'American Primeval' Is Based on a Horrific War in the Old West

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Netflix's American Primeval, a six-part limited series, draws parallels to the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, particularly in its portrayal of a morally complex protagonist and the brutal realities of the American West in the 1850s. The series centers on a woman and her son fleeing the law, encountering violence and hardship while traversing the frontier, culminating in their involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. These events highlight the historical context of violence and colonialism in the Old West, mirroring themes explored in Red Dead Redemption 2. The success of recent video game adaptations, such as The Last of Us and Fallout, is also noted, contrasting with the absence of a Red Dead Redemption adaptation but suggesting American Primeval as a potential substitute. The series' gritty realism and visual similarities to the game make it a compelling, albeit fictionalized, account of the era.