9 Great Neo-Westerns To Watch While Waiting For Marshals Season 2

Published Sep 24, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT

Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.

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One of the most popular genres on TV is Western, mostly its branch of neo-Western, with shows like Marshals being among the most talked-about recent releases. While the show prepares for the release of its second season on October 4, 2026, there are other great neo-Westerns to enjoy in the meantime. The list of the best TV shows of all time includes various Westerns, some traditional ones, like Bonanza and Gunsmoke, but it also features some neo-Westerns.

The branch of neo-Westerns is a versatile one, but it has some characteristics that must be met to fit into it. Neo-Westerns take the character types, themes, and structure of a Western into a modern setting, this being after the 20th century. As mentioned above, one of the most popular neo-Westerns in recent years is Marshals, a spinoff and sequel to Yellowstone, created by Spencer Hudnut. Marshals premiered on CBS in March 2026, and it was quickly renewed for a second season.

Marshals follows former U.S. Navy SEAL and now rancher Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) as he joins a specialized group of U.S. Marshals tasked with protecting Montana. While waiting for season 2, there are other great neo-Western TV shows to enjoy, and they are all quite unique in their premises and characters, while being true to the genre’s elements.

Joe Pickett (2021-2023)

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Based on the characters created by C.J. Box, Joe Pickett aired for two seasons on Paramount+. Joe Pickett follows the title character (played by Michael Dorman), a game warden who moves with his family to Saddlestring, Wyoming, to oversee the wilderness surrounding Yellowstone National Park. It all takes a turn when Joe finds the body of Ote Keeley, a poacher, in his backyard, and so he finds himself in an obscure conspiracy involving the wealthy Scarlett Family and others.

Joe Pickett was very well received by critics, who praised its humor, main character, emotional depth, and story. Unfortunately, despite its success with critics and general audiences, Joe Pickett was canceled after two seasons.

Longmire (2012-2017)

Longmire is based on Craig Johnson’s novel series Walt Longmire Mysteries Longmire, and it aired on A&E for three seasons. Longmire was later picked up by Netflix, where it ran for three more seasons and expanded its audience. Longmire, then, follows the title character, Walt (played by Robert Taylor), the sheriff of the fictional Absaroka County in Wyoming. Longmire sees Walt going through personal challenges as he struggles to cope with the death of his wife, while he also deals with the town’s many problems.

Longmire was a huge success from the beginning, but despite this, A&E decided not to continue the show after season 3 – luckily, Netflix rescued it. Longmire has been praised for its blend of crime, drama, neo-Western, and emotional depth, as well as the mysteries in every season.

Dark Winds (2022-Present)

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Dark Winds is based on Tony Hillerman's series of police procedural novels Leaphorn & Chee, and it premiered on AMC in 2022. Dark Winds follows Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), Navajo Tribal Police officers in the 1970s, in the Four Corners area of the American Southwest.

Together, they investigate violent, ritualistic crimes in the area, which force them to face and question their own beliefs, the system, and more. Dark Winds has been a critical success, thanks to its performances (most notably that of McClarnon), procedural style, and themes, and it’s currently preparing for a fifth season, projected for a 2027 release.

Walker, Texas Ranger (1993-2001)

Inspired by the movie Lone Wolf McQuade, starring the legendary Chuck Norris, Walker, Texas Ranger aired for nine seasons on CBS and also starred Norris. Walker, Texas Ranger follows Cordell Walker (Norris), a former US Marine, martial arts master, and war veteran, who is now a Ranger who fights crime across Texas. Of course, Walker’s martial arts skills come in very handy.

Although Walker, Texas Ranger was criticized for its tone and was even labeled as “corny” by some critics due to its moralistic approach, it’s still one of the most popular and beloved neo-Western TV shows of all time. Walker, Texas Ranger got a reboot in 2021 titled Walker and starring Jared Padalecki, which ran for four seasons.

Justified (2010-2015)

Justified is based on Elmore Leonard’s Raylan Givens character and his stories, especially “Fire in the Hole.” As such, Justified follows Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a Deputy U.S. Marshal sent to his home state of Kentucky after a controversial confrontation in Miami. Raylan is unlike any other member of his team, and his methods can be too much or even controversial. On top of that, Raylan carries a difficult past.

Justified was a critical success, praised for its performances, adaptation of Leonard’s works, and tone, and it’s widely regarded as one of the best TV shows of the 2010s. Justified ran for six seasons, but it’s worth the commitment.

Tulsa King (2022-Present)

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Created by Taylor Sheridan, Tulsa King follows Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone), an American Mafia capo who just got out of prison after serving a 25-year sentence. Dwight is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, by his boss to establish criminal operations there, and so he has to gather a new crew to get it done.

Of course, his presence in Tulsa doesn’t go unnoticed, and he and his new crew eventually earn some enemies, such as the outlaw biker gang The Black Macadams. In addition to all this, Dwight is going through personal and family problems as a result of his criminal activities. Tulsa King is preparing for the release of its fourth season on October 16, 2026.

Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)

Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy takes the audience to the fictional town of Charming, California, to meet the title motorcycle club, led by President Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) and VP Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam), the son of one of the club’s founders. Sons of Anarchy follows Jax and the club as they face different threats – from rival clubs to law enforcement organizations and mob bosses – while also dealing with betrayals, losses, and tragedies within the club and in their personal lives.

Sons of Anarchy aired on FX for seven seasons, and though it does have its weak moments, it’s a consistently great show. Sons of Anarchy is one of the best neo-Western TV shows of all time, and it’s always worth rewatching or experiencing for the first time.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

One of the best and most acclaimed TV shows of all time is Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, which aired on AMC for five seasons. Breaking Bad follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a financially struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with stage-three cancer. To secure his family’s financial future, Walter uses his knowledge of chemistry to produce methamphetamine, with the help of his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). White’s business turns into an empire, and, of course, this brings a lot more problems and enemies.

Breaking Bad has been praised for its writing, performances, approach to the antihero trope, and tone, and it’s one of those rare cases where it was consistently great from beginning to end and even had one of the best TV finales of all time.

Yellowstone (2018-2024)

Of course, Marshals’ main show has to be on this list. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, Yellowstone aired on Paramount for five seasons, and it’s now regarded as one of the best neo-Western TV shows of all time. Yellowstone introduces viewers to the Dutton family, who own the largest cattle ranch in Montana: the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. The family faces many challenges throughout the show, such as greedy land developers, people claiming the land, and lots of family drama.

The success of Yellowstone was such that it spawned a franchise, with three prequel series and two spinoffs, with more in development. There would be no Marshals without Yellowstone, so it’s only fair for it to be considered a worthy watch while waiting for season 2.