Netflix’s first trailer for its upcoming Western series Godless looks highly traditional, but contains a few hidden gems. Will the creators be able to make this well-worn genre feel new?
The first trailer for Godless, Netflix’s Steven Soderbergh-produced Western, hit the Internet this morning, and reactions have been … somewhat muted.
In true teaser trailer tradition, the 54-second trailer divulges virtually no plot information, but offers a first glimpse at the show’s visual aesthetic, including set design, costuming, and casting — all of which fit firmly in the traditional western mold.
Netflix has revealed that the show will follow a gang of outlaws, led by Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), as they chase down Ray Goode (Jack O’Connell), a criminal who has betrayed them, which may also sound fairly standard. But, the synopsis slides in a twist at the end: “The chase leads to the quiet town of LaBelle, made up entirely of women.”
Women? In a Western? Living independently? This is pretty crazy stuff.
Okay, so it’s not exactly on par with the genre subversion of HBO streaming dramas like Westworld and True Detective, but we’re excited to see Netflix get some skin in the Western-drama game while potentially bringing more powerful female characters to life.
Though we’re dreaming of an Amazonian cowgirl utopia, it seems we’ll have to wait until the next trailer to see what the town of LaBelle actually looks like. For now, the trailer’s most intriguing visuals include a heavily bearded Jeff Daniels — back on TV for the first time since 2014 — some pretty lens flares, and a baby that is way too close to a rattlesnake.
On top of these images, a dramatic voiceover reads an excerpt from “Tis a Fearful Thing” by 12th century Jewish poet Yehuda HeLevi, which begins, “‘Tis a fearful to love what death can touch.”
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Overall, the trailer presents an interesting choice of audio but little to work with by way of visuals and storyline. Hopefully the series dares to edge away from tradition a bit more than this first glimpse — and we’re really hoping this drama about the American West includes at least one Native American, even if the trailer does not.