Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter’s biker-focused universe (apparently) came to a fittingly shattering end on FX with Mayans M.C., and through his Sutterink umbrella, he’s now moving onto Netflix with The Abandons. After a lengthy, strike-interrupted warmup, the show recently began filming in Calvary as a Western action-drama that has happens to be brewing around the same time that Taylor Sheridan’s many cowboy-focused shows are dominating Paramount+ and Peacock.
Of course, Sutter fans realize that Sheridan came into the TV viewerships’ eye as Deputy Hale on FX, but don’t expect a meeting of the minds here. We will, however, see some familiar faces from the Sons of Anarchy realm surface, so let’s get down to business on what to expect from the next Sutter series.
Plot
The Abandons will revolve around renegade families surviving on the harsh frontier in the 1850s, but of course, people will probably be an even greater threat than unforgiving natural conditions. A huge driving force of the tension will be a feud between two powerful matriarchs, and this Western series will examine how these families come together as a larger makeshift family to battle corrupt forces and damaging secrets. The show will also along dance along the lines of good and evil and delve into “the consequences of violence.”
As Sutter recently told Tudum, “I am fascinated by the metamorphosis of good into evil.” He also added the the show will illustrate “what must transpire to drive the morally sound to become the dangerously corrupt,” and “The Abandons explores those complex compromises through the most powerful human instinct — the love and protection of mothers.”
An expansive cast, detailed below, not only includes Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey (as the feuding matriarchs) but also Ryan Hurst and Clayton Cardenas because of course this show needs some reminders of biker flavor. Netflix and Sutter shared these photos, and yep, there’s Opie:
Sutter has also hinted that the series could include Billy The Kid if the series continues for multiple seasons. Here’s a plot synopsis:
“As a group of diverse, outlier families pursue their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, ‘justice’ is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law. The Abandons will explore that fine line between survival and law, the consequences of violence, and the corrosive power of secrets, as this family fights to keep their land.”
Cast
A vast ensemble cast will crash onto TV screens for this series. Early announcements included Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey, who will both a “different strong-willed matriarch,” which is a Sutter speciality throughout his creations. In Headey’s case, her character (Fiona Nolan) is the adoptive mother of four orphans, and Gillian’s character (Constance Van Ness) will wield a mining fortune that she doubled after the death of her husband.
Additionally, we can expect to see faces from Sons of Anarchy, including Ryan Hurst (RIP Opie) and Michael Ornstein, and Mayans M.C., including Clayton Cardenas. Patton Oswalt will also co-star along with Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lucas Till, Lamar Johnson, Brían F. O’Byrne, Aisling Franciosi, Natalia del Riego, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Sarah Grace White, Michael Greyeyes, Haig Sutherland, Jack Doolan, Jonathan Koensgen, Katelyn Wells, Marc Menchaca, Michiel Huisman, and Toby Hemingway.
Release Date
The new era of Sutterink won’t stream on Netflix until sometime in 2025, but this will be an event when it materializes in living rooms.
Trailer
Since we probably won’t see a trailer for awhile, it’s worth looking back on the deaths that Kurt Sutter delivers to characters. In particular, here’s Theo Rossi talking about how Sons of Anarchy fans love to talk to him about pie. And yes, they discussed the issue on Kurt and Katey Sagal’s Pie podcast.
