As the episode opens, Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch) is working when Sara Rowell/Sarah Holloway (Betty Gilpin) approaches and asks what is the plan. He says they are returning to Fort Bridger and a guide will take her east. She insists on reuniting Devin Rowell (Preston Mota) with his father in Crooks Springs. Doubting that is what Devin’s father wants, Isaac forcibly puts Devin on a horse. She orders him to let Devin go. He climbs up behind Devin, and she will get him back in Fort Bridger. She mounts a horse, pursues him, and tries to convince him to let her have Devin. Seeing Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier) approaching, he draws his gun and orders her to go home. As she turns to leave, Devin says she isn’t bothering them. Isaac orders him to shut up and puts his gun away. Upon reaching the river, Isaac decides it is too high and leaves to find safer place to cross. Sarah asks how long he will be gone. Ignoring her, he keeps riding. She frantically paces while considering their next move when she spots Two Moons and draws her knife. Intervening, Devine claims to have seen her climb into their wagon. Two Moons utilizes sign language to request her knife back. Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney) and his men approach from the other side of the river. He addresses her as Mrs. Holloway. Devin says he knows them by their real name. As Sara, Devin, and Two Moons takes off running, Virgil fires several shots in their direction. Isaac looks down from a hilltop. Sara, Devin, and Two Moons continue to run. Isaac mounts his horse and is hit in the leg with an arrow. He falls to the ground, grabs his rifle, and runs into the woods as the arrows fly past him.

Two Moons direct Sara and Devin through a gap into a cave. She stays back to see Virgil and his men approaching before joining them. Isaac runs into an open field and appears to break the arrow when a Shoshone aggressor (Bryson Becenti) approaches. They charge each other. Isaac knocks him down and repeatedly hits him with his gun. Another Shoshone aggressor (Jackie Keene) shoots an arrow at him. He takes off running. Elsewhere, Virgil and his men surround the cave. Mills goes in for a better look and is attacked by Two Moons. Retrieving his gun, she fires a shot toward the cave entrance. Virgil and his men return fire. Sara and Devine follow Two Moons through the cave. One of Virgil’s men throws a bundle of burning straw into the cave. Smoke begins to fill the cave. Elsewhere, Isaac and an Indian get into a physical altercation. The Indian shoves him over an embankment. Isaac gets to his feet. Armed with a tomahawk, the Indian jumps on him. A struggle ensues and ends with Isaac hitting him in the face with a rock. Elsewhere, Devin climbs out of the cave through a hole. Virgil enters the smoke-filled cave. Sara and Two Moons escape through the hold hole. He tries to follow them but the hole is too narrow.

Church of Jesus of Latter-Day Saints President and Utah Governor Brigham Young (Kim Coates) holds a Mormon service. Wild Bill Hickman (Alex Breaux) turns to see Cook (Dominic Bogart) approaching on horseback. Cook hands Brigham a message from James Wolsey (Joe Tippett). Reading the note, Hickman says 70 pioneers died in a conflict. Brigham asks Cook if they have blood on their hands. Cook says no. Brigham orders Hickman to ride to Fort Bridger to stop rumors from spreading east. Later at Fort Bridger, Hickman tells Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham) that the Mormons are concerned about his new partnership with the U.S. Army. Bridger explains how the Army pays him a decent price to lease a parcel for 25 men. Hickman assures him the Army will continue to grow with the intent to overthrow LDS leadership. Bridger argues that a forced occupation of LDS settlements can result in violence for law-abiding LDS citizens. He says the Nauvoo Legion is Brigham’s private army in all its bloody glory. Hickman tells him the Nauvoo Legion acts in defense of their persecuted members. Bridger suggests his deal with the Army makes him one of their persecutors as well. Hickman warns that anyone assisting the U.S. government to wage war against them will be considered an enemy. Bridger says he sees why people are calling him “Wild Bill.” The Fort Bridger Doctor (Tony Robinette) stitches up Jacob Pratt’s (Dane DeHaan) wounds. Army Captain Edmund Dellinger  (Lucas Neff) questions him about what happened. Jacob claims to have come under attack by a group of Indians in hoods. Bridger suggests it was Red Feather (Derek Hinkey). Hickman sarcastically says the Army should focus on the natives, not starting conflict with the LDS. Ignoring him, Dellinger asks Jacob if he could identify his assailants. Jacob demands he bring them in now. Dellinger says at first light.

Abish (Saura Lightfoot-Leon), Alivan (Lily Smith), Oaklyn (Frankie J. Mitchell), and Ezrie (Olivia Taylor) are being held hostage by the Paiute. Red Feather and his men arrive. After a brief argument, Red Feather kills the Paiute leader (Marco Fuller). Abish tries to keep Oaklyn calm. Red Feather’s men kill the remaining Paiute. An Indian slashes the throats of all the women and when he reaches Abish, she leans her head back. Red Feather orders him to stop, takes the knife, and puts it to her throat. She warns that his death will be worse than hers because his heart is savage. He takes her hostage. At Bridger Fort, Hickman prays for Jacob who calls for a posse. Bridger tells him there is no posse in that area. Jacob insists on forming his own. Bridger assures him none of the men will join. Hickman says Jacob shares their faith and some of them will join. Bridger asks what happened to Sara and Devin. Jacob claims they died along with the others. Elsewhere, Two Moons starts a fire. Sara introduces herself and Devin. Utilizing sign language, Two Moons identifies herself. Sara returns her knife. Elsewhere, Red Feather ties Abish to a tree. One of the women orders Abish to sit still. Abish screams.

