10 Best Neo-Western TV Shows, Ranked

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

While the Western may still largely be defined by period piece stories set in the American Southwest during the Wild West era, it's not an exclusive setting for the genre. Some of the best Western TV shows of all time are stories set during the modern era, still taking advantage of a predominantly rustic setting. The familiar archetypes and conflicts are still present, but reinvented to better fit within contemporary trappings and sensibilities. The effectiveness of these Westerns outside of their usual historical setting highlights how timeless and malleable the genre can be.

Neo-westerns deserve their place as a vital sub-genre and one that's breathed new life into television Westerns overall. Some of the most popular recent shows in the genre are set in contemporary time periods, bringing wider audiences to these familiar archetypes. For the purposes of this article, this list defines neo-Westerns as stories set after the mid-20th century and widespread modernization of North America. These are the 10 best neo-Western TV shows ranked, offering a modern twist to the genre.

The 2014 series "The Red Road" took its neo-Western tropes to the East Coast, not unlike "Justified" or "Banshee." Set in a remote New Jersey small town, the show follows police officer Harold Jensen (Martin Henderson), who leads an especially messy domestic life. After the disappearance of a college student, tension between the community and its neighboring indigenous population begins to escalate. Joining Jensen as an unlikely ally is Phillip Kopus (Jason Momoa), a recently released former convict looking to start his own illicit business in the area.

"The Red Road" provides a more consistently ominous tone across its two-season run, underscoring its disturbing driving mystery. This also helps to enhance the dramatic stakes, from Jensen caring for his unstable wife to his precarious partnership with Kopus. That latter dynamic makes up much of the show's entertaining core, as the two characters navigate how much they can trust each other. An overlooked gem and one of the more underrated Jason Momoa projects, "The Red Road" is well worth checking out over a decade since its cancellation.

Chuck Norris' long-running neo-Western "Walker, Texas Ranger" got a bold reboot in 2021, simply titled "Walker." Jared Padalecki stars as Cordell Walker, whose wife Emily (Genevieve Padalecki) is murdered at the start of the series, prompting him to go on a lengthy undercover assignment. Returning to regular duty as uniformed Texas Ranger, Cordell has to contend with life as a single father to his two teenage children. This is balanced by sinister figures that the Rangers confront, while the Walker family confronts their own rivals from a neighboring ranch.

"Walker" puts a stronger focus on family than the Norris series had, giving each of Cordell's clan their own arcs and conflicts. These elements enhance the usual police procedural elements well and give the ensemble cast opportunities to really grow into their respective characters. Padalecki is visibly comfortable getting to play a father consumed by his work and not always getting the balance between both sides of his complicated life down pat. "Walker" was cancelled at The CW after four seasons, but still provided audiences with a satisfying ride through the heart of Texas along the way.

Just like Westerns themselves, neo-Westerns aren't an exclusively American sub-genre, with their common tropes perfectly applicable to overseas settings. A prime example of this is the 2024 Netflix original series "Territory," which puts an Australian twist to the familiar narrative elements. The show centers on the country's largest cattle ranch, which has been run for generations by the Lawson family, including its current patriarch Colin (Robert Taylor). After the death of the ranch's intended heir, the family finds itself facing threats to its continued stability from both internal and external figures.

"Territory" feels like Netflix's Australian answer to "Yellowstone," but the short-lived show is far more than just that. The show takes full advantage of the uniqueness of its Australian setting and diverse cultural elements that organically inform its story. Bringing this complex family drama to life is an immaculate ensemble cast, with Anna Torv standing as a clear standout. A refreshing change in scenery and approach to the well-worn genre, "Territory" deserved to run for far more than the six episodes it received.

Before appearing in "Territory," Michael Dorman starred in a much less melodramatic neo-Western, playing the title character in "Joe Pickett." Set in and around Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Pickett is a game warden who relocates to the area with his family. After discovering the corpse of a local poacher on his property, Pickett launches an investigation uncovering a larger conspiracy in the process. This places the earnest wildlife specialist and family man on a collision course with the powerful Scarlett family which runs the community.

In contrast to so many morally compromised protagonists in modern television, especially the Western genre, "Joe Pickett" features a refreshingly earnest and good-hearted lead character. Even as he finds himself in an investigation that quickly goes over his head, Pickett maintains his integrity as the stakes become more dangerous. A lot of that comes down to Dorman delivering such a strong performance across the show's two seasons. The story of an unassuming man called into action in a crisis beyond his initial anticipation, "Joe Pickett" is short and sweet in its execution.

The world of neo-Westerns got a welcome "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" twist with the fan-favorite series "Wynonna Earp." Based on the comic book by Beau Smith, the show has Wyatt Earp's direct descendant Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano) inherit her ancestor's magical revolver Peacemaker. This leads her to embrace her family destiny defending her hometown near the Ghost River Triangle from revenants, cursed spirits of outlaws killed by Wyatt. Joining Wynonna is legendary gunslinger Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon), who has since risen from the grave as a vampire.

"Wynonna Earp" is both the most freewheeling fun show on this list and brings a healthy dose of the supernatural to the modern West. A lot of that comes down to an immensely likable main cast, with Scrofano and Rozon joined by co-stars Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell to fill out the ensemble. In between the revenant-busting action, these characters' personal lives are a delightful mess and the show gets a lot of mileage from that. Running for four seasons and a reunion special on Tubi, "Wynonna Earp" makes the West wild again with its paranormal take on the genre.

