The best fantasy Western show you’ve never heard of, Wynonna Earp, is being removed from Netflix on July 26.
If you’re not familiar, this series combines great action with original mythology to create a world that feels completely unique.
Originally created for SYFY, Wynonna Earp is based on a comic book series by Beau Smith about a descendant of the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp.
There are four seasons, each with 12 or 13 episodes — so if you’re really dedicated, you might be able to binge them all before the show leaves Netflix. Watch With Us recommends you try.
The Mythology and Worldbuilding Are Fascinating
Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano), the great-great-granddaughter of Wyatt Earp, doesn’t fight ordinary outlaws — she fights Revenants, the resurrected spirits of the 77 men her ancestor originally killed. She wields “Peacemaker,” his legendary rifle, which can kill supernatural creatures.
The Revenants in Wynonna Earp take many forms and possess various powers — there are vampires, spirits that can move through mirrors, spectres that can possess people, spider-like monsters and more. This variety of foes, combined with the use of North American folklore, keeps the show compelling despite a case-of-the-week format.
The series takes place in the town of Purgatory, located in the Canadian Rockies near Alberta. Revenants cannot leave the Ghost River Triangle — the delta created by the split halves of the Ghost River — without experiencing “hell on Earth.” So the town of Purgatory is chock-full of demons — and they all want out.
‘Wynonna Earp’ Took a Stand for LGBTQIA+ Representation
Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell in Wynonna Earp SYFY
Wynonna Earp premiered in 2016, a time when the “bury your gays” trope was extremely prominent — queer characters were often introduced only to be tragically killed, leaving their love interests devastated. (See Willow and Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lexa and Clarke in The 100.)
Showrunner Emily Andras made a promise early on that the queer characters in Wynonna Earp would survive — then followed through on that promise by having a prominent lesbian character survive being shot because she was wearing a bulletproof vest.
It seems like nothing can slow down Netflix‘s momentum even during the hottest months of the summer. Netflix’s new crime drama, The Waterfront, is dominating the charts and seems like a strong candidate for renewal. Ditto Untamed, a crime drama set at the Yosemite National Park. Meanwhile, Mr. Robot has found new life on Netflix […]
This excellent LGBTQIA+ representation honored the stories of these characters while allowing them to live on for more adventures.
It’s an Underrated Successor to Some of Our Favorite Shows
Wynonna Earp will hit big with fans of iconic “badass woman fights monsters” shows, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed or Shadowhunters. It takes that format and applies it to the Western genre, creating new twists for both old favorites.
In the character of Wynonna, the show gives us a smart, feisty, reluctant heroine who uses her wit and a powerful gun to fight demons of all kinds. She’s flawed and makes plenty of mistakes, but in a way that makes her relatable. Wynonna Earp also takes a page out of the Buffy playbook and surrounds its protagonist with a lovable “Scooby Gang,” creating character dynamics that evolve as the show goes on.
Wynonna’s levelheaded sister Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley), immortal gunslinger Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) and no-nonsense agent Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrell) each bring heart and humor to the series. Their relationships ground the supernatural chaos and give the show its emotional core. If you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned shows, you simply must watch.
Watch Wynonna Earp on Netflix now.
