Twenty years ago, or so, streaming began and changed how humans enjoy content. There have been some great ones, good ones, and not so good ones. When you get together with friends, conversations often turn to what both you and they have been watching, followed by “You gotta watch this!” Somehow, over the last decade, we missed a western called Longmire, which debuted in 2012.

            I (Cary) saw online a show beginning with “L” and seven or eight letters. We discovered Landman, which started off very well and went downhill like a skier in the recent Olympics. Too much money on casting Mr. Sheridan, spend more on writing next time.

            Then I discovered Longmire, and I said to Kim what I always do. “Watch one episode, and if you don’t like it, that’s fine.” For example, she did not like HBO’s Deadwood, which I thoroughly enjoyed. She watched Big Little Lies, and I did not. I judge shows by Kim’s slumber. She works hard and really only has an on-and-off switch. When she sits down in her comfortable seat, covered by a blanket softer than a baby’s ass, it takes A LOT to keep her awake. Longmire did.

            Longmire is set in the fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, but was filmed in New Mexico. Being in that state a year ago, that is clear. Perhaps this is like William Faulkner’s mythical Yoknapatawpha. The main character was played by Australian actor Robert Taylor, with whom we were unfamiliar. He plays the character well, and I think he watched Clint Eastwood films to do more with less talking. He does not carry a cell phone, so he constantly borrows others’ or receives calls on their devices.

            You may know Katee Sackhoff and Lou Diamond Phillips, who play strong supporting roles. She plays Deputy Vic Moretti with less makeup than in her cameo in Howard Wolowitz’s bathtub in The Big Bang Theory. He plays Henry Standing Bear, bar owner, and Longmire’s Native American BFF. We thought the casting did an excellent job introducing lesser-known actors and giving them the roles and dialogue to shine.

            Some episodes are connected, many, especially early ones, are all done in an hour. Often, the following installment does NOT immediately begin where the previous one left off, which more shows should do. There are ‘cliffhangers’ and yes, the kind that causes one to miss sleep.

             A Native American reservation, “the Rez,” and, of course, a casino is nearby. Jacob Nighthorse operates it, possibly in a criminal manner, and he and the Sheriff are constantly at odds. Sheriff Longmire is a widower, his wife died from cancer, or did she? His attorney daughter stayed home after graduation to help her father, and she is more impulsive than I think his offspring would be.

            This is much of the early season arc, and WE DO NOT DO SPOILER ALERTS. Deputy Branch Connally is challenging his boss, the sheriff, in an upcoming election, a major subplot of the drama. The fourth deputy, nicknamed ‘The Ferg,” is a young man not taken completely seriously at first, whose character builds. 

            I thought Landman turned into an expensive soap opera. Longmire manages to avoid this most of the time. There are two unrealistic concepts present that may be necessary to attract viewers today. First, one county in rural Wyoming could never have this much crime. The show would be boring without. Secondly, the casting people chose some men to play characters who are what you would assume look like in that part of the country, mountain men and cowboys, if you will. Secondly, nearly every woman on the show is at least moderately attractive, which would not be accurate anywhere, enhanced in this setting. Not everyone looks like George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

            Streamed shows can get both better and worse as they go along. The Sopranos and Breaking Bad finished strong. I thought the final season of Ozark was disappointing. Game of Thrones last year was very good, but the ending was not so much. It seems as if the showrunners can create a fantastic series, but in the end, it cannot seem to land the plane.

            Longmire wraps a variety of plot twists and character conclusions well. The teacher’s wife, Kim, graded it a B to B+. Try it, you could do MUCH worse.