Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey shine but new Western The Abandons is a hot mess
Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey clash as rival matriarchs in Netflix’s new western The Abandons. But does it live up to the hype?
We’ve sifted through the latest offerings from TV and streaming platforms to find the best shows you should be watching this week.
THE ABANDONS
NETFLIX
The prospect of The X-Files’ Gillian Anderson and Game Of Thrones’ Lena Headey squaring off as rival matriarchs in the Wild West is a tantalising one on paper.
And indeed, the scenes featuring Anderson’s icy and imperious town boss Constance Van Ness and Headey’s scrappy, god-fearing rancher Fiona Nolan trading barbs and sometimes blows are the best parts of this seven-part western from Kurt Sutter, the creator of biker drama Sons Of Anarchy.
Unfortunately, the rest of it misfires as badly as a dodgy Colt Peacemaker as the warring factions battle over the future of the fictional town of Angel’s Ridge and its valuable silver deposits on the Washington Territory’s lawless frontier.
Sutter left the show before filming was completed and the original ten episodes were reduced to seven, leaving it feeling like a rushed and muddled knock-off of much better examples of the genre such as Yellowstone and, especially, Deadwood.
The Canadian wilderness where it was filmed looks amazing – and there are some thrilling moments – but it all builds to a strangely anticlimactic conclusion that anticipates a second season it probably won’t get.
JAMES WIGNEY
Stories about the Wild West have traditionally tended to feature blokes in Stetsons having shootouts in saloons.
This new series puts women in the saddle for the action where it soon becomes clear that — no matter how tough the likes of Clint Eastwood, John Wayne and Gary Cooper were – there is nothing more dangerous than an overprotective mother. Recently widowed, the wealthy Constance Van Ness (Gillian Anderson) and her three children have been trying to seize more land by unscrupulous means.
Their underhand tactics ruffle the feathers of the stoic Fiona Nolan (Lena Headey, a single mother with an adopted brood of outsiders. Eager to stave off the Van Ness invasion, the wily Fiona convinces her neighbours to join forces to oppose them.
But when Van Ness’ entitled son tries to force himself on Fiona’s daughter, it sets in motion a bitter war that will lead each matriarch down a very dark path. I’m not a big fan of westerns as a rule, but Anderson and Headley make a formidable pair of foes. Think: Yellowstone meets Underbelly: Razor.
SIOBHAN DUCK
F1
FRIDAY, APPLE TV
Some motor racing purists took exception to the questionable tactics and endless F1-splaining in director Joseph Kosinski’s high-octane sports drama, which was clearly designed to cater to the recent fans attracted to the sport by hit shows such as Drive To Survive. Regardless, movie fans voted with their feet and were blown away by the Top Gun: Maverick director transferring his impressive action chops from the skies to the circuit as well as a quality cast. Brad Pitt radiates old-school movie star charm as the veteran driver for hire brought into bolster a struggling Formula One team and help whip a cocky but inexperienced teammate into shape.
AUSTRALIA VS THE WORLD SWIMMING
FRIDAY, 7.30PM, CHANNEL 9
Some of the country’s top swimmers including Kaylee McKeown, Cam McEvoy and Mollie O’Callaghan will be flying the Aussie flag as they take on the rest of the world in this one-night event broadcast live from the Valley Pool in Brisbane. Among the global stars looking to take the Dolphins down in their own backyard will be Great Britain’s Duncan Scott and Italy’s world-record holder Thomas Ceccon, who both won Olympic gold in Paris last year, as well as Dutch world champion Marrit Steenbergen.
AVATAR
SATURDAY, 7.30PM, CHANNEL 9
Fire and Ash, the third chapter of James Cameron’s epic, record-breaking sci-fi action series is just over a week away, but it’s well worth revisiting the original to see just why it remains the highest grossing movie of all time, with a staggering $4.4 billion at the box office. Sure, it loses something on the small screen – and not in 3D – but the ambition, scope and environmental themes of the story of paralysed human soldier Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) remain undiminished. After having his consciousness transferred to the body of a giant blue-skinned Na’vi on the distant moon of Pandora to smooth the way for the rapacious mining company he works for, Sully literally goes native as he finds love and new purpose, paving the way for some staggeringly impressive action scenes. Second film, The Way of Water, is also streaming on Disney+.
BIG BASH LEAGUE
SUNDAY, 7PM, CHANNEL 7, FOX CRICKET, KAYO
With the frenetic batting of Bazball and Travball in the two Ashes Tests so far, the lusty T20 hitting of the Big Bash League might feel like a bit of a respite this season. But you just know that things are going to get explosive for the opening game when the Perth Scorchers host the Sydney Sixers. The visitors will be looking for a flying start after they stumbled against the Hobart Hurricanes in last year’s final, while five-time winners the Scorchers will want to atone for a season that didn’t live up to their lofty standards and saw them miss the finals.
WHATEVER IT TAKES: INSIDE THE EBAY SCANDAL
MONDAY, 8PM, ABC
Husband and wife e-commerce bloggers Ina and David Steiner, who ran a website advising consumers how to best buy and sell online in the early days of the internet, were baffled when they started receiving aggressive anonymous messages through social media. When the menace escalated to deliveries of live insects, porn spam and death threats, their fear turned to terror and prompted them to contact the police and then the FBI. This documentary follows the scarcely believable story of where the investigation led – right up into the highest echelons of online sales platform eBay, who were prepared to go to extreme lengths to silence anyone they perceived as a threat to their booming business model.
NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
MONDAY, 8.30PM, SBS
The British comedy-music-quiz show that predated Spicks and Spicks is about to head into its 30th year and is as on song as ever if this festive themed cracker is anything to go by. Comedian Greg Davies is the consummate host, accompanied by team captains Noel Fielding and Daisy May Cooper and regular panellist Jamali Maddix. Along for the ride – to answer ridiculous questions and play the crazy games – are funnyman Harry Hill and Kaiser Chiefs front man Ricky Wilson, as well as a roster of pop stars from past and present, who gamely agree to be wrapped as presents, get picked out of a police line-up or just generally have the mickey taken out of them.
COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
MONDAY, 8.30PM, SBS VICELAND
From the silent era to Hollywood blockbusters to a Gerard Depardieu miniseries and a hugely popular 2024 French film, Alexandre Dumas’s classic has been adapted dozens of times. Does the world really need another one? Probably not – but this one is suitably lavish and over eight episodes has the space to explore the themes of revenge, justice and betrayal from the historical novel set in early 1800s, with France still divided by the fall of Napoleon and the prospect he might return. Hunger Games star Sam Claflin is the stoic hero Edmond Dantes who is framed and imprisoned by a love rival and returns after escaping prison as the hugely wealthy Count, with payback on his mind.
#TRENDING
TUBI
As Meghan Markle decks the halls of her Hollywood home for Netflix, her estranged father Thomas is reportedly on the other side of the world in hospital recovering from a leg amputation and still eager to mend bridges with his world-famous daughter. This has, of course, provided the Duchess’ half-sister Samantha with another opportunity to stick the boot into Markle. Certainly, Markle’s relationships with her family, her royal in-laws and the public in general is complex. And this 2023 Tubi documentary offers good insights into the former Suits star’s meteoric rise and subsequent fall from grace.
Originally published as Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey shine but new Western The Abandons is a hot mess
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