Outside Fort Bridger, Dellinger gets upset when he learns Hickman joined Jacob in finding the Indians who took Abish. Later at the Nauvoo Legion camp, Hickman informs the Militia of the attack on Jacob and other Mormons. Wolsey tells Jacob the Nauvoo Legion will help him find Abish. The men shake hands. Once alone, Hickman hits Wolsey and scolds him for leaving loose ends that will lead back to them. Wolsey promises to kill Jacob tonight. Hickman says Jacob is one of them until he suspects something. Wosley denies anyone else escaped. Jacob has flashbacks of the attack and Abish. Elsewhere, Isaac finds Two Moons, Devin, and Sara asleep. He takes Sara’s gun, sends Two Moons away, extinguishes the fire, and leads them away. Two Moons follows close behind them. Isaac cuts off Devin’s brace. Sara urges Devin to put it back on but he refuses because he isn’t a cripple. The next morning, Jacob leads the Nauvoo Legion to the dead women. They discover a man still alive. He tells them that the Wolf clan took the woman. Wolsey shoots the man. Upset, Jacob insists he had more to say. Wolsey says the man was suffering before telling him the Wolf clan is the renegade Shoshone. Once alone, Wolsey tells Cook that Abish could pin the attack on them.

Kuttaambo’i (Nanabah Grace) unties Abish to let her eat. Abish runs into the woods but doesn’t get too far before being caught. Kuttaambo’i ties her to the tree. Red Feather eats her food. At the attack site, Dellinger sees horseshod marks on the ground which is unusual for tribes. He believes the Mormons are responsible. Chubs (Chris Martin) why would the Mormons kill their own and they have no evidence to link them to the attack. Grey Fox (Jeremiah Bitsul) discovers a sack. Dellinger pulls it over his head and asks Chubs what Indians would wear it. Elsewhere, Isaac orders Sara to hand over her money and enters a trapper camp. He tells the trappers that he wants to buy some horses. Not trusting him, Sara enters the camp and tells the trappers it is her money. Runty Ronald (Ben Painter) tells them that some men passed by while searching for a woman and boy on the run from the east. Isaac denies knowing anything about it and starts to lead Sara away. Ronald agrees to help him but at a cost. Isaac jerks Sara away, shoots a man, and stabs another man. A man shoots at him. Isaac kills the clan and grabs Sara who claims it was self-defense. Devin orders Isaac to leave her alone. She offers Isaac $1,500 to take them to Crook Springs. He threatens to kill her if she lies to him again. Devin gives him the trapper’s coat.

Ute Camp – Wolsey asks them about the attack. A Ute man (Anthony Parker) denies it was them. Wolsey asks where Red Feather’s camp is. The man says near Cedar Falls. Jacob sees a Ute child (Manto DeRoin-Silva) wearing Abish’s shawl. A man intervenes. Firing a shot into the air, Wolsey says the Ute are scavengers, nothing more. The Ute man threatens to kill him. Wolsey thanks him before they ride away. Elsewhere, Isaac falls off of his horse. Sara goes to check on him and takes his wallet. She is at the creek when several Indians surround her. She races back to Devin. The Indians help Isaac onto a horse. Elsewhere, Red Feather unties Abish and offers her some food. She stuffs it into her mouth. Elsewhere, Isaac wakes up. Sleeping Deer (Harrison Lowes) says welcome back to the living, Kinii da-Dawon. Sara tells him that they arrived two days ago and returns his wallet. She says these people care about him. He says it was his home and walks away to join Winter Bird (Irene Bedard) who calls him her son. She was afraid he had passed to the other side. Isaac admits he felt as if he had. Winter Bird asks about his wife and son, but Isaac says they’re not his. She says he has so much pain in his eyes and they share it. Isaac says he has no peace. Riders come into the camp later. Edmund Dellinger approaches and says there was an attack on white settlers and many were killed. He does not believe it was them, but others have made accusations. Isaac says they were white Mormons likely. He was there, but it wasn’t his place to stop it. Winter Bird says her son, Red Feather, lives on his own now and fights his own wars. Edmund recommends moving their people further east to the lands the US government has given them.

Winter Bird says the Shoshone will live on the land that Nasuwegai’nde has given them. Grey Fox is told he brings shame on his people. Grey Fox tells the man he will watch him die with the others. Isaac tells Two Moons to stay there. He tells Sara heading west is a mistake, but she claims she has no other choice. Two Moons follows them anyway.

 

American Primeval Review

An intriguing concept ruined by a terrible execution. It is tedious and requires complete focus which is challenging. The cast is bloated and it would be no loss to lose half of the characters. Less than a handful of the actors had worthy performances. It didn’t help that the characters weren’t developed enough to draw curiosity or empathy from the audience.

The screenplay is amateurish and clunky. The cinematography, pacing, and editing are subpar. The show has its moments but fails to leave a lasting impression. The episode deserves a 4.2 out of 10.

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