The Western genre used to rule television, with shows like Rawhide, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke, the one-time record holder as the longest-running scripted show until The Simpsons claimed the throne in 2018. But too many entries, with little to distinguish between them, high production costs, and a cultural shift from the romanticized West to modern or futuristic settings more or less killed it. Since then, the Western has adapted to survive via an assortment of anti-heroes, violence, and Dutton family drama. One of the best of the new breed, which first premiered on April 1, 2016, is a brilliant mix of the supernatural and the classic Western: Wynonna Earp.
What Is ‘Wynonna Earp’ About?
Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano) returns to Purgatory, her hometown in the Canadian Rockies, to attend her uncle’s funeral. She’s reunited with her younger sister, Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley), who reminds her of the family curse, which dates back to their (or at least Wynonna’s… long story) great-great-grandfather, the legendary Wyatt Earp. Wyatt killed 77 outlaws with his gun during his time as a lawman; they refused to stay dead, returning as demonic Revenants seeking to hunt Wyatt’s descendants.
It falls to each successive heir in the Earp family line, upon their 27th birthday, to send the Revenants back to Hell using Wyatt’s magical gun, Peacemaker. But here’s the rub: if the heir falls short of killing all 77 Revenants, the curse passes down to the next in line, with all Revenants resurrected and starting the cycle anew. Wynonna was never meant to be the next, however. That was supposed to be her older sister, Willa (Natalie Krill), who had been trained since childhood in preparation, but after her kidnapping and subsequent disappearance, Wynonna inherits Wyatt’s abilities as well as Peacemaker.
Wynonna also reluctantly joins forces with the Black Badge Division, a secret government agency dedicated to stopping supernatural threats, after being recruited by Agent Xavier Dolls (Shamier Anderson). Black Badge needs her, and despite her rebellious attitude, she recognizes she needs them, too, as well as her sister Waverly, Purgatory deputy Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrell), and the immortal Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon). As the series progresses, the fight grows to include other supernatural creatures in the Ghost River Triangle, which includes Purgatory. Also progressing is Wynonna herself, who grows from a reluctant, bitter hero into a true protector of Purgatory and the leader of her found family.
‘Wynonna Earp’ Winningly Embraces Both the Classic Western and the Supernatural
What makes Wynonna Earp unique among its peers is its willingness to embrace the very things that made Westerns the dominant genre for so long, while imbuing it with supernatural elements and a modern perspective. As far as the former is concerned, “family” has always been a consistent theme, from the Cartwrights of Bonanza to the Duttons of Yellowstone. Although not related by blood, the “found family” of Wynonna Earp is built on the same values: a group of individuals who choose to support and protect one another, an emotional connection as strong as any bloodline. It also has the standard pleasures of the classic Western: gunfights, action, and a protector hero.
The Wildest, Most Underrated Western of the Last Decade Is Finally Free to Watch on Streaming
It’s a must-watch.
That the protector hero is a tough, but flawed, female is just one of the many progressive elements that Wynonna Earp infuses into its take on the genre. It carefully balances funny, self-aware camp with moments of true drama and horror, perhaps none more impactful than this stomach-churning scene from Season 1’s “Two-Faced Jack.” The supernatural element gives it a very Buffy the Vampire Slayer dynamic, a comparison that works in more ways than one. Both unapologetically feature a strong female lead, and both have a prominent LGBTQ+ relationship, in this case between Waverly and Haught (nicknamed “WayHaught” by the fans), that feels authentic and earned, not exploitative.
It all came together thanks to a strong cast, famously as close off-screen as they are on, who fueled the fandom by constantly interacting with them online. That passionate fanbase, coined “Earpers,” couldn’t stop the series’ cancellation after four seasons, but their efforts did successfully culminate in a 90-minute special, Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, that reunited the main cast for another round. Just don’t call it a resurrection.
