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Before he became one of the biggest stars in the world, Jason Momoa was trying to turn his success on “Game of Thrones” into a lasting career. During this time, he starred alongside Martin Henderson in the moody crime drama series “The Red Road.” Unfortunately, the SundanceTV show didn’t get the attention it deserved at the time, but it’s just waiting to be re-evaluated on Netflix.
Ever since he made a name for himself playing Khal Drogo in “Game of Thrones,” Momoa has been unstoppable. He was easily the best villain of “Fast and Furious” and made Warner Bros. a lot of money. “Aquaman,” which remains the highest-grossing DCEU film (too bad for the future though). But the man also has many overlooked and underrated projects just waiting to be discovered by fans. Momoa’s first film, for example, is a forgotten crime thriller streaming for free.. Then there’s “The Red Road,” an equally neglected drama that aired on SundanceTV from 2014 to 2015.
You may already have an idea of what happened here. SundanceTV isn’t exactly the king of streamers, and no one really recognized “The Red Road” during its all-too-brief run. Of course, in the age of streaming, nothing is ever truly finished. Platforms are constantly churning out forgotten gems, and now fans of Momoa’s overlooked drama series can watch the show on Netflix.
The Red Road was good, but not good enough to last season 2
“The Red Road” was overseen by creator Aaron Guzikowski (“Prisoners”) and showrunners Bridget Carpenter (“Friday Night Lights”). It is based on the true story of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, who in the 1970s benefited from affordable housing on land previously contaminated by a nearby Ford Motor Company plant.
Martin Henderson plays Harold Jensen, the sheriff of the small fictional town of Walpole, New Jersey, who investigates the disappearance of a college student. Julianne Nicholson plays Jensen’s wife Jean, who medicates his undiagnosed schizophrenia with copious amounts of alcohol. The sheriff’s investigation takes him to the nearby mountains, home of the Ramapough people. It is here that he confronts Phillip Kopus (Jason Momoa), a tribesman who is also an ex-convict. As a divide forms between the city and the mountain people, Kopus uses it to his advantage. Unfortunately for Sheriff Jensen, this makes his already busy life even more tumultuous.
The first season of “The Red Road” scored a respectable 67% on Rotten Tomatoesand while critics weren’t exactly thrilled with the show, they had a lot of positive things to say. Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times wrote that the show was “very good” and “the product of an impressive trust of talent”. Variety Brian Lowry, meanwhile, praised Momoa for doing a solid job of “project[ing] the aura of a very changeable guy who could die at any moment.”
Unfortunately, despite a decent critical response, the series did not last long. “The Red Road” was canceled after its second season, but both seasons are streaming on Netflix. Those who do not have a subscription can, however, watch the show for free on Pluto TV.
