It appears that hell is located in Utah during the year 1857.

That’s the impression you get from “American Primeval,” Netflix’s latest Western, where “brutal” fails to fully capture its essence. The series is raw, primal, violent, chilling, and merciless. It showcases the most dreadful aspects of existence—greed, tribalism, unchecked violence, sexual depravity, deceit, racism, and ambition—all stirred into a grim mixture of despair. This is not a heartwarming portrayal of the American melting pot.

“Primeval” (now available for streaming, ★★½ out of four) is aptly named. Created by Pete Berg (“Friday Night Lights”) and written by Mark L. Smith, known for crafting “The Revenant,” this show doesn’t reflect the Wild West of spaghetti Westerns or even serious dramas like HBO’s “Deadwood.” Instead, it depicts a West characterized by dreary skies, filthy snow, and rugged men smeared with mud and blood. While sometimes intriguing and occasionally captivating, it often veers into gratuitous territory and can feel dull, presenting a level of savagery that might make even the most notorious villains from “Game of Thrones” seem mild. Rather than providing an escape, it’s a narrative you might wish to flee from. That said, for those who can handle the gore, there are talented actors and valuable insights into the historical roots of the nation. However, if “The Walking Dead” churned your stomach, you might want to give this a pass.

The story primarily centers on Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin, “GLOW”), an East Coast mother traveling westward with her young son. Upon crossing the railroad tracks, she encounters the lawlessness and chaos of the land. Driven by her desperate need to reunite with her husband, she loses her traveling companions but eventually meets Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), who resembles a rugged Davy Crockett viewed through a grim lens. A wild character connected to a local Shoshone Nation tribe, he reluctantly agrees to accompany Sara and her son, Devin (Preston Mota), on their journey through Utah, while they are also joined by a runaway Shoshone girl named Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier).

This unlikely group finds themselves embroiled in an unrecognized conflict involving Indigenous peoples, the U.S. government, westward pioneers, and the increasingly influential Mormon church led by Brigham Young (Kim Coates). Jacob Pratt (Dane DeHaan), a Mormon pioneer, survives an extraordinarily gruesome encounter with these factions and embarks on a troubled quest to find his missing wife, Abish (Saura Lightfoot-Leon). Meanwhile, darker characters like Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney) are pursuing Sara and her son due to her past.

The narrative weaves numerous threads, and “Primeval” often struggles to tie them together effectively, particularly with Cutter’s bounty-hunting subplot (if you manage to recognize Courtney beneath the beard and grime, consider it an accomplishment). The episodes can feel heavy and overly prolonged, a common critique of expensive and serious streaming content these days. The female-led storyline lacks engagement at times, making it difficult to endure the relentless scenes of death and destruction.

Furthermore, for those with lower thresholds for graphic content, the show’s chilling focus on violence may be unsettling or even offensive. The series doesn’t shy away from depicting acts of rape, incest, dead children, and scalping. It convincingly illustrates that its narrative unfolds amongst humanity’s darkest and most savage behaviors. Nonetheless, the message could have been communicated without such an overwhelming amount of bloodshed.

The casting is superb; Kitsch seems to have been waiting forever for a role as a stoic frontiersman. Gilpin, often underrated, delivers a powerful performance, carrying much of the narrative with her character’s anxious demeanor. DeHaan excels at portraying unhinged characters; his bloodied, wild-eyed visage will linger in your mind long after the show ends.

The Western genre often evokes romantic imagery of noble heroes, dusty streets, and breathtaking sunsets. Yet, several great films and series, including “The Revenant,” have shattered this idealized perspective of the American frontier.

“Primeval” successfully achieves its shocking vision and then some, but it ultimately lacks a story compelling enough to warrant its gruesome excesses.