Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey and Sex Education’s Gillian Anderson are going toe-to-toe in a gunslinging new western drama on Netflix.
The Abandons shows two widowed matriarchs go to battle for supremacy of a 19th century frontier town.
Here’s what you need to know about the epic drama coming to the streamer this week.
What is The Abandons about?
The Abandons takes place in the Washington Territory of 1854 and focuses on two families at war. Led by powerful matriarchs, the families battle for supremacy but become entangled in forbidden romance, murder and a battle for land.
The two families are the Van Nesses, a dynasty of wealth and privilege, who effectively run the town, and the Abandons, a found family of orphans and outcasts.
‘I am fascinated by the metamorphosis of good into evil,’ said showrunner and Sons of Anarchy creative Kurt Sutter.
‘What must transpire to drive the morally sound to become the dangerously corrupt. The Abandons explores those complex compromises through the most powerful human instinct – the love and protection of mothers.’
Where was The Abandons filmed?
Filming took place between May and October 2024, with additional shooting taking place after showrunner Kurt Sutter left the project.
Despite being set in Washington, USA, The Abandons was predominantly filmed around Calgary, the largest city in the Canadian province of Alberta, with its sweeping plains outside of the city doubling up as a 1850s frontier town.
The production also used areas near Stoney Nakoda and Kananaskis Country, with local residents being issued warnings about loud noises, including explosion shots, during filming.
Southern Alberta is a popular filming location for western dramas with its open plains, long dirt roads and old towns that mean film crews can still shoot on real sets without needing too much editing or set dressing.
Who is in the cast of The Abandons?
Gillian Anderson leads the cast of The Abandons, playing iron-willed matriarch town leader, Constance Van Ness, who is still coming to terms with her husband’s death while trying to control both her family and the local community.
The Van Ness children are played by Lucas Till (X-Men), Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones), and Toby Hemingway (Black Swan).
Lena Headey plays Fiona Nolan, a fierce, faith-driven matriarch of the family she’s brought together of abandoned souls on the fringes of society.
Her adopted children are played by Nick Robinson (Love, Simon), Diana Silvers (Booksmart), Lamar Johnson (The Last of Us), and newcomer Natalia del Riego.
When is The Abandons available to watch?
All seven episodes of The Abandons are streaming on Netflix from Thursday, December 4.
Take a look at the trailer below for a taste of the drama.
Will there be a second series of The Abandons?
Nothing is confirmed, but the ending of season one certainly leaves the door open for a return.
Exec-producer Christopher Keyser has described the season as the ‘first chapter of The Abandons’, so it’s looking promising that the story will continue.
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