In a streaming landscape cluttered with derivative detective dramas and overcooked anthologies like True Detective, Netflix has unleashed a beast of a series that demands your immediate attention: Untamed. This six-episode limited thriller, starring the ruggedly intense Eric Bana as a special agent thrust into the wilds of Yosemite National Park, is a brutal, atmospheric murder mystery that clocks in at an impressive 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Forget the brooding philosophical musings of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson—Untamed delivers raw, visceral suspense, a chilling exploration of human darkness amid nature’s grandeur, and a twist so mind-blowing it left early viewers gasping for air. If you’ve been slogging through the latest season of True Detective wondering where the thrill went, it’s time to ditch it and dive into this Yosemite nightmare.
Launched on Netflix on July 8, 2025, Untamed arrives at a perfect moment when audiences are craving grounded, location-driven thrillers that blend procedural grit with psychological depth. Co-created by Mark L. Smith (known for his work on The Revenant and American Primeval), the series follows Kyle Turner (Bana), a seasoned special agent in an elite branch of the National Parks Service. Tasked with investigating crimes in America’s vast wilderness preserves, Turner is no stranger to the untamed forces of nature—or the even more savage impulses of humanity. The plot kicks off with a harrowing incident: a woman plummets to her death from El Capitan, Yosemite’s iconic granite monolith. What appears to be a tragic climbing accident quickly unravels into something far more sinister, pulling Turner into a web of secrets buried deep within the park’s misty forests and jagged peaks.
From the opening scene—a breathtaking aerial shot of Yosemite’s Half Dome shrouded in fog, set to a haunting score by composer Brian Tyler—the series establishes its tone: brutal, unforgiving, and utterly immersive. Bana, channeling his inner Munich intensity with a dash of The Dry‘s brooding Australian detective, portrays Turner as a man haunted by his own demons. Divorced, estranged from his daughter, and grappling with the isolation of his job, Turner sees echoes of his personal failures in every case. “Yosemite isn’t just a backdrop,” Bana said in a recent Netflix Tudum interview. “It’s a character—beautiful, majestic, but capable of swallowing you whole. That’s what makes the mystery so chilling; nature doesn’t care about your secrets, but it sure as hell exposes them.”
The supporting cast elevates Untamed from solid thriller to must-watch event. Lily Santiago shines as Park Ranger Mia Vargas, Turner’s reluctant partner whose local knowledge and sharp instincts clash with his lone-wolf tendencies. Rosemarie DeWitt brings gravitas as Dr. Elena Hayes, a forensic expert with ties to the victim, while veteran Sam Neill appears in a pivotal role as a reclusive Yosemite old-timer harboring knowledge that could crack the case wide open. “Working with Eric was electric,” Santiago told Variety. “His commitment to the physicality—the hikes, the cold nights in the park—made every scene feel real. And the twist? Let’s just say it floored me when I read the script.”
What sets Untamed apart from shows like True Detective is its unflinching brutality. While True Detective often veers into metaphysical territory, with seasons exploring cosmic horror or existential dread, Untamed grounds its terror in the tangible: the snap of a branch in the dark, the roar of a waterfall masking screams, the isolation of a park where cell signals die and help is hours away. The murder mystery unfolds with procedural precision—autopsies revealing inconsistencies, witness testimonies laced with lies—but it’s the environmental horror that amps up the chills. Yosemite, filmed on location with stunning cinematography by Greig Fraser (Dune), becomes a labyrinth of danger: rockslides, wildlife encounters, and hidden caves that hide more than just scenic views.
Critics have praised this fusion, contributing to the series’ 83% Rotten Tomatoes score (based on 45 reviews as of this writing). The Guardian called it “a blunt force thriller, as beautiful as it is brutal,” highlighting how the show’s pacing builds like a gathering storm. The Hollywood Reporter noted its “uneven but promising” narrative, lauding Bana’s performance as “a career-best turn that anchors the mystery.” Audience scores are even higher, at 89%, with viewers on Reddit and X raving about the “mind-blowing twist” in the finale. “Ditch True Detective Season 4,” one X user posted. “This is the real deal—nature’s own whodunit with a gut-punch ending.” Another fan on Rotten Tomatoes wrote, “The twist had me rewinding three times. 83% feels low; this is Emmy bait.”
