Untamed is a new Netflix miniseries with all six episodes available now to watch on the streamer. Created by Mark L. Smith & Elle Smith, the show stars Eric Bana, Sam Neill, Wilson Bethel, Lily Santiago, and Rosemarie DeWitt. Follows a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human law in nature’s vast wilderness. The investigation of a brutal death sends him on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past.

It’s surprising whenever I see Eric Bana & Sam Neill come out with something new. They are both established names and have their own fanbase, but it certainly does feel like the work they put themselves in no longer feel as impactful. If you were to ask a broader audience, more than likely they haven’t seen much from the two actors in quite some time that’s notable. Anytime I see the two actors in something, it’s worth checking out. Out of all things though, my attention to the show first started when I learned it was from the producer of The Pitt, my favorite show of the year. While the two shows are certainly different, I was expecting something of high quality. It’s not on the same bar as The Pitt, but it’s still entertaining.

With only six episodes and being billed as a miniseries, there was some concerns about how this could work. It works a little bit better than what I was expecting. Each episode is also less than an hour long, but more than a half an hour long, so each episode manages to get straight to the point quickly. It can make the action riveting & the drama engaging. It can also make the show rushed & unrealistic.

Starting off with some beautiful scenery of the show’s location, the show quickly leans into some noticable CGI. If you know me, I have been more hard on CGI than I ever have before and that’s due to how much of it is being used. While I am not asking for on-screen talent to risk their lives for their entertainment, I still think a better budget could be given to make the location more immersive. It’s rather strange to believe this story that’s grounded in realism while also noting how animated it can also look. When it goes practical between the gun fights and hand-to-hand action, that’s where the show becomes more engaging.

What makes the show captivating from start to finish is the on-screen talent. Eric Bana proves why he’s one of the most underrated actors working today. I personally don’t understand why he isn’t in bigger things anymore, but I will take this. The writing offers a lot of complex characterization, which could make sense as to why the on-screen talent signed on for the project. Sam Neill, Wilson Bethel, and Rosemarie DeWitt all play their roles perfectly, while Lily Santiago is the true standout in a role that’s surely going to get her more work going forward.

Keeping these characters interesting helps elevate the show beyond its weaknesses within the writing. While I enjoyed how fast-paced the show was, having it only be 6 episodes undermines what the show could have been, especially if Netflix wanted this to be their True Detective. The characters are given a lot of complexity, which makes them more relatable, but when we see their stories get resolved quickly or barely resolved at all, it leaves much to be desired. It could have been even better had it be given 8-10 episodes.

Out of all things within the writing, it’s the twists that probably go against the show the most. There are several that are predictable to begin with. It’s the main twist towards the end that made me go down with my score a bit. It’s not a bad twist, but it’s been done so many time before. The fact that I called 10 minutes into the show is disappointing as it didn’t make me care more about what the mystery was. Again, this just goes back to how short the overall series is.

Creators Mark L. Smith & Elle Smith make something more watching here. Looking back at Mark L. Smith’s filmography, he has an impressive line of work. He last did Netflix’s American Primeval, another show I liked, but also felt like it was way too short. That was also a miniseries. While it may be good to diversify the content for a streamer from a talented writer, I think it’s about time Netflix gave the keys to Smith for a show that goes beyond the first season. At least give him more episodes to work with. No matter what, I will still see whatever he does next.

Overall, Untamed is worth checking out between its engaging drama, riveting action, and unique characterization; however, the short episode count, rushed stories, and predictable twists may leave more to be desired. Regardless of what I wanted the show to be, I will still watch whatever the cast & crew here does next.

VERDICT: 3/5 (Good)