Top 10 Western series to binge: Yellowstone misses out on top spot to 'masterpiece' drama

When I was growing up, Western films mainly consisted of Clint Eastwood, John Wayne and Gary Cooper, and series like Rawhide, Gunsmoke or The Lone Ranger were rarely shown on television. However, somewhere in the last 30 years or so, the genre has reinvented itself into something wider, more honest and much sexier, and become even more popular.

Long gone are the days when Westerns were just about cowboys and outlaws, they now have all of that but blend gripping drama, complex morality, and stunning cinematography. There are so many to choose from nowadays it might seem overwhelming. Thankfully, review website Rotten Tomatoes has put together a list of the best Western series based on viewer scores.

From acclaimed series 1883 to Japanese remake Cowboy Bebop, you're going to want to saddle up for these Western series. Are you ready to see which drama has beaten Kevin Costner and Yellowstone to number one? Let's count them down.

Netflix's Cowboy Bebop is a live-action reboot of the original Japanese anime series of the same name. Set in a futuristic, spacefaring world it follows bounty hunters Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed, and their dog Ein as they chase criminals across the galaxy. Exploring themes of loneliness, redemption, and existentialism it stars American Pie's John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, Alex Hassell, and a Elena Satine.

Cowboy Bebop is available to stream on Netflix.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Netflix" data-licensor-name="Netflix" /> Paramount . The series chronicles the life of Bass Reeves, played by David Oyelowo, from enslavement through his ascent as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi, capturing over 3,000 outlaws.

The supporting cast includes Dennis Quaid as Deputy Marshal Sherrill Lynn, Donald Sutherland as Judge Isaac Parker, Lauren E.Banks as Jennie Reeves, Demi Singleton as Sally Reeves, Forrest Goodluck as Billy Crow, and Barry Pepper as Esau Pierce. Created by Chad Feehan and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan.

You can watch it on Prime Video.

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With a strong supporting cast including Diane Lane and Danny Glover, the series earned multiple Emmy Awards and remains a landmark in Western storytelling on television.

You can watch Lonesome Dove on Prime Video.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Teton Ridge Entertainment" data-licensor-name="Teton Ridge Entertainment" /> Prime Video now. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Prime Video" data-licensor-name="Prime Video" /> Netflix, Godless is set in 1884 and centres on the town of La Belle, New Mexico, which is almost entirely populated by women after a mining disaster.

When outlaw Roy Goode (Jack O'Connell) seeks refuge there while fleeing his former mentor Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), the town becomes the unlikely battleground for a violent showdown. Featuring Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery, Godless has earned critical acclaim and multiple Emmy Awards.

Watch Godless now on Netflix

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Netflix" data-licensor-name="Netflix" /> Yellowstone.

You can watch 1883 on Netflix and Prime Video

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Paramount+" data-licensor-name="Paramount+" /> Yellowstone is responsible for making the Western genre popular again.

It follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the largest contiguous ranch in the U.S. Set in Montana, the series offers stunning landscapes, complex characters, and some intense, grisley TV moments. I personally couldn't watch past the moment in the first 90 seconds.

Watch it now on Prime Video and Netflix.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Paramount+" data-licensor-name="Paramount+" /> Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as his wife Cara, the show adds a lot of rich context to the Yellowstone universe and the Dutton family legacy.

Watch 1923 now on Prime Video.

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