To understand why Untamed warrants ditching True Detective, consider the latter’s evolution. HBO’s anthology series started strong in 2014 with its Louisiana bayou noir, but subsequent seasons have been hit-or-miss: Season 2’s convoluted plots, Season 3’s time-jumping fatigue, and Season 4’s (Night Country) icy supernatural vibes that divided audiences. While True Detective excels in character studies and atmospheric dread, it often prioritizes style over substance, leaving viewers with more questions than satisfactions. Untamed, by contrast, delivers a tight, self-contained story arc that pays off every clue. No loose ends, no pretentious monologues—just a relentless pursuit of truth amid the wilderness.
The series’ brutality isn’t gratuitous; it’s integral to the theme. Episodes explore the “untamed” aspects of human nature: greed, betrayal, and the primal urge to survive. One particularly harrowing sequence involves a chase through Yosemite’s backcountry, where Turner confronts a suspect amid a raging river, the water’s force symbolizing the uncontrollable chaos of the case. “We wanted to show how nature amplifies our worst instincts,” co-creator Smith explained in a Netflix behind-the-scenes featurette. “In Yosemite, you’re stripped bare—no city lights, no distractions. The murder isn’t just a crime; it’s a revelation of what’s lurking inside all of us.”
Bana’s preparation for the role was immersive. The Australian actor spent weeks hiking Yosemite’s trails, consulting with real National Parks Service agents, and even participating in mock investigations. “I learned how these agents operate in isolation,” Bana shared on The Tonight Show. “They’re part detective, part survivalist. And in Untamed, Kyle’s past catches up with him in ways that mirror the park’s dangers.” This authenticity shines through, making the thriller feel lived-in rather than scripted.
The mind-blowing twist, teased in trailers but masterfully concealed until the final episode, recontextualizes the entire mystery. Without spoiling, it involves a revelation tied to Yosemite’s history—perhaps echoing real-life park disappearances and legends—that flips viewer expectations on their head. “It’s not a cheap gotcha,” Entertainment Weekly reviewer Kristen Baldwin wrote. “It’s earned, shocking, and thematically resonant, leaving you pondering long after the credits roll.” Fans on social media echo this, with threads dissecting clues like hidden symbols in the park’s rock formations or subtle dialogue hints.
Untamed‘s success also stems from its timely themes. In an era of climate anxiety and urban escape fantasies, setting a thriller in a national park taps into our collective fascination with wilderness. Yosemite, with its 4 million annual visitors, has seen its share of real mysteries—missing hikers, unsolved crimes—that the series draws from without exploiting. Experts like Yosemite historian Scott Gediman have praised the show’s accuracy, though some park purists criticized early trailers for dramatizing dangers. “It’s fiction, but it captures the park’s majesty,” Gediman told SFGate. “Just don’t expect real agents to be as brooding as Bana.”
Production wasn’t without challenges. Filming in Yosemite required permits, weather contingencies, and COVID-era protocols, delaying the series from its initial 2024 release. Director Robert Connolly (The Dry) reunited with Bana, bringing his signature outback tension to American soil. “We shot in real locations—Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point,” Connolly said. “The elements became our co-star: fog rolling in, bears wandering by. It added that brutal edge.”
For those weary of True Detective‘s anthology format—where each season resets with varying quality—Untamed offers a binge-worthy alternative. Clocking in at around six hours, it’s perfect for a weekend immersion, with episodes averaging 50 minutes of taut storytelling. The score, blending electronic pulses with natural sounds like wind through pines, heightens the chills, while the visuals—drone shots of waterfalls, close-ups of granite cracks—make it a visual feast.
Viewer reactions have been electric. On Netflix’s Tudum site, fans share theories: “Is the twist about [redacted]? Mind blown!” A subreddit dedicated to Untamed has over 50,000 members, debating parallels to real Yosemite cases like the 1999 Cary Stayner murders. “This show makes True Detective feel dated,” one post reads. “Bana > McConaughey any day.”
As Netflix eyes a potential Season 2—hinted at in Tudum articles with an “impactful new case”—Untamed positions itself as the new benchmark for thrillers. With its 83% score, brutal intensity, and that unforgettable twist, it’s not just a series; it’s a call to the wild. Ditch the detectives of old and embrace the untamed—your Netflix queue will thank you.
