At a time when every streaming platform is desperate for its own version of Yellowstone—that rare, lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon that turned Taylor Sheridan into a household name and made the American West cool again—Netflix has quietly unleashed a contender that’s already got critics and viewers buzzing. Untamed, the new cr!me thr!ller set against the jaw-dropping backdrop of Yosemite National Park, has stormed onto the scene with the kind of moody, magnetic energy that’s impossible to ignore. The show, which has been hailed as a spiritual cousin to Yellowstone and even draws comparisons to Sheridan’s criminally underrated Wind River, is the latest proof that the neo-western genre is alive, well, and still has plenty of secrets to reveal.

The heart of Untamed beats in the chest of Eric Bana, who brings a haunted gravity to the role of Kyle Turner, a special agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch. Bana, whose steely presence in films like The Dry and Black Hawk Down has always hinted at deeper layers, is the perfect guide through this wilderness of both nature and the human soul. His Turner is a man defined as much by what he’s running from as what he’s running toward. When the body of a woman is discovered in the vast, unforgiving expanse of Yosemite, Turner finds himself drawn into a case that’s as much about the ghosts of his own past as it is about the dangers lurking in the park’s shadowy corners.

From the very first frame, Untamed makes its intentions clear: this is not just another procedural. The camera lingers on sweeping vistas of granite cliffs and ancient forests, but there’s always a sense of menace beneath the beauty, a reminder that in this place, nature obeys no rules but its own. The show’s creators, Mark L. Smith—whose fingerprints are all over films like The Revenant and American Primeval—and Elle Smith, bring a cinematic eye to every scene. You can practically feel the chill in the mountain air, the crunch of pine needles underfoot, the weight of secrets pressing down on every character.

But it’s not just the landscape that’s wild. Turner’s investigation quickly spirals into something much d@rker and more personal, forcing him to reckon with the choices he’s made and the pain he’s tried to bury. The show does a masterful job of weaving together the threads of the murder mystery with the slow unspooling of Turner’s own story, never letting one overpower the other. Every clue, every conversation, seems to echo with the unspoken question: can you ever truly escape your past, or does it always find a way to catch up with you?

Bana is joined by a stellar supporting cast that elevates the series at every turn. Sam Neill, forever beloved as the intrepid Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park, brings a world-weary wisdom to his role as Turner’s superior, a man who knows all too well the cost of chasing justice in a place where the wilderness always has the final say. Rosemarie DeWitt is quietly devastating as a local with her own reasons for keeping secrets, while Wilson Bethel’s conflicted ranger adds another layer of tension to the already fraught investigation.

Yet it’s Lily Santiago who emerges as the show’s breakout star, playing Naya Vasquez, a young cop from Los Angeles who joins the Yosemite ranger squad with dreams of a fresh start. Santiago infuses Naya with a mix of ambition, vulnerability, and grit that makes her instantly relatable. She’s the audience’s surrogate, seeing the park—and its dangers—for the first time, and her chemistry with Bana’s Turner gives the series its emotional anchor. As Naya gets drawn deeper into the case, she finds herself questioning not just the people around her, but her own motivations for coming to Yosemite in the first place.

What sets Untamed apart from the crowded field of crime dramas isn’t just its gorgeous setting or its top-tier cast, but the way it uses the wilderness as more than just a backdrop. Yosemite is a character in its own right, by turns majestic and menacing, a place where the line between civilization and chaos is razor-thin. The show’s cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking, capturing both the park’s postcard-perfect vistas and its most treacherous, hidden corners. Every shot seems to whisper that in this place, the rules are different—and that sometimes, the greatest threats come not from the outside world, but from within.

Critics have been quick to recognize the show’s unique magic. With an impressive 83% “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, Untamed is already being hailed as a must-watch for fans of smart, character-driven thr!llers. Karina Adelgaard of Heaven of Horror didn’t mince words, calling it a “thr!ller, crime, and mystery hybrid with a solid cast and well-written characters,” and admitting she binge-watched the whole thing in a single sitting. Jonathon Wilson of Ready Steady Cut praised its ability to make familiar territory feel fresh, while Pramit Chatterjee of Digital Mafia Talkies gave it a near-perfect 4 out of 5, applauding its willingness to grapple with the messy, irreparable damage that secrets can cause.

Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter was equally impressed, noting that the show is “self-consciously going after the audience that has made Yellowstone,” but crediting Bana and Santiago with keeping him engaged all the way to the finale. Anthony Morris of ScreenHub summed up the show’s appeal perfectly: “Come for the scenery, stay for Bana’s slow thawing.” And Alex Maidy of JoBlo put it simply: “What Yellowstone did for Montana is what Untamed aims to do for Yosemite.”

But perhaps the highest praise comes not from the critics, but from the viewers who have already devoured all six episodes and found themselves haunted by the show’s lingering questions. At its core, Untamed is a story about what it means to confront the darkness—both in the world and within ourselves. It’s about the choices we make when no one is watching, the secrets we keep even from those closest to us, and the ways in which the wildness of nature can both reveal and heal the wildness in our own hearts.

The show’s official synopsis captures its spirit perfectly: “In the vast expanse of Yosemite National Park, a woman’s d3ath draws a federal agent into lawless terrain—where nature obeys no rules but its own.” But what that logline can’t convey is the way Untamed makes you feel: the rush of adrenaline as Turner and Naya chase leads through the forest, the ache of regret that lingers in every quiet moment, the sense of awe and fear that comes from standing on the edge of something bigger than yourself.

With only six tightly-wound episodes, Untamed is tailor-made for a weekend binge—but don’t be surprised if you find yourself savoring each one, reluctant to leave the world the show has so vividly conjured. It’s a series that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll, a reminder that sometimes, the most dangerous journeys are the ones we take into our own pasts.

In a television landscape crowded with noise and spectacle, Untamed stands out for its willingness to slow down, to let its characters breathe, and to trust that the audience will follow them into the unknown. It’s a show that understands that true suspense isn’t just about who did it, but why—and what it costs to find out.

As Netflix continues its search for the next great streaming obsession, Untamed proves that there’s still magic to be found in the wild places, and that sometimes, the stories worth telling are the ones that remind us of our own untamed hearts. So if you’re looking for a series that’s equal parts thr!lling, moving, and unforgettable, consider this your invitation to step off the beaten path and lose yourself in the wilderness of Untamed. Just be warned: you might not come back the same.