Summary

FX’s Reservation Dogs has been a critical marvel with mind-blowing Rotten Tomatoes scores and widespread approval among fans. The series stands out with its authentic portrayal of Indigenous characters and its exploration of themes like finding oneself and handling grief. Reservation Dogs is both funny and dramatic, with memorable characters and powerful storytelling, making it an essential viewing experience.

FX and Hulu have been killing it in 2023, with the second season of The Bear hitting brand-new critical highs. But underneath the hype for that stellar cooking series, another series has been winding down to a stellar conclusion. FX’s Reservation Dogs, co-created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, is yet another stellar dramedy with a particularly unique setup. Following a group of four Native American teens, we see them trade their rural home of Oklahoma for the sunny beaches of California while dealing with the struggles of their newly-found independence.

Despite not reaching the same kind of pop-culture saturation as The Bear, Reservation Dogs has been something of a critical marvel for FX. In just three short seasons, Reservation Dogs has racked up mind-blowing Rotten Tomatoes scores, numerous award nominations and wins, and widespread approval across its devoted fans. If you’ve never seen Reservation Dogs, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Don’t worry: we’re here to break down why Reservation Dogs is essential viewing for those who want to give it a shot.

What Makes Reservation Dogs So Good?
FX

Starting out, it’d be useful to know what exactly Reservation Dogs is before we break it down. Debuting in 2021, Reservation Dogs tells the story of four Native American teenagers: Elora Danan Postoak (Devery Jacobs), Bear Smallhill (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Chester Williams (Lane Foster), and Wilhelmina Jacqueline Sampson (Paulina Alexis).

Their eventual journey to California is prefaced by a tragedy that occurs before the series begins proper, as the death of their friend Daniel encourages them to pursue his dream of heading west. That being said, there’ll have to wrap up some loose ends in Oklahoma before heading out to the sunny west coast.

While this would amount to a typical dramedy in the wrong hands, the creative influences working behind the scenes are what make Reservation Dogs stand out from the crowd. For starters, not only is the cast made up of Indigenous peoples, but so too is the production crew. Co-creator Sterlin Harjo, a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, also frequently features Native American topics and issues in his projects, with Reservation Dogs being no exception.

Related: The Bear: How the FX Show Turns Cooking Into Fiery Drama

Without spoiling the ongoing third season, you can expect Reservation Dogs to tackle themes of finding one’s self and handling grief in healthy ways. Both the show’s cast of teenagers and the authentic writing behind them paint them less as caricatures and more as individuals. They have flaws, they have wants and desires, and their connections to their home on the reservation vary significantly.

Owing to its unique inspirations, the utilization of licensed music also works heavily in Reservation Dogs’ favor. Sturgill Simpson, the Wu-Tang Clan, Kansas, Redbone, Tom Petty, Cypress Hill, and more artists than we can count all make frequent appearances throughout every episode of the series. Indigenous artists, including Link Wray and Samantha Crain, also make up the soundscape of the dogs’ Oklahoma town.

Reservation Dogs Is Essential Viewing
FX on Hulu

What makes Reservation Dogs essential viewing, then? For one thing, it’s incredibly funny. Even outside our leading cast of characters, the show’s many, many side characters are just as memorable for their witty quotes and hilarious jokes.

Related: 5 TV Shows by Native Americans You Need to Watch Next

Dallas Goldtooth’s character, William Knifeman, is easily a stand-out from Reservation Dog’s lengthy cast. Originally appearing to Bear Smallhill as a spirit after he faints in the first episode, you’d imagine he’d be a wise stand-in for a famous Native American legend. Instead, he’s a comically crass but subtlety helpful character that guides Bear in the episodes to come. It’s an acknowledgment of the stereotypical Indigenous “spirit warrior,” but purposefully twisted into something that brings everyone in on the joke.

Of course, balancing the comedic elements are some dramatic moments as well. Critics have been raving about the incorporation of “Indian training schools” into season three. Aside from already being a harrowing-enough subject, extra care is taken to purposefully depict this practice as something to be horrified by. The episode, written by Sterlin Harjo himself, has seen universal praise for its harsh but emotionally-driven depiction of such a terrifying practice in American history.

Reservation Dogs is a rare example of a series of such high quality you can’t help but feel sad that it’s ending after only three seasons. Thankfully, we can’t blame it on low ratings. We can expect the story of Reservation Dogs to come to a satisfying conclusion, bringing one of the best shows of the decade to a close before both Harjo and Waititi move on to new projects. In the meantime, if you haven’t given Reservation Dogs a shot, you’re missing out on something truly special.

Reservation Dogs is currently streaming on Hulu, with new episodes airing weekly. Until the series finale on September 27, there’s plenty of time to catch up with this brilliant FX dramedy.