The Son

:

Season 1
  • Network: AMC
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 8, 2017
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 36
  3. Negative: 9 out of 36
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User Reviews

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  1. pdw123
    Jul 26, 2017
    8
    The themes of prejudice and discrimination involved in this quasi-historical cowboy-Indian-Mexican saga are engaging, as is the time edited style going between 2 periods in Eli's later and earlier life. I haven't gotten into Brosnan a lot before, but he gives some of his most worthy performances here, as do the other great supporting cast, whom we'll hopefully see more of. I've like thisThe themes of prejudice and discrimination involved in this quasi-historical cowboy-Indian-Mexican saga are engaging, as is the time edited style going between 2 periods in Eli's later and earlier life. I haven't gotten into Brosnan a lot before, but he gives some of his most worthy performances here, as do the other great supporting cast, whom we'll hopefully see more of. I've like this and "Turn" on AMC, as it seems the network does a better job with period pieces and the dialog is much more intelligent than the millennial intended schlock like "Walking Dead" and "Preacher". Hopefully, we "adults" paying thru the nose for cable will see more of the former than the latter from this network in the future.

    That said, some of the gore and violence might be a turnoff for some as the scalping, lynching, and Indian torture scenes seem very realistic---but hey, that's how violence really is and it just adds to the effective dramatic tone here. I don't like watered down violence, as folks needs to see violence as an abhorrent thing as it is. Nice work for once and on the nice production design too, AMC. Keep doing your multi-cultural research, and good job!    … Expand
  2. Greendevil1978
    May 1, 2017
    5
    I wanted to like this more. I really did. But the pacing really drags. The flip flopping back and forth each hour means neither narrative progresses much each week, either. That said, I think Brosnan does a good job (though would have liked to have seen Sam Neill handle it. Not sure why he dropped out!) and the rest of the cast, including the younger version of McCullough, is good, asI wanted to like this more. I really did. But the pacing really drags. The flip flopping back and forth each hour means neither narrative progresses much each week, either. That said, I think Brosnan does a good job (though would have liked to have seen Sam Neill handle it. Not sure why he dropped out!) and the rest of the cast, including the younger version of McCullough, is good, as well. And there are a few great action scenes. But for the most part you keep wishing the thing would hurry up and move along.… Expand
  3. billycat
    Jul 21, 2018
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A series Trumpsters will love! I only watched this because I like Pierce Bronson. First, the series is historically inaccurate. After the Texas war with Mexico the state of Texas had, and still does, have a hateful view of Mexicans. Historically all Mexican ranchers were terrorized (rape, murder, fire, etc) off their land by Texas Rangers. So that within in few years no Mexicans had retained their lands.

    However, "The Son" has a rather prosperous Mexican ranch owning family who are friends and allies to the Elijah's family. Even after Elijah's family kills Cesar, a member of that prosperous Mexican family. It gets better! The sister in law of the murdered Cesar tips off Elijah's son about other Mexicans doing harm. Even though those very Mexicans helped her father prosper. And the best part is that after Elijah's people glorify the killing of Mexicans and encounter their comeuppance, that prosperous Mexican family rides in to save Elijah's family. Now remember it was Elijah's family who tortured and murdered Cesar, the son in law of their Mexican allies..

    Now I don't know what racist or sell out Latino wrote this piece of garbage, but it's horrible! It's insulting to Mexicans and Latinos overall. I watched it because I wanted to see how they young Elijah did with the Comanche's. Also I was in disbelief that in 2017 a cable tv network would make somethings so vulgarly historically inaccurate and so bigoted in it s portrayal of Mexicans. They might as well have name this series "Sellout Mexicans of Old" or "Tio Tacos of Texas" or "How Mexicans Betray Mexicans" or "Good Mexicans Enable Hate Crime". Or how about, "Now Why Can't All Mexicans Be Like This, A Bigot's Tale!", or maybe they should name it, "How to Mass Murder Mexicans and Get Away with It".

