Living in New Mexico makes for some stunning evenings under the aspens, especially when you have the kind of weather we’ve been enjoying lately. However, at least one night a week, we find ourselves leaving the portal to come in and stream a movie or two. That’s how we found Godless on Netflix. We had no idea that it was filmed near where we live in Santa Fe and we had no preconceived notions about the miniseries. We were just desperate for something new to watch.
Warning: This is a miniseries with a lot of violence. Everyone seems to have a gun, and Jeff Daniels, as the ultimate God-fearing terrible, awful, bad guy, has quite the propensity for using his, one arm or not. Everyone seems to get shot or at least shot at during the course of the series. However, by the time we were into the middle of episode 2, I was so invested in the future of the New Mexico town of La Belle and it’s primarily female population that I didn’t care about the gunfire. I just wanted all those amazing women to live forever.
Michelle Dockery, minus all her Downton Abbey finery, played a stoic single mom with nary a hint of her British accent. Sam Waterston showed up as a tough lawman, and little drum-playing Sam from Love Actually, aka Actor Thomas Brodie-Sang, was my new favorite quick-draw deputy. Jack O’Connell should have won an award for his dark, brooding, and yet lovable Roy Goode (and by the way, his British accent was nowhere to be found as well). Merritt Wever as Mary Agnes – well, you just have to watch it. I loved this miniseries – every character, and even that tortuous performance by Jeff Daniels.
But here’s the best thing about Godless. Except for just a few minutes at the end, it’s all filmed in New Mexico. And New Mexico is a stunning beauty in this one. I’ve seen a lot of movies filmed on location here. From Silverado to