As the third episode of American Primeval begins, Abish (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) helps clean with the others. When she tries to flee, Red Feather (Derek Hinkey) stops her. He takes her locket. Abish is pulled back with the others. Frank Cook (Dominic Bogart) sits with James Wolsey (Joe Tippett) and others. Jacob Pratt (Dane DeHaan) tells Frank he’s just reminding God they’re still there. James Wolsey tells Jacob he should start considering that Abish may not be alive. Jacob is convinced she’s still alive. Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney) and his friend, Gant (Alex Fine), arrive to speak to Wolsey about Sara. When James looks at the wanted poster, he remembers Sara and her son fleeing from them. He tells Virgil that they haven’t seen her. Virgil remembers Jacob who says he survived an Indian attack. Jacob claims she was killed with the others. Wolsey asks Virgil if he’d allow Cook and Pratt to accompany him.

Virgil agrees when he’s offered $200. Jacob Pratt says they’re going to Crooks Springs. In private, Wolsey tells Frank Cook to find the boy and woman and make sure they’re dead. Cook argues they don’t know what they saw. Wolsey says it doesn’t matter because the risk is too high now. Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) pleads with Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch) to make the fire bigger. Isaac tells Devin (Preston Mota) to get up and come with him. They collect smooth rocks. Devin asks Isaac what the tattoos on his hands mean. He also asks about learning to fight. Isaac is not scared to die as long as it’s the right way. He tells Sara they’re going to heat up the rocks and lay on them. He tells Isaac to get enough for his mother and the girl. Later, Sara learns that Isaac is taking medicine. Isaac asks if the boy’s father is even at Crooks Springs. She claims he has been successful and he has a gold claim just outside of town. Sara believes he will welcome Devin when he sees what a fine son he’s become.

Kuttaambo’I (Nanabah Grace) teaches Abish. Seconds later, Abish approaches Red Feather because she wants the locket back. He pushes her to the ground. When Kuttaambo’I comes over, he lets Abish go. Isaac has to tend to a horse that has been limping. He puts Devin on the horse to see if he can carry the boy’s weight. Devin has marks on his hand like Isaac now. Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier) points out someone nearby. Isaac tells Sara to let him handle this, but she immediately takes over and ignores him. Sara wants to take the girl back to his papa. Isaac tells her to leave the girl. He admits he’d leave the girl if he was there alone. They stumble upon a camp a short time later. Sara gives the girl to the woman there. Isaac tells her to stay on the horse. She doesn’t listen. Because Sara doesn’t listen to Isaac at all, they find themselves surrounded by gunmen.

Louis (Kevin Scott Allen) threatens to shoot the boy. Sara may finally realize that she messed up. Isaac drops his weapons and gets off his horse. The blind woman (Alaina Warren Zachary) and Juliette (Chloe Lysenko) laugh. Two Moons flees and creates a distraction. Sara is hit with a rifle. Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham) talks to Cottrell (Nick Hargrove) and another man about buying pigs. Jim tells Winky he wants a scale before they close the deal. Brigham Young (Kim Coates) tells Jim that Bill Hickman (Alex Breaux) relayed their conversation to him. Jim and Young speak in private. Jim says Bill’s tone made it seem like his people were ready to take what was not being offered. Young admits he was Jim’s fort. Jim knows it’s the end of the Mormons if the Army gets the fort. He tells Young what brought him to this place. As Young leaves, he tells Jim he has church business to attend to. He wants to continue the conversation once it’s complete.

Young tells Jim to come up with a fair price. When they’re alone, Jim tells Sam Cottrell they better get a drink while they still can. Sara finally wakes up and finds herself restrained. Louis and his men look over everyone. Isaac tells her the less attention they give the more time they have to get loose. Wolsey meets Captain Dellinger (Lucas Neff) who asks him about the Meadows attack. Wolsey says some of their people were slaughtered and a survivor says it was the Wolf Clan. Dellinger has questions for Jacob Pratt about what went on that night. He says they heard that whites were involved in the attack. Wolsey says Jacob was heading toward Cedar Falls and that’s where the Wolf Clan is hiding out. He blames Red Feather for murdering those folks. Dellinger tells him he’s running a Mormon mob. When they find proof of Mormon involvement, the US Army will test their resolve. Dellinger wants to send some scouts to Cedar Falls to see if they can find Red Feather.

Louis tries to find out more about Sara. Isaac offers to give him whatever he wants if they let them go. Louis says he doesn’t think so. They begin moving Sara while Isaac and Devin are attacked. The scouters are killed by Red Feather and his men. It appears Louis has raped Sara. She is returned to her spot moments later. Isaac tells her that Devin did not wake up. Abish learns that something is going on. Jacob Pratt annoys Virgil. Gnat tells Jacob that they don’t have an ear for hymns. Tilly tells her that Red Feather rapes white women over and over again. Devin wakes up in the middle of the night and calls for his mom. Isaac tells him to be quiet. He wants him to focus on getting his hands loose. Isaac promises they’re going to get out of his and he’ll teach him how to fish, but Devin has to be strong like his mother. Sara is taken away again. Two Moons returns and sets one of them on fire. Sara grabs a gun and shoots several of them.

Isaac and Devin watch as she finishes shooting the others. She runs out of bullets before she can kill the blind woman. Later, Sara tells Isaac that she doesn’t require pity. She finally admits that she was wrong and shouldn’t have helped that girl. Two Moons tries to comfort her. Abish is taken to another camp. Red Feather says his face is always painted for war. He wants a place to stay for a short time. Red Feather insists to Winter Bird (Irene Bedard) he will not bring war onto his son. Dellinger learns Turner is back and he’s in the infirmary. He learns that Red Feather’s men killed them all. Turner tells Edmund Dellinger what happened. He says Red Feather was heading southwest towards the hill hills. Winter Bird’s camp is up that way. Dellinger asks Grey Fox (Jeremiah Bitsui) to take some scouts to the Shoshone camp. Dellinger writes about the land and how few people have compassion. The women look at Abish’s hair. Dellinger says there is only brutality here.

Tilly (Kyle Davis) continues harassing Jacob. Then, he begins bothering Gnat. Jacob notices the pocket watch Frank Cook has. He realizes that Cook stole it after killing the Mormons at the camp. They begin moving moments later.

 

American Primeval Review

Through three episodes, American Primeval is largely disappointing with a few good points scattered throughout. Taylor Kitsch, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, and Shea Whigham are good in their respective roles. Isaac’s story could work exceptionally well without Sara who has been a burden since day one.

Jacob Pratt’s journey to getting revenge and reuniting with Abish could also be good. There isn’t a single character to genuinely care again unless it is Jacob. Sara certainly isn’t because the character is written to be an idiot who refuses to listen to anyone. She’s made mistake after mistake since meeting and ignoring Jim.

Then, she ignored Isaac in this episode and nearly got everyone killed for it. Of course, Two Moons had to return hours later to save the day. We’re supposed to cheer for Sara unloading on the cartoonish villains when the majority of the episode could’ve been avoided if Sara used any common sense and just listened to Isaac.

How many more dumb decisions will Sara make before she is finally killed or gets someone else killed? The series would improve considerably without that character. The cast and story are too bloated making it impossible to know every name here. It really doesn’t matter because the majority of them won’t amount to anything in the long run.

There are hints of watchability here, but most scenes are hindered by a lack of general purpose and a lack of sympathetic characters. This episode scores a 3.5 out of 10. Recaps of American Primeval can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.