    My guess is that whoever made this series is Trump supporter. I'm not a big AMC fan. I've only watched it for McMafia. But I'm pretty sure I'm writing AMC off as trash.    … Expand
  4. JorgeLestre
    Apr 9, 2017
    3
    'The Son' is really tedious and despite some interesting violent scenes it actually is a bit racist and mean, The dialogues also are terrible despite Pierce Brosnan's acceptable performance.
  5. Sharonk
    Apr 9, 2017
    0
    the acting was good. The scenery, and filming was good. What i thought was too excessive was the profanity, and constant anger. At the rate Eli is stringing up people there won't be anyone left in Texas.
  6. tiredcrap
    Jun 12, 2017
    0
    Considering the times we live in perhaps not the best idea to set people against one another for entertainment purposes. This series is the definition of racist and contemptible, the only character you can hang your hat on is Toshaway.
  7. ChaseTheRabbit
    Apr 30, 2018
    0
    I was optimistic that a new drama with Pierce Brosnan would be not only entertaining, but cerebral. Then I had my intelligence insulted by Hollywood yet again - and all within the first 8 minutes of episode 1. This really pisses me off. These Hollywood idiots ALL earn an easy 7 figures - but none of them can add two f*****g numbers together.

    The starts out with a youthful Ian    I was optimistic that a new drama with Pierce Brosnan would be not only entertaining, but cerebral. Then I had my intelligence insulted by Hollywood yet again - and all within the first 8 minutes of episode 1. This really pisses me off. These Hollywood idiots ALL earn an easy 7 figures - but none of them can add two f*****g numbers together.

    The starts out with a youthful Ian McCullough in 1849 - appearing as more or less a teenager - but one just entering manhood, making him around 15 or 16 years old - at most. After being orphaned by a tribe of Comanche Indians - we fast forward to McCullough as an adult - Pierce Brosnan - in 1915. Now, Pierce Brosnan is 64 years old - a rather youthful and robust 64 I might add. But if McCullough was just 15 in 1849, he'd be 81 in 1915. Even if the young McCullough had only been 12 in the first scene - he'd still be 78 as an adult Pierce Brosnan in 1915.......

    So what is his character's age ? What kind of idiots do the writers of these shows thing their audience really is. It would have been more realistic if the older version of Eli McCullough - was Eli Jr.

    The only reason I even decided to watch this (On Hulu - via Roku - since I refuse to pay for cable and satellite extortion any longer) - is because I suffered through three episodes of an even worse new TV program "Blindspot." These two pathetic attempts at drama are a testament to the fact that everyone in Hollywood are a bunch of over-paid, untalented, brainless, Leftist / Marxist morons, who think the general public are stupid enough to be entertained by absolute nonsense - as long as some big-name celebrity superstar like Pierce Brosnan is the star. I can't believe even he would let pass a script - that has him playing a rugged, tough, land-baron whose chronological age in the story would put him at more than 80 years old - at a time in history when the average life-span of an American was only 52.3 years.

    Message to Hollywood -- Get your heads out of your asses and please stop insulting our intelligence.    … Expand
  8. GrantD243
    Jul 21, 2019
    6
    The acting is great the story has its moments, but ultimately it's a fairly mediocre western show.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Emily VanDerWerff
    Apr 10, 2017
    50
    For now, the series functions much the same as the oil the McCullochs desperately seek in the early 1900s storyline: It’s obvious something is there, but nobody has figured out how to get to it.
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  2. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Robert Rorke
    Apr 7, 2017
    63
    Without a great authoritative figure to lift the entire piece to a mythic level, The Son may have been better off in book form--where readers can imagine the Texas described in its pages.
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  3. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Lorraine Ali
    Apr 7, 2017
    70
    [Pierce Brosnan's] awkward drawl is one of the most jarring mood-killers in The Son, and those twinkly eyes are often more playful than dangerous. Even though the journey may be a bit bumpy, The Son still offers an easy ride into the Old West.
    Read full review
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