Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Kevin Costner’s The West’ On History — An Honest Look at America’s Expansion, Narrated by the ‘Yellowstone’ Star
Kevin Costner’s The West is an eight-part docuseries hosted and narrated by the Yellowstone star himself, who also serves as an executive producer alongside acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. This series offers an unvarnished look at America’s westward expansion, focusing on the brutal conflicts between settlers, militias, U.S. soldiers, and the Indigenous tribes who fought to protect lands they had inhabited for thousands of years.
KEVIN COSTNER’S THE WEST: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Scene: Kevin Costner stands in a field and asks the audience, “What do we think of when we think of the West?”
The Overview: The series kicks off with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the Revolutionary War and ceded vast territory from the British to the newly formed United States — lands stretching all the way to the Mississippi River. While government leaders like George Washington encouraged settlers to buy land from Native tribes, hoping they would adopt colonial farming methods, many settlers simply seized land by force.
The narrative then shifts to the Northwest Territory, covering present-day Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and parts of Minnesota. Chief Little Turtle of the Miami Nation emerges as a key figure, rallying various tribes into a confederacy to resist the encroachment of settlers, militias, and the U.S. military.
What Does It Remind You Of? If you’re familiar with Ken Burns’ The West, there’s some overlap, though Costner’s series offers a fresh take. It also brings to mind Costner’s recent docuseries, Yellowstone To Yosemite.
Our Take: We were surprised by how much time the first episode dedicates to exploring Chief Little Turtle’s leadership and the Native confederacy’s resistance. This deeper focus offers a more balanced perspective than many traditional retellings of westward expansion — something fans of both Costner and Goodwin’s previous work will appreciate.
The show features extensive interviews with Indigenous experts who share their ancestors’ viewpoint: their land was being taken, and they fought fiercely to defend it. Battles weren’t one-sided; Native forces even routed U.S. troops, who initially underestimated their close-quarters combat skills. However, when the military adapted, training troops in bayonet fighting, the tide began to turn. The episode highlights how Native resistance was organized and strategic, not just a series of disconnected skirmishes.
Final Thoughts: Costner reflects on the Louisiana Purchase and how it spurred explorers, settlers, and soldiers to push westward, leaving behind “bloody footsteps” on what was essentially foreign land.
Hidden Gem: The reenactments, which often feel heavy-handed in similar series, are surprisingly well-executed here. They complement rather than overshadow the interviews, adding depth without distraction.
Narration Note: While Costner is undeniably compelling on screen, his narration is somewhat steady and reserved — not quite monotone, but lacking in vocal variety at times, which can cause the listener’s attention to drift.
Our Verdict: STREAM IT. Kevin Costner’s The West breaks from the usual narrative of American expansion by centering the experience of the Indigenous peoples and presenting a nuanced view of both sides of this complex history.
