A Different Sort of Western: Godless Episodes 1 and 2

This week’s Netflix original is called Godless. It is a Western that centers on the people around a conflict between violent outlaw Frank Griffith and the man he sees as the son who betrayed him named Roy Goode. The setting of the show is a town that is almost entirely run by women. These women all lost their husbands in a mine accident, which resulted in the town losing almost all income. At times, it feels like a town full of women is the whole gimmick of the show, with not much other substance. However, there is enough stuff to interest viewers, but there are also some things that may discourage viewers.

Something that may not jive with the audience is the villain, Frank Griffith. In one scene, he comes across a family of Norwegian immigrants. The whole scene was filled with tension, the viewer constantly wonders if he will murder the families. I was begging him not to, but not because I didn’t want to see these characters die. Throughout the show, Frank has been nothing but your standard evil villain. It would be a mark of a well developed character if he showed that he does have some idea of morality that doesn’t seek out punishment of all. While he fortunately decides to not kill the family, he does commit other crimes in regards to them. I would have given him a sense of justice where he would have just left the family alone. As it is, he is no better than any number of mustache-twirling villains with no depth of character.

One aspect of the show I enjoyed was Michelle Dockery as Alice Fletcher. Having not enjoyed her performance in Downton Abbey, I was pleasantly surprised with her many-layered portrayal as a woman alienated from society. Most of the women in the series can be described in a single trope, such as tomboy or pure hearted harlot. However, Alice Fletcher is somewhat harder to classify. At most, you might call her a single mom, but I disagree with this classification. Most single mothers in media let their status define them, either as a way to excuse poor behavior or as a way that she’s a cut above her peers. Alice Fletcher doesn’t fit this designation; she is just trying to live her life in an unfavorable landscape.

That landscape is another part of the show that I enjoyed. From the few westerns I have watched, the landscape is almost a character in and of itself. The isolation and harshness of the landscape often remind us that the hero alone can act in this situation. While most of the surroundings fit this, Alice’s ranch is almost green and lush by comparison. However, this fits the trope. To Roy Goode, who is among the heroes of the story, Alice’s ranch is a haven where he doesn’t have to worry about Frank Griffith’s vengeance for right now. I am happy the show has decided to keep that hallmark of a Western as opposed to promoting violence against women or not examining the consequences of relying on gun-only justice. I think that Godless is a Western I can enjoy.