American Primeval creator has just made Netflix's True Detective that could last for years

Daily Mirror

17-07-2025

Our review of Netflix's latest crime thriller
The creator of hit American Primeval have just made Netflix's version of True Detective and it could last for years, despite its limited series status.
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All six episodes of Untamed are now available to watch on the major streamer as of today (July 17). It is easily a must binge watch show for this weekend for any fans of the two previously mentioned shows.
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According to the brief synopsis shared by Netflix, the crime thriller is based amidst the vast expanse of Yosemite National Park. A woman's suspicious death draws a federal agent into lawless terrain, where nature obeys no rules but its own.
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Untamed was created and written by father daughter team, Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith. Smith senior previously wrote the screenplays for The Revenant, for which Leonardo DiCaprio finally picked up an Oscar, and Twisters. He also created the historical drama American Primeval, which was a hit for Netflix earlier in the year.
Together, the duo look to have repeated and offered up the closest thing to True Detective Netflix has been able to provide among all its binge worthy crime dramas and declared themselves as two of the steamer's must follow creatives. If anything they write next is as addictive as Untamed, I'll be there day one.
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True Detective is known for its A-list cast list and Untamed certainly competes in that area itself. It is lead by Australian actor Eric Bana, who has starred in Troy, The Time Traveller's Wife and played the Hulk before the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He is supported by Jurassic Park star Sam Neill, Wilson Bethel who also plays Bullseye in the Daredevil television series along with Rosemarie DeWitt and Lily Santiago. Together, along with a central mystery that follows many twists and turns, the series throws up a story even more gripping than any other murder mystery.
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In fact, I found myself gripped harder than any of True Detective's four seasons, which often fell by the wayside. There's no such danger here, with the Netflix series determined to clear everything up.
Untamed, also like the HBO show, makes understated use of the supernatural and local folklore. It would spoil an early plot point to explain in detail how this is but while True Detective might thrust the ghost stories in the viewers' faces, Untamed keeps them rightfully in the shadows to reflect on its characters and spectacular setting.
A clear benefit of setting a show in one of the US' celebrated National Parks is that some of the shots used can be as dramatic or intimate as desired. While Mark Smith's previous Netflix success, American Primeval, took advantage of its setting in its time period, Untamed does similar with its locality.
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Untamed only ever slows down to allow viewers to appreciate the glimpse of some of the best scenes nature allows. A look behind the scenes of some sequences would be fascinating, and hopefully wouldn't break my heart in revealing any green screen magic.
Despite the fact that this is being billed as a limited series for Netflix, Untamed could easily go on for years. Its premise of federal agents investigating serious crimes taking place within a national park they are based is almost too good not to be turned into an anthology. It certainly wouldn't be the strangest series Netflix could renew.
The United States has 63 National Parks and Yosemite, which serves as the locale for Untamed, is only the 19th largest. Considering that, it feels like the potential for follow ups, whether they be tied directly or be complete standalone stories in other Parks is endless.