Netflix’s matriarchal Western “The Abandons” offers a terrific showcase for stars Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey, and creator Kurt Sutter (“Sons of Anarchy”) knows how to build a season-long story that’s propulsive and entertaining, even if this is no “Deadwood.”

But there’s also reason to be wary that “The Abandons” may be a short gallop to nowhere. More on that in a bit.

Now streaming its seven-episode first season, “The Abandons” is set in Washington Territory’s Angel’s Ridge in 1854 where widowed matriarch Constance Van Ness (Anderson) is the unofficial mayor of the town thanks to her family’s mining claims. No one elected her, but it’s clear she’s in charge, speaking softly, slowly and deliberately, which gives Constance a quiet menace.

She’s particularly vexed about Fiona (Headey), adoptive mother to a diverse lot of young adults, because Fiona is the unofficial leader of a group of families in a hollow who refuse to sell their land to Van Ness to allow for the expansion of her mining operation.

And that’s all before things go sideways when an act of self-defense gets furthered as a more deliberate crime, requiring a cover-up that, by the laws of scripted drama, will come out eventually at the worst possible time.

While the show’s main draw is the ongoing battle between two steely-eyed mothers, Sutter imbues “The Abandons” with multiple other storylines, including a “Romeo & Juliet”-style romance between Constance’s daughter, Trisha (Aisling Franciosi, “The Fall”), and Fiona’s son, Elias (Nick Robinson, “A Teacher”), and a mystery around the town distiller (Ryan Hurst, “Sons of Anarchy”).

Anderson commands the scene every time she’s on screen. Even though she plays the show’s nominal villain, Anderson’s performance proves so compelling it’s difficult to completely hate her.

Conversely, heroic as Headey’s adoptive mama bear is, she makes such morally questionable choices that it’s not always easy to like her.

It’s the complexity and nuance of these two women that makes “The Abandons” worth watching — albeit with one significant caveat.

The first season concludes with a major cliffhanger that suggests an outcome that would completely change the series. Yet it would not be a good idea to pin hopes on ever getting resolution to that season-ender.

Netflix ordered a 10-episode first season of “The Abandons” in 2022 but after seeing early episodes, Netflix executives reportedly felt the show moved too slowly with over-long episodes. Sutter departed the series. That required some episodes to be reworked and additional scenes filmed. The episode order got trimmed to eight. But what’s rolling out this week is only seven episodes.

Early episodes don’t show signs of creative turmoil but the end of the season feels rushed, perhaps due to the episode order reduction.

“The Abandons” looks expensive so unless it proves to be a major hit, it’s questionable if Netflix would continue the show without its primary creative force on board.

‘Stranger’ finale in theaters

Following last week’s popular release of the first four episodes of the final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” another three episodes will release at 8 p.m. Dec. 25 and the 125-minute finale streams at 8 p.m. Dec. 31.

In addition to streaming on Netflix, the “Stranger Things” finale will also show on the big screen in local movie theaters, including at Cinemark Robinson Township. The 8 p.m. Dec. 31 show already sold out at the Robinson theater but as of this writing there are tickets available for five showtimes on Jan. 1.

The finale will also play at AMC Waterfront and AMC Classic Westmoreland and tickets for the 8 p.m. Dec. 31 showtime were almost sold out at both locations as of this writing.

‘Ripple’ relocates

Originally developed for Hallmark+, the feel-good drama “Ripple” is now streaming its eight-episode first season on Netflix.

The series stars 2010 Carnegie Mellon University grad Ian Harding (“Pretty Little Liars”) as one of four strangers in New York City whose lives create ripple effects that ultimately connect them.

‘Kingstown’ star joins ‘Pitt’

Taylor Handley, who films “Mayor of Kingstown” in Pittsburgh, has joined the season two cast of “The Pitt” as a recurring guest star, playing the husband of an ER patient at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.

Additional guest stars include Jeff Kober, who worked with “Pitt” executive producer John Wells on “China Beach,” as a motorcycle engineer and friend of one of the doctors; Brittany Allen (“The Boys”) as an ER patient and Bonita Friedericy (“Chicago Med”) as a woman who visits an ER patient.

Kept/canceled

Hallmark Channel renewed “When Calls the Heart” for a 14th season to air in 2027 ahead of the show’s 13th season premiere Jan. 4. Lori Loughlin will reprise her role as Abigail Stanton in six of 12 episodes in season 14.

NBC canceled “Deal or No Deal Island,” hosted by Mt. Lebanon native Joe Manganiello.

Channel surfing

Cable’s Great American Family will air the “2025 National Christmas Tree Lighting” from Washington, D.C., at 8 p.m. Dec. 5. It will also stream at the same time on Great American Pure Flix. … NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” closes out 2025 with Melissa McCarthy as guest host and Dijon as musical guest on Dec. 6; Josh O’Connor hosts with Lily Allen on Dec. 13 and Ariana Grande hosts with Cher on Dec. 20. … WTAE’s “Chronicle: A Cookie Town” will air at 8 p.m. Dec. 16. … Following the arrival of WWE on Netflix, TNA Wrestling’s flagship show comes to cable’s AMC beginning Jan. 15. “Thursday Night iMPACT!” will air 9-11 p.m. weekly and will also stream on AMC+. … NBC’s telecast of the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” hit a new ratings high last week, drawing 34.3 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. … Apple TV will drop its Major League Soccer Season Pass premium subscription next season, making every MLS game available to Apple TV subscribers.

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