Frontier
2016
Original language: English
- action & adventure
- drama
The story
In 18th-century North America, ruthless trappers and entrepreneurs fight to wrest control of the fur trade from the mighty Hudson's Bay Company.
What it’s like
Wide, cold landscapes do most of the work here: snowbound forests, frozen rivers, grey skies over the Labrador coast, and interiors lit by firelight and tallow lamps. The palette runs to muted browns, pelt greys and rust-red fur-trade cloth, with occasional blood-dark accents. Camera work is often sweeping and exterior-heavy, with long tracking shots across open country, while the score leans on low strings, drums and distant wind rather than melody. The vibe is rugged, bleak and weathered, the sort of sprawling frontier drama that suits a wintry weekend binge or a long stretch of late-night viewing with the heating turned up. Pacing is brisk and episodic, driven by rival factions and shifting alliances, and the emotional register is hard-edged and wary, following hardened men and women who trade trust for survival and slowly learn what they're willing to lose. Intensity is significant: frequent fights, stabbings and shootings, with some bloody aftermath and rough, grim scenes of exploitation and cruelty; not gentle. It suits viewers who want immersive period grit, rugged survival stories and the texture of a cold, hostile world.
More TV shows like Frontier
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Frontierand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
