Ever imagined a TV series that claims to show America as never seen before? Well, Netflix's "American Primeval, " premiering Thursday, isn't holding back. Set during the Utah War of 1857-58, it's more brutal than you'd expect. Four groups – Native Americans, white pioneers, the U. S. Army, and followers of Brigham Young’s church – are all fighting to stay alive. They're after each other’s throats, willing to do anything for survival.

The story starts with a true event: the Mountain Meadows Massacre, where church militia killed around 120 emigrants. Among the survivors are a church couple (Dane DeHaan and Saura Lightfoot-Leon), a fugitive and her son (Betty Gilpin and Preston Mota), a grizzled guide (Taylor Kitsch), a vengeful Shoshone warrior (Derek Hinkey), and a bounty hunter with a questionable appetite for killing (Jai Courtney). Sounds intense, right?

This isn't the first time we've seen such stories. Movies, TV shows, books, and history offer plenty of precedents. But "American Primeval" seems ready to push the envelope on frontier drama.

The Violent Frontier: Netflix's New Series American Primeval

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