Classic Western TV series have a timeless charm – and who can resist that? Holding a special place in our culture, on-screen depictions of the Old West really do capture our imagination with tales of rugged landscapes and moral codes. But the genre has truly thrived on the small screen, with some of the most compelling, wide ranging stories ever told. And that’s what we present in this list.
Focusing on everything from the historical classics to the gritty neo-Western dramas that are changing the game, this article rounds up the top 10 Western TV series of all time. It’s not just about what’s trending on streaming services – it’s what audiences are loving right now. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the genre or just discovering it, you’ll discover your next favourite Western right here.
What are the best Western TV series of all time?
We don’t just pull titles out of a hat to rank these awesome Western TV series. Instead, we look closely at trends on streaming platforms and what audiences are saying in reliable reviews and on social media. And, from things like fan engagement and critical acclaim, we use crucial ranking criteria to ensure our selections are appealing, frequently watched, popular and enjoyed.
Each entry on our list is more than just a title and a number. We’ve included key details for every series to help you find your next great watch. We of course include the title of each Western TV series, but we also offer a brief synopsis, the director, key cast, and the specific genre of the series. Want to know its total runtime, or where to view it? We also specify the length and which streaming service you can find it on, so you can jump right in.
Yellowstone
Drama •Western
Overview
Follow the violent world of the Dutton family, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Led by their patriarch John Dutton, the family defends their property against constant attack by land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park.
Cast
Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kelsey Asbille
Justified
Crime •Action •Drama •Mystery •Thriller •Western •Adventure
Overview
A character drama based on the 2001 Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole.” Leonard’s tale centers around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens of Kentucky, a quiet but strong-willed official of the law. The tale covers his high-stakes job, as well as his strained relationships with his ex-wife and father.
Cast
Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel
1923
Drama •Western
Overview
Follow a new generation of the Dutton family during the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.
Cast
Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Darren Mann, Michelle Randolph, Brian Geraghty
Duration
60 minutes
Deadwood
Drama •Western •Crime •History
Overview
A mining town sees crime and corruption in the US due to the area being unclaimed by any state or territory after the civil war. Deadwood brings together those seeking riches and power.
Cast
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Jim Beaver, W. Earl Brown
1883
Western •Drama
Overview
Follow the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. A stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.
Cast
Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett
Duration
56 minutes
When Calls the Heart
Drama •Romance •Western •History
Overview
Elizabeth Thatcher, a young school teacher from a wealthy Eastern family, migrates from the big city to teach school in a small coal mining town in the west.
Cast
Viv Leacock
Cowboy Bebop
Animation •Sci-fi •Adventure •Action •Drama •Western •Comedy
Overview
In 2071, roughly fifty years after an accident with a hyperspace gateway made the Earth almost uninhabitable, humanity has colonized most of the rocky planets and moons of the Solar System. Amid a rising crime rate, the Inter Solar System Police (ISSP) set up a legalized contract system, in which registered bounty hunters, also referred to as “Cowboys”, chase criminals and bring them in alive in return for a reward.
Cast
Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Aoi Tada
Walker
Crime •Western •Action •Adventure •Drama
Overview
Cordell Walker, a widower and father of two with his own moral code, returns home to Austin after being undercover for two years, only to discover there’s harder work to be done at home.
Cast
Jared Padalecki, Molly Hagan, Keegan Allen, Violet Brinson, Kale Culley
Warrior
Drama •Action •Adventure •Crime •History •Western
Overview
A gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. The series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who immigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances, and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s most powerful tongs.
Cast
Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, Kieran Bew
Mountain Men
Reality •Western •Documentary
Overview
Profiles of some of the men who choose to live off the grid in the unspoiled wilderness, where dangers like mudslides, falling trees and bears are all part of everyday life.
Cast
Tom Oar, Nancy Oar, D.B. Sweeney, Eustace Conway
Frequently asked questions
It’s all to do with their themes. The Western genre isn’t just about cowboys and old-looking, dusty saloons – there are current, modern ones, too. The great thing about modern Westerns? They take the classic themes of justice and survival and put them in a new setting. In their depiction of the struggle for honour and law, they appeal to us, even nowadays.
There’s no need to worry – major Australian streaming services make every show on the list available to you. It’s frustrating finding a show you want to watch but can’t, isn’t it? That’s why we’ve confirmed the availability of each one before including them, making it easy for you to pick a series and start your watch.
The great thing is that even though the TV Western genre has a rich history, and we believe the classic series paved the way for modern shows, and the genre itself appeals to our sense of justice contrasted with lawlessness – so they remain popular because of their themes.
While we recognise that a traditional Western is typically set in the 19th-century American frontier, we see that neo-Westerns, might take the same themes, like revenge, or the clash between law and lawlessness, but that each of these elements are applied to a modern or different setting.
The Western genre is huge, and that means we can’t include every great series. The general opinion of collective viewers and trends are the basis of our list, as opposed to just personal opinions. We focus on offering an objective look at what viewers are loving, but we just know viewers can find a few new favourites here.
A great place to start to find more shows like this? Check out our website, where we have a universal search that allows you to find a variety of shows and Western movies across different streaming services in Australia.
We get it – the Western genre is huge. If you’re new to it, we recommend starting with the series that are trending right now. They’re an easy entry point because they often have more in common with modern dramas, and you can then explore the classic shows to get a feel for the genre’s roots.
There’s no question that the drama, ranchers, outlaws, and lawmen are all elements that appeal to Australian Western TV series lovers. The wide-ranging elements of Western TV series, whether it’s the tension between good and bad characters, or the wildness of the West, make up a wide variety of rugged tales.
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