Over the past several years, Taylor Sheridan has created an entire empire of shows that have consistently earned strong viewership across the board. The crown jewel of this line is "Yellowstone," which has spawned its own expanding franchise, including period piece prequel spin-offs. The 2018 series revolves around the Dutton family, who own and run the largest cattle ranch in the state of Wyoming, headed by patriarch John (Kevin Costner).

The most overtly soap operatic entry on this list, "Yellowstone" has its drama run as over-the-top as its constant action as the Duttons contend with external and internal threats. But for all the murder, mayhem, and parade of backstabbing, the best "Yellowstone" episodes keep a sharp focus on family. Watching the Duttons go against each other, come back together against common threats, and repeat this self-destructive cycle fuels the strongest storylines. At the same time, there is plenty of Western spectacle around the ranch, from cattle wrangling and rodeo-set derring-do to loads of gunslinging action.

Definitely worth the hype, "Yellowstone" catapulted neo-Westerns to new popular heights while forming the foundation of Sheridan's growing television catalog. And whereas the show's spin-offs have experimented with time period and setting, the main series retains its genre flavors while keeping its story firmly rooted in present-day.

Author Craig Johnson's "Walt Longmire Mysteries" novel series was adapted for television with a 2012 show simply titled "Longmire." Robert Taylor stars as Walt Longmire, a small-town sheriff in Wyoming who is still recovering from the death of his wife. Walt's adult daughter Cady (Cassidy Freeman) returns to town to help him overcome his grief as he investigates a fresh wave of mysteries. With Walt's jurisdiction often involving crimes on local tribal reservations, he turns to his close friend Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) for his insight.

"Longmire" is as unassuming as its titular protagonist, bringing an even-keeled hand to the genre and leaning into maturely developed drama. These interpersonal stakes are juxtaposed with steadily captivating mysteries, but never losing sight of its characters, thanks to its strong writing and main cast. The show also regularly captures the majesty of its sweeping rural setting, with its New Mexico filming locations beautifully evoking its Wyoming setting. A cozy neo-Western with an appealing cast and enough action and intrigue to keep audiences hooked, "Longmire" makes for great genre comfort viewing.

Though "Dark Winds" is, by definition, a period piece, set in the 1970s, it's still far removed from a more routine 1800s setting. Based on the pulp crime novels by Tony Hillerman, the show follows tribal police officers Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon). Along with Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), the officers maintain the peace in Navajo County and its surrounding areas within Arizona and New Mexico. Leaphorn and his officers face everything from rampaging domestic terrorists to elaborate criminal conspiracies involving major public figures.

"Dark Winds" blends contemporary Western and neo-noir tropes together to great effect, often embodied by Leaphorn as McClarnon gives a career-best performance. Gordon and Matten fill out the rest of the main cast marvelously, offering new dimensions to the psychological thriller stakes. As an interesting side note, "Dark Winds" also contains a memorable cameo from executive producer Robert Redford which became the celebrated actor's last on-screen role. One of the best crime shows of any sub-genre currently on television, "Dark Winds" is an absolute must-watch.

"Breaking Bad" is one of the best AMC TV shows of all time and launched its own celebrated television franchise. The show follows chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) teaming up with local drug dealer Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), with the duo creating a street drug that gets them increasingly involved with Albuquerque's criminal underworld.

The neo-Western elements of "Breaking Bad" really only start to become more prominent as White slides deeper into a life of crime but, once they do, they're unmistakable. White and Pinkman are modern-day outlaws, just balanced by contemporary suburban surroundings as they evade the law and rival crooks. Series creator Vince Gilligan ups these qualities as the series progresses, particularly as the violence throughout the story escalates culminating in numerous standoffs in its final season.

Compared to its spin-off "Better Call Saul," "Breaking Bad" is more of a neo-Western, right down to the show including a train heist in its final season. Beyond the debate of whether it qualifies as a contemporary Western, the series stands as a gripping crime drama with a constant sense of consequence and a memorably dusty setting in Albuquerque. But as widely acclaimed as "Breaking Bad" has become, there is one show that beats it on the neo-Western score.

When it comes to neo-Westerns, there's just no topping "Justified," which was based on the work of prolific crime writer Elmore Leonard. The series stars Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, a U.S. Marshal whose quick-draw, devil-may-care attitude lands him a reassignment to eastern Kentucky where he grew up.

In a lot of ways, Givens feels like a man out of time, a gunslinging cowboy that happens to drive a sedan rather than ride a horse. Understandably, a quick-draw approach to law enforcement ruffles feathers, with the show's rural Kentucky setting letting him cut loose like the defiant lawman he is. Even the crooks that Raylan goes up against feel like modernized updates of Western archetypes, beginning with the Crowder crime family at the start of the series. Bringing these qualities into focus is the show's main cast, particularly its two leads, with Olyphant joined by Walton Goggins.

"Justified" is an excellent showcase for Olyphant and Goggins' considerable talents, with the duo playing off of each other incredibly well. Olyphant is particularly great, bringing an effortless, easygoing cool to his performance, ready to switch into action mode at the drop of a hat. The show received a revival with "Justified: City Primeval," marking Olyphant's return while relocating the story to Detroit. The best on-screen realization of Leonard's literary work and the bar against which all other neo-Westerns are judged, "Justified" makes for an entertaining ride.