American Primeval
NZ release: 09 January 2025
Graphic violence, sexual violence, suicide Rated on: 09 January 2025
What’s it about?
American Primeval set in the 1875 American West, weaves together interconnected plotlines involving settlers, Mormons, Indigenous tribes, and brutal massacres. Amid clashes over land, power, and survival, the series explores the complexities of loyalty, violence, and humanity in a chaotic and unforgiving world.
The facts
- Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor)
- English language
- Runtime: 6 episodes, between 36 – 63 minutes long
- Netflix original miniseries
Why did it get this rating?
This series was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.
Graphic violence
American Primeval features strong violence, with weapons like guns, arrows, and axes used in battles and fights. The show depicts graphic injuries and deaths, including throat-slitting, arrow wounds, and gunshot injuries, and women and children are among those who are killed or hurt. The strongest moments include:
- A character is scalped in the first episode
- A woman is shot in the head with an arrow
- A character is hit over the head with a rock and then drowned in the river
- A character is shot in the stomach
- A wolf attacks a child, however they end up fine
Sexual violence
This series has multiple scenes which depict or imply sexual violence and rape, which may be distressing for some viewers.
In the first episode, a man attempts to rape his female family member. The scene lasts 20 seconds, and you see the woman underneath the man trying to free herself before she grabs a knife and stabs him.
A man takes a woman into a tent to rape her. While the sexual assault is not shown, she is shown visibly upset afterwards.
Women are also referred to as sex slaves.
Suicide
In the final episode, a character takes their own life. Overcome with guilt after accidentally killing a loved one, they turn the gun on themselves and pull the trigger. This scene may be upsetting for viewers affected by suicide.
Helplines:
The sexual violence and suicide in this series could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:
Further information
Recent featured decisions
Rape, sex scenes & drug use
After visionary architect László Tóth is separated from his family after WW2, he hopes to meet them in the Unites States, where he struggles to fulfill the American dream until his life is changed by a rich and mysterious client.
Offensive language and violence
Emily and Matt, once CIA spies, are thrust back into the world of espionage when their undercover identities are revealed.