Netflix Documentary Reveals The Real History Of America’s Greatest Cowboy
The 1950s were a significant decade in cinematic history, as it saw the rise of the Westerns and musicals. Westerners, who provided comfort and stability to the society that had desperately needed them following World War II, were dominating the box office in the 1950s. Then, the late 1960s and early 1970s came, and the oversaturation, along with the cultural and social shifts, basically killed the genre. But, releases such as Django Unchained, Unforgiven, and The Revenant, along with Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War—which is currently dominating Netflix—prove that the genre isn’t completely dead.
A Popular Netflix Original
Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War is a docuseries about the early American lawman, which is currently climbing Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched English-language Netflix shows chart, topped by only two other series: American Murder: Laci Peterson and Emily in Paris. We’re discussing a six-episode Netflix exclusive narrated by Ed Harris—also known as the Man in Black from HBO’s Westworld series, for which he received critical acclaim—with plenty of intense re-enactments alongside the historical narrative.
The Legend Of Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War centers on the legendary feud between the lawman and the Cochise County Cowboys and the aftermaths of the shootout at the O.K. Corral—one of the most famous gunfights in the history of the American Wild West. The majority of the documentary is reenacted, spending plenty of time building the characters of Wyatt Earp, Ike Clanton, and the rest of the Earps and the Cowboys, and there’s some highlighting of Wyatt’s grey persona, but a series has to have a protagonist.
Uneven Portrayals
Actor Tim Fellingham did a fantastic job of portraying Wyatt Earp as a character that’s there to do a job—though admittedly, some vigilantism in the matter implies a massive ego and an unsatiable desire for vengeance. We won’t explain what that means here; instead, we’ll only suggest that you watch the series.
Sadly, the character of Ike Clanton wasn’t as justly portrayed; instead of a charismatic man who likes to tell tall tales in order to manipulate others (he would make a great politician), his depiction in Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War is that of a one-dimensional villain.
Filled With Great Re-Enactments
This doesn’t make Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the writers should have made him a more nuanced character as they did with Wyatt Earp. Despite these minor shortcomings, the Netflix series is filled to the brim with cowboy myth, engaging re-enactments, and fantastic narration by Ed Harris, which ultimately makes the series a mesmerizing viewing experience.
Streaming Only On Netflix
Of course, history buffs were quick to point out another mistake regarding the series jumping-off point, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, stating that it didn’t actually occur at the O.K. Corral but in a narrow lot nearby. Still, this doesn’t really take anything away from the series, which is currently climbing the Top 10 charts and whose popularity continues to rise. Those interested in watching Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War, the fantastic six-episode docuseries, is currently streaming on Netflix.
