Yellowstone may be over, but fans of the series who haven’t seen this 2012 neo-western drama are in luck to discover a new binge-able treat. Longmire, a crime drama series with a stellar score on Rotten Tomatoes, is now available for viewers to stream for free. A mystery series with an old-school lawman dishing out fierce justice in a remote American county, Longmire is a highly addictive show that captures the spirit of old Western law and punishment.
Longmire stars Robert Taylor (The Matrix) as Walt Longmire. The sheriff of a Wyoming county, Walt works to protect the people of the fictional Absaroka County, but has become disillusioned with his position as he deals with the pain of losing his wife. With the encouragement of his daughter (Cassidy Freeman) and the help of his longtime friend (Lou Diamond Phillips), Walt works to establish a new commitment to life, the law, and the people of his county. Based on the Walt Longmire series of mystery books by Craig Johnson, Longmire follows the embittered lawman as he puts his life back together again.
‘Longmire’ Is a Beloved Series That Was Cut Short
Longmire ran for six seasons, with the first three seasons airing on A&E. When the first season premiered in August 2011, it was the highest-rated scripted drama for the network. With an initial audience watch of 4.1 million viewers, it was also the most-watched original series premiere for the network. The second and third seasons fared similarly well. The series pulled in almost 6 million viewers an episode at its peak (via Deadline). So it was with great confusion that fans learned A&E canceled the series after the third season.
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The network’s explanation for the cancelation did not sit well with fans. Despite a dedicated fan base and consistently strong ratings, Longmire was canceled because it was produced by an outside studio and skewed toward an older demographic (one that would presumably be less open to advertisements). The series was later picked up by Netflix, thanks in part to its strong appeal to older viewers. Longmire ran for three more seasons on the streaming giant.
Fans Called ‘Longmire’ a Classic Modern-Day Western
Longmire has a 92% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans of the neo-western series loving the classic take on an old-fashioned sheriff fighting back against crime. A solid and gripping drama with clear good vs. bad guys facing off, set in the beautiful outback of America, the series is a modern throwback to the time of law and order, and fans couldn’t be more pleased. Compared to the likes of Deadwood and Justified, fans called Longmire one of the best modern Westerns they’ve ever seen.
The series is well-written and has some outstanding performances from the main cast. Lou Diamond Philips and Katee Sackhoff were called the series’ MVPs, while Robert Taylor received particular praise for his steely performance as Walt Longmire. While fans have noted that sometimes the series seems to drag, the slow build of the story helps towards the strong character development that is crucial to the series’ success.
A custom image of Longmire and Bosch: Legacy
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Critical reviews of Longmire were similarly positive. The show has a fresh 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the sixth and final season receiving a perfect 100% score. Critics enjoyed the character-driven resolution of solving crimes. Whereas more recent cop shows rely on sophisticated technology to make their case, the sheriff and deputies of Longmire rely on their know-how and practical training to find justice.
Critics enjoyed the series’ ability to fuse the standard police procedural with soap opera dynamics. The resulting collaboration of styles resulted in a can’t-look-away, smart and engaging thriller. Jackie K. Cooper of the HuffPost called Longmire one of a kind while praising the show for being “as addictive as potato chips.” Matt Roush of TV insider noted that the series was “a startling and highly dramatic collision of the modern and mythic.”
Along with Taylor, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Cassidy Freeman, Longmire also stars Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica), Adam Bartley (NCIS: Los Ange
