Netflix drops “gruesome” Western series with Preacher star years after disappearance

August has proven to be a spectacular month for new Netflix additions, with one Western gem landing on the platform and disturbing subscribers.

With the Western renaissance in full swing, it’s no surprise that Netflix has added That Dirty Black Bag to its slate of new TV shows this month. Released in 2022, the show is a grimy new take on the Spaghetti Western.

There’s only one season of the show, the entirety of which was added to the streaming service on August 19. While there’s plenty of other great shows to catch up on this month – Interview with the Vampire, The Terror, and Mayfair Witches are all new additions – That Dirty Black Bag will satisfy any Western fan worth their salt.

Set across eight days in the Wild West, the show follows Sheriff Arthur McCoy as his life becomes entwined with the notorious bounty hunger Red Bill, who’s known for decapitating his victims and storing their heads in a (you guessed it) dirty black bag.

It stars Preacher lead Dominic Cooper as McCoy, as well as Douglas Booth and Aidan Gillen. Coincidentally, Preacher is also one of Netflix‘s new additions this month, meaning you can go back-to-back on Cooper’s most exciting (and brutal) projects.

At the time of writing, the show is sitting at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the gore and dark humor.

As Slant Magazine wrote: “That Dirty Black Bag certainly doesn’t lack for gruesome images… but the series is also darkly funny.”

“What ultimately makes That Dirty Black Bag both entertaining and intriguing isn’t its adherence to westerns past, but its own tweaks on the genre,” said the Wall Street Journal.

On the audience side, there’s plenty of praise. One fan review said: “This is better than 99% of the shows put out in the past 5 years. The pacing is perfect. The framing is at par with the best movies you’ve seen. The characters are complete people and not just serving a plot.”

The plots that exist are well-written and unravel at a very good pace. The actors are obviously having a blast. I can’t recommend this show enough. I hope it’s on for a long time!”

Since the first season, the show seems to have vanished into thin air, with no news of a second or a cancelation. With that in mind, it’s best to go into That Dirty Black Bag with reasonable expectations – well worth the watch, but there may not be any more coming.

For more Westerns, take a look at our guides to Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 and 1923 Season 2. You can also check out our Horizon: An American Saga review, and find out why cowboys need to cry more.