The ‘underrated’ Netflix miniseries Stephen King says is ‘just as good’ as Queen’s Gambit
The King of Horror has spoken
Finding a Netflix series worth binge-watching can occasionally feel like a mean feat, but once you've discovered one that clicks, it's as if time stands still.
You're inhaling each episode until, before you know it, it's 3am, and you've devoured the entire series in one sitting.
The world's largest streaming service, Netflix, offers plenty of content, with the 2020 drama The Queen's Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, proving particularly popular.
Directed by Scott Frank, it follows an orphaned chess prodigy who battles addiction on her way to becoming the world's greatest chess player.
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Since then, horror author Stephen King has recommended another Scott Frank miniseries, which he reckons is 'just as good' as The Queen's Gambit.
The seven-episode TV show stars Skins actors Jack O'Connell and Jessica Sula—although they're basically unrecognizable, all grown up and far away from the streets of south-west England.
Anyway, this Western drama, set in 1884, follows scorned mentor Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels) as he hunts down young outlaw Roy Goode (O'Connell) - with the latter winding up in a small New Mexico town named La Belle.
The majority-female population of La Belle begin to band together in a bid to ward off Griffin's grizzly gang members.
The show, called Godless, released on Netflix in 2017 - three years before The Queen's Gambit - yet fans are only just discovering it now.
You can watch its action-packed trailer below:
Godless' all-star cast includes Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Merritt Wever, Sam Waterston, Kim Coates and Scoot McNairy.
Taking to X, (formerly Twitter), King said of the show: "Seen THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT? Another Scott Frank, limited series, GODLESS, is just as good (Netflix)."
He continued: "And as a bonus, who did I spy but Kim Coates, my old SOA [Sons of Anarchy] buddy."
(That's right, King cameod in a couple of episodes of SOA, which starred Coates).
Other fans also sang the show's praises on social media, as one person wrote: "Did I just watch the entirety of Godless on Netflix in one sitting? Possibly. Am I now talking like I'm from the wild west in 1864? Definitely."
A second agreed: "Just binge watched #Godless on #Netflix and bawled my eyes out at the end! Brilliant series," while a third added: "Godless on Netflix is a 10/10 for me. Production, location, and acting it great."
The acclaim continued over on Rotten Tomatoes, where fans rated the series a solid 85 percent, while critics awarded it a score of 83 percent.
The critics' consensus reads: "Vistas and violence root Godless firmly in traditional Western territory, but its female-driven ensemble sets it apart in a male-dominated genre."
Meanwhile, multiple viewers hailed the show 'underrated,' as one added: "Should've been a complete series instead of a miniseries. I definitely wanted more!"
Despite the demand, Godless was only ever intended to be a mini-series, with the production team previously confirming this was the case.
Speaking about the show's stand-alone season, actor Brodie-Sangster told Hollywood Reporter: “It’s got a really nice beginning, middle and end.
"It’s very popular nowadays to just make something go on and on and on. At some point, it becomes some sort of money-maker thing, and I think as a viewer you can see that and sense that."
All seven episodes of Godless are available to stream now on Netflix.
Topics: Social Media, Entertainment, Netflix
Ellie Kemp