New Delhi, Dec. 6 -- In the unforgiving landscape of Netflix's latest Western drama, The Abandons, the promise of a gritty frontier tale dissolves into a muddled morass of overwrought dialogue and underdeveloped characters. Premiering on December 4, 2025, the eight-episode series created by Kurt Sutter, known for his raw intensity in Sons of Anarchy, stars Gillian Anderson as a steely matriarch defending her Oregon homestead against a shadowy cabal of outlaws. Yet, what begins as an intriguing clash of wills between formidable women quickly unravels into a predictable slog, earning a dismal 42% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics who decry its half-hearted execution.

The series unfolds in 1856 Oregon Territory, where Anderson's Fiona Nolan, ...