Lawmen: Bass Reeves is an American Western television miniseries created by Chad Feehan, who also serves as showrunner, and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, Feehan, David C. Glasser, David Oyelowo, Jessica Oyelowo, David Permut, Christina Alexandra Voros, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, and David Hutkin.[1] It is based on the life of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, Bass Reeves.[3] The series premiered on Paramount+ on November 5, 2023, with back-to-back episodes.[4]
| Lawmen: Bass Reeves | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Chad Feehan[1] |
| Based on |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Chanda Dancy[2] |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Running time | 32–57 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Paramount+ |
| Release | November 5 – December 17, 2023 |
Cast
editMain
edit- David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves: A federal peace officer of the "Indian Territory" based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, who captured over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.
- Lauren E. Banks as Jennie Reeves: Bass' wife
- Demi Singleton as Sally Reeves: Bass' eldest daughter
- Forrest Goodluck as Billy Crow: A young Cherokee man with an affinity for dime store books and gaudy style.
- Barry Pepper as Esau Pierce: The leader of the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles
- Dennis Quaid as Sherrill Lynn: A Deputy U.S. Marshal
- Grantham Coleman as Edwin Jones: An extremely persuasive man who has a clear vision and a promise for the future, to those who will listen.
- Donald Sutherland as Isaac C. Parker: An imposing and commanding judge in the Fort Smith Courthouse, known as the "Hanging Judge".
Recurring
edit- Joaquina Kalukango as Esme
- Lonnie Chavis as Arthur Mayberry
- Rob Morgan as Ramsey
- Justin Hurtt-Dunkley as Ike Rogers
- Sekou Goodson as Newland Reeves
- Saveah Goodson as Alice Reeves
- Sanaya Goodson as Harriet Reeves
- Heather Kafka as Florence Hammersley
Guest
edit- Shea Whigham as Colonel George Reeves
- Jessica Oyelowo as Rachel Reeves
- David Lee Smith as General Van Dorn
- Margot Bingham as Sara Jumper[5]
- Riley Looc as Curtis Jumper
- Crystle Lightning as Nita
- Garrett Hedlund as Garrett Montgomery
- Paula Malcomson as Mabel Underwood
- Chris Coy as Wylie Dolliver
- Dale Dickey as Widow Dolliver[5]
- Ryan O'Nan as Darrell Dolliver
- Blu Hunt as Calista
- Mo Brings Plenty as Minco Dodge[5]
- Anthony Traina as Silas Cobb
- Tosin Morohunfola as Jackson "Jackrabbit" Cole[5]
- Michael Filipowich as Jim Webb
- Brannon Cross as John Bywater
- Maritza Guerrero as Xiomara Cervantes
- Brian Van Holt as Braxton Sawyer
- Tina Lifford as Moody O'Neil
- Ivan Mbakop as Willy Leach
Episodes
edit| No. | Title [6] | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Part I" | Christina Alexandra Voros | Teleplay by : Chad Feehan | November 5, 2023 |
| 2 | "Part II" | Christina Alexandra Voros | Jewel Coronel | November 5, 2023 |
| 3 | "Part III" | Christina Alexandra Voros | Jacob Forman & Ning Zhou | November 12, 2023 |
| 4 | "Part IV" | Damian Marcano | J. Todd Scott | November 19, 2023 |
| 5 | "Part V" | Damian Marcano | Terence Anthony | November 26, 2023 |
| 6 | "Part VI" | Damian Marcano | Jacob Forman | December 3, 2023 |
| 7 | "Part VII" | Christina Alexandra Voros | Chad Feehan & K.C. Scott | December 10, 2023 |
| 8 | "Part VIII" | Christina Alexandra Voros | Chad Feehan | December 17, 2023 |
Production
editDevelopment
editIt was announced in September 2021 that Taylor Sheridan was developing a television series based on Reeves, with David Oyelowo set to star in the role.[7] In May 2022, the series was ordered at Paramount+ and was temporarily named 1883: The Bass Reeves Story. It was initially described as a spinoff of the series 1883, itself a prequel to Yellowstone,[8] but has since been confirmed to no longer take place in the Yellowstone universe.[9][10] The show is heavily based on the first two books of The Bass Reeves Trilogy by Sidney Thompson: Follow the Angels, Follow the Doves, and Hell on the Border.[11]
Casting
editDennis Quaid joined the cast in January 2023.[12] Forrest Goodluck, Lauren E. Banks and Barry Pepper were cast in February,[13][14] with Grantham Coleman and Demi Singleton added the following month.[15][16] Garrett Hedlund was also cast.[17] In April, the series was retitled Lawmen: Bass Reeves in order to expand the series to depict other prominent lawmen, with Donald Sutherland, Joaquina Kalukango, Lonnie Chavis, Rob Morgan, Ryan O'Nan, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley and Shea Whigham joining the cast in recurring roles.[18]
Filming
editFilming for the series began in Fort Worth, Texas in October 2022.[19] In January 2023, Quaid stated he had begun filming for the series.[20] Filming wrapped by early June 2023.[21]
Release
editLawmen: Bass Reeves premiered on Paramount+ on November 5, 2023.[1] The first two episodes of the series then aired on CBS on November 12.[22]
Reception
editOn review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 81% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's consensus reads: "With David Oyelowo capably stepping into the stirrups of Bass Reeves, this gritty procedural is slow to the draw but hits its mark nonetheless."[23] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 65 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24]
