Christopher Briggs

Wrapped up rather succinctly in six episodes, The English is indeed red in tooth and claw in its depiction of the Wild West, involving massacres and some rather generally gruesome realities of life back then. My eye was drawn to the expansive vistas beyond the central tale of atonement and revenge entangled in a 'love has no bounds' thread. This is no spaghetti western conveniently relocated to the dusty desert plains of Almería in Spain, but the rolling prairies near Madrid. I was a touch suspicious when I saw the rock formations, which had that pancake structure very similar to those in Extremadura, the neighbouring region where I live. Honestly, a series about the American plains has never made a rarely visited area of Spain look so majestic. Full credit to the sweeping score which never strayed into Bonanza or Morricone territory. It's a handsome production which oddly reminds me of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and its contrast of bleak storylines amongst stunning backdrops. There's a rich set of characterisation to savour along the way, and so it won't feel like a lonesome trail on this BBC, or HBO, or Amazon treat: take your pick.