Godless - Limited Series Review
This review of the limited series Godless has no spoilers.
Westerns are a funny thing. Sometimes you'll have a show or a movie that leans too deeply into the fictional elements of the old west, and other times you'll have a series based in fiction that often provides no real excitement for the viewer. Godless is something different. Netflix knows what is has in their first ever true Limited Series. If I am to have my piece and talk about this show with you I believe that I may be able to convince of you one thing: this show is fantastic. Grab your gun belt and holster up your pistol for the long road ahead.
Being only seven episodes long, you would think that Godless would almost seem to be a show that races through sequences. It does not. As a matter of fact, for the first 6 episodes it really moves at a pace that lets you breath. Character moments are frequent and help to build the world around the small mining town of La Belle. This small settlement once home to a prosperous silver mine is now left with only widows after an awful accident killed nearly every man in town. This leaves the women to pick up the pieces and take the matter of building the town into their own hands while their sheriff slowly falls apart.
There are multiple standout characters around the town but I'll focus in on just a few. Firstly, Merritt Wever plays a widowed woman who is trying to help raise her brother (the sheriff Bill McNue played by Scoot McNairy). Most of her time is spent trying to rally the women of La Belle while a group of young men from a different company come to town attempting to take control. She has her own struggles also dealing with love and doubt of herself and Meritt plays this very well on screen. Another woman from around the town of La Belle is that of Alice Fletcher (played by Michelle Dockery). Considered a witch who by many of the town for her past doings, she's seen as an outsider and talked to as much. Michelle Dockery plays Alice outstandingly as she deals with her Indian family that her husband left behind and life alone. Any scene involving her is gold and I really enjoyed that while she doesn't have a true arc she does do a lot to help enhance the show as a whole.
Now to the three male leads of the series: Bill McNue, Roy Goode (Jack O'Connell), and Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels). The first to discuss will be Bill, as he is the town sheriff and going through trauma throughout the entirety of the series. We learn early on that his wife died in childbirth (to their daughter who lived) and he can't seem to forgive his daughter for this occurrence. Along with this he also is having issues stabilizing himself and finds himself constantly being called insane or crazy. After Bill is nearly recruited to chase down Griffin he decides to go after him on his own which leads to multiple sequence that explore the sub conscience of Mr. McNue. These are great scenes but there are less of them than I'd like.
Roy Goode and Frank Griffin should be discussed as a pair. Their story is intertwined deeply as the history between them is what leads to the events that occur in Godless. Roy betrayed Frank and his posse, resulting in the event that is shown in the very first scene of the series. We quickly realize that Frank is not one to be trifled with and immediately grow to fear Jeff Daniels' character. I have to applaud him for his portrayal as I have never viewed him as a villain but the way he came off throughout this series was excellent. He portrayed both sides of this character well, being nice to those who didn't mean to create problems and very dark in other aspects. Roy Goode on the other hand is the polar opposite of Frank. Roy is a kind young man who seeks to help those in need. Jack O'Connell is a great actor who I have not seen in nearly as much as I would like. O'Connell's role in the series is fairly generic, but seeing the story play out between him and Frank is, as I've stated previously, outstanding.
This wouldn't be a review by yours truly though if I only focused on character. The other major factor for any series for me is the visuals. I am pleased to say that Godless nails this down to the tiniest detail. Starting with the fantastic title sequence, every detail is carefully handled. The Old West has never looked so worn out and depressing. The town of La Belle is rotten and barren, and the lighting is dim but brilliant. Many scenes play off the bare minimum lighting of night time in the open land, and they're just great. While I wouldn't recommend the series purely for it's visuals they are definitely a plus.
Godless is something special that I haven't seen before. I've had trouble in the past with Limited Series television creating a story that often times feels unfinished. This series does the exact opposite of that, creating a story from start to finish that feels complete and for that I am thankful. If you are a fan of the historical or western genre of media, Godless is the perfect show for you. Bare in mind though, the build is methodical and slow so there won't be action all the time. It will be worth the wait though when you reach the finish.
