The Son

After only 1 season and 2 years later AMC is releasing the FINAL season of The Son here soon. Frankly I don't get it, and can't for the life of me figure out why these good shows end up canceling great TV shows. I mean come on, 2 seasons of the Son and these writers can't come up with a new narrative? Gimme a break! These networks need to get it together! On some level they owe to the fans. Very selfish Network Bigwigs

I really did not want to become involved in another AMC show. However since Hell on Wheels finished its run and enjoying Westerns I decided to give The Son a chance. This is an excellent western well written and acted. Pierce Brosnan and cast are outstanding. Although the western frontier was considered "closed" in 1890 there seems to be issues that need to be settled even in 1915. I look forward to seeing how this series goes forward. Although Gunsmoke & earlier TV westerns were good drama The Son takes the Western to another level. At times brutal unflinching and unvarnished The Son probably presents a better idea of what the old West was really like. I enjoy the juxtaposition shown between the young Eli and the 1915 Eli. This isn't Dallas and with all due respect to the late Larry Hagman as good as he was in the role of JR Ewing, Pierce Brosnan's Eli would give JR a real run for the money.

Yes, this series is a bit cruel, which is only realistic since it's set in early 1900 (and before). A show must be able to show topics like racism and savagery without people shouting "it's a racist show!" like one person did here. It has nothing to do with racism. The whites are not portrayed in a very favorable light at all many times, far from it.

The pacing is slow compared to more "actioney" shows like Hell on Wheels. It has a main and a secondary plot, both of which are very enjoyable. So far it does not contain any cheap nudity or such, which i think is welcome.

It's leaning far more towards realism than being over the top - everything from clothing to language e.g the native Americans speak their own language. So if you're expecting Xena in Texas, well, you'll be disappointed ;)

Like always I really enjoyed Zahn McClarnon's performance, great actor with such great presence.

Looking forward to see more.

This show's focus is on the relationship of a father to his son, only in this case we have several father-son relationships, including the young Eli McCullough (Jacob Lofland) and his Comanche captor (Zahn McClarnon), the elder Eli (Pierce Brosnan) and his two sons (Henry Garrett, David Wilson Barnes), and Eli's son (Henry Garrett) with his own son (Shane Graham).

Add to the father/son relationships is a West in transition, with the end of the Buffalo hunts in mid 19th century, and the faint beginnings of the oil industry in Texas in 1915.

If this isn't enough to entice you, throw in race relations, between the whites and the Indians and the whites and the Mexicans, and within the races, between those who practice compassion and those who do not, and those who have power and those who do not.

Onto this broad landscape we have marvelous photography, great location shots, and terrific acting. This is TV at its near best, and I think it may be Brosnan's finest role.

The series opens with what I would say is at least a 14 year-old boy being taken captive in 1849. The future is identified as 1915. That means the boy would be 80 years old. Seeing him on a horseback posse and being very physical in many ways doesn't make sense to me. Am I missing something?