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Reel Awards | August 13, 2024 | Outstanding Television Movie or Limited Series | Lawmen: Bass Reeves | Won | [25] |
| Outstanding Lead Performance in a TV Movie/Limited Series | David Oyelowo | Won | |||
| Outstanding Writing in a TV Movie or Limited Series | Terence Anthony (for "Part V") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Musical Score | Chanda Dancy | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Editing | Michael Schultz | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Makeup & Hairstyling | Kelley Curry | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design | Wynn Thomas | Won | |||
| Astra TV Awards | August 18, 2024 | Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie | David Oyelowo | Pending | [26] |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | September 7-8, 2024 | Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) | Chanda Dancy (for "Part I") | Pending | [27] |
References
edit- ^ a b c Breznican, Anthony (August 8, 2023). "'Lawmen: Bass Reeves': David Oyelowo Brings Justice to the Old West". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Chanda Dancy Scoring Paramount+'s 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves'". Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Mangan, Lucy (5 November 2023). "Lawmen: Bass Reeves review – this utterly distinctive western is a rare treat". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Yellowstone spin-off Lawmen: Bass Reeves confirms release date". digitalspy.com. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d Petski, Denise (June 6, 2023). "'Yellowstone's Mo Brings Plenty Among 4 Cast in Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Paramount+ Series".
- ^ Paramount Press Express - Paramount+ - Lawmen: Bass Reeves - Episodes
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 9, 2021). "David Oyelowo To Star In Bass Reeves Limited Series From Taylor Sheridan As Part Of Yoruba Saxon Overall Deal With ViacomCBS & MTV Entertainment Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (May 18, 2022). "Yellowstone Spinoff 1883 Will Continue With Bass Reeves Story At Paramount+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (October 30, 2023). "Lawmen: Bass Reeves Is No Longer an 1883 Spinoff: Show Boss Explains Why". TVLine. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ Bamigboye, Baz (June 22, 2022). "Yellowstones Taylor Sheridan To Direct Pilot Of Bass Reeves; David Oyelowo Discusses Playing The Enslaved Man-Turned Legendary Lawman". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ DeLeón, Jessica (August 15, 2022). "From Print to Screen". North Texan. University of North Texas. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 19, 2023). "Dennis Quaid Joins David Oyelowo In Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves Series For Paramount+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (February 14, 2023). "David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves Series at Paramount+ Adds Forrest Goodluck & Lauren E. Banks (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (February 16, 2023). "David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves Series at Paramount+ Casts Barry Pepper (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (March 1, 2023). "Grantham Coleman Joins Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves Series For Paramount+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (March 2, 2023). "David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ Bell, BreAnna (March 14, 2023). "'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Adds Garrett Hedlund (EXCLUSIVE)".
- ^ Petski, Denise (April 27, 2023). "Donald Sutherland Joins Taylor Sheridan's 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' Series For Paramount+".
- ^ Mantas, Harrison (September 29, 2022). "1883 creator Taylor Sheridan bringing series about lawman Bass Reeves to Fort Worth". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Hume, Ashley; Fink, Larry (January 19, 2023). "Dennis Quaid says he's 'shooting' Bass Reeves for Taylor Sheridan: 'Making mayhem'". Fox News. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Garcia, Brayden (June 9, 2023). "North Texas filming locations for 1883 spinoff Bass Reeves Fort Worth Star-Telegram". Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Daniel (November 9, 2023). "'Lawmen: Bass Reeves': CBS To Air First Two Episodes Of Taylor Sheridan's Anthology Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023): Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Lawmen: Bass Rewves (2023) Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (2024-06-14). "Black Reel TV Awards Unveils 2024 Nominees: Nat Geo's 'Genius: MLK/X' Tops The Crop With 14". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (July 9, 2024). "HCA Astra TV Awards Nominations: 'The Bear', 'Hacks', 'The Morning Show', 'Baby Reindeer' Lead Nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Guy, Zoe (2024-07-18). "The 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Nominations". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
