "Lonesome Dove" in the 80s which turned me off too. You have to be a real Westerns aficionado to appreciate this series. You have to love slow pacing, scenes that take a long time to play out, and sweeping vistas of barren, steppe landscapes. This is set in the 1880s so the people are dirty and everything has a general poor-ness to it. It's all quite depressing unless, again, you're into this genre. Let's hope the new series "Dark" is better...… Expand
  19. shoulderoforion
    Nov 25, 2017
    6
    Juuuuuuuust barely worth your time, this Western hits all the tropes, the acting is decent, but the directing seems to have been done by a 12 year old who had no idea how to instruct his actors. Maybe it was miscasting, but I don't think so. The scenery is nice but the story is staid & I found myself rolling my eyes a few times. In this holiday deatpatch of lack of new TV, this is justJuuuuuuuust barely worth your time, this Western hits all the tropes, the acting is decent, but the directing seems to have been done by a 12 year old who had no idea how to instruct his actors. Maybe it was miscasting, but I don't think so. The scenery is nice but the story is staid & I found myself rolling my eyes a few times. In this holiday deatpatch of lack of new TV, this is just an ok way to waste some time. It could have been so much better.… Expand
  20. bobbymcd
    Feb 22, 2018
    2
    We couldn't even make it all the way through the first episode. Terrible dialogue, a few awful casting choices and everything is extremely obvious to the point of satire. It's an amateurish production with a big budget. Netflix can do so much better than this.
  21. Truth_of_Pisces
    Dec 13, 2017
    6
    It's definitely one of the better Westerns to come out in recent years and features impeccable acting from a solid cast, a surprisingly decent performance from Jeff Daniels, good writing and film-worthy production values...but it's just not much fun to watch.
  22. rushing
    Dec 6, 2017
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really liked this show until (like normal Hollywood), the black people get killed. The white people are the both the good and bad people. The black people are tertiary characters -- blameless and faultless in the drama in supporting roles. Then what happens, you KILL them. Imagine for a minute white people -- every movie you watched were filled with black people and 3 or 4 tertiary white people. Then they kill them. See Luke Cage for a representation of our constant movie experience. So frustrating!… Expand
  23. dinojay2
    Sep 6, 2018
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Enjoyed it in the early going, which is why I gave it this much of a rating. They took their time building the backstory and moving the plot, and Daniels was great. Their attention to detail in most areas made me feel they were building to an impressive climax. Then I had to sit through one of the dumbest and least plausible shootouts I've seen, at least since watching the Lone Ranger as a kid. I'd say roughly three times as many bad guys died as actually existed, probably because all their years of violence and mayhem hadn't yet taught them that standing still in a large group in plain sight was a dangerous strategy. Wasn't a concern for the main villain, however, nobody bothered to shoot him while he stood around gazing balefully. Nor our unlikely hero, who somehow walked up behind them all without anyone noticing, but didn't bother to start shooting until they all had a chance to get ready and aim at him. Poorly, though, as it turns out. After 6 1/2 episodes I just couldn't take any more and turned it off at that point, but I'm sure the villain's final cliched comeuppance was spectacularly hackneyed. Extremely disappointing.… Expand
  24. kennfusion
    Dec 26, 2018
    6
    A little long and inconsistent overall. About 3 hours of the 7 are great, the other 4 should have been cut. There are a lot of side stories that just don't go anywhere and fall flat, and fall away in the finalbuild up, which results in the ending being anti-climatic and cliche.
  25. JulianIncen
    May 5, 2019
    5
    Godless isn't the feminist western they wanted to sell us, but it's not the opposite either and that's fine. Although the series strives to highlight every moment with details and leave answers to the imagination of the viewer, the story itself does not fully fill the duration of their episodes.
  26. ComandanteCobra
    May 2, 2019
    9
    Very good, one of the best tv show of 2017.
    Good mix of Gunfights, drama, romance, grudge, harsh life on the frontier..
    Watching a Western show with the majority of protagonists being female is also unconventional , in a good way.
    Highly recomended.
  27. alisadayboyd
    Jul 1, 2018
    10
    Everything about Godless intrigued me. I can understand why some viewers might find it "slow," but I like the way this series takes its time and allows us to understand the characters and the setting more completely. The photography is breathtaking. The acting is superb. Jeff Daniels and Meritt Wever in particular are fantastic. Highly recommend.
  28. 1_Simple_Man
    Sep 22, 2018
    9
    Great show you Will love even the bay guy, I had to watch it in one sitting.. Personally didn't like the finale but if you like westerns it's a must
  29. Levelheaded1987
    Oct 21, 2018
    3
    Slow, packed with filler, this western could have been skimmed down to half the size EASILY. Main characters are uninteresting with female lead doing a solid Keanu Reeves impression the entire series. By the number Hollywood value apologist - white man bad, lesbian good, Bible nut evil! And you’ve got yourself a fairly passable, immediately forgettable, western tailored for the choosySlow, packed with filler, this western could have been skimmed down to half the size EASILY. Main characters are uninteresting with female lead doing a solid Keanu Reeves impression the entire series. By the number Hollywood value apologist - white man bad, lesbian good, Bible nut evil! And you’ve got yourself a fairly passable, immediately forgettable, western tailored for the choosy millennial.… Expand
  30. geewah
    Jan 8, 2021
    9
    Excellent limited series and one of the best shows of 2017.
    Some clever writing, sweeping cimematography, and great gunfights lead to one of the best western tv series ever made.

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Best TV Season of 2017
41
#41 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017
22
#22 Most Shared TV Season of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Variety
    Reviewed by: Sonia Saraiya
    Dec 14, 2017
    50
    It’s disappointing that such a beautiful show, with such fine performers, could not have offered more than an outdated fairy tale.
    Read full review
  2. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Nick Schager
    Dec 4, 2017
    80
    Godless is a work of confident artistry, casting well-worn clichés and archetypes in a fresh, illuminating light.
    Read full review
  3. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Allison Shoemaker
    Nov 29, 2017
    70
    Even if the flaws remain obvious, it’s worth following this story into the desert. There’s great acting to be found, and some thoughtful writing--and if you like sweeping panoramas of the sun setting across an untamed wild, then you’re in excellent, if heavy, hands.
    Read full review
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