Netflix’s Lonesome Dove series: a reimagining of a western classic

In short

• Netflix has ordered a series that retells Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.
• The series is being produced by Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart, who previously worked together on East of Eden.
• Teton Ridge Entertainment holds the film and TV rights to the Lonesome Dove book series.

GAME-scanner analysis

Netflix’s decision to reimagine Lonesome Dove comes nearly four decades after the original miniseries aired on CBS in 1989. It opens the door to bringing the iconic characters Gus McRae and Woodrow Call back to life for a new audience. Kazan and Stuart are a promising choice as showrunners, given their prior collaboration and experience in the genre. The original miniseries, starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, left a lasting mark on western film and television culture. The new series could offer a fresh take on themes of friendship, adventure, and the hardships of life in the Wild West.

What does this mean for players?

For fans of the western genre and the original Lonesome Dove, this new series offers a chance to experience the story again, potentially with modern production values and a contemporary approach to its themes. It could also help renew interest in the genre, which may lead to more western stories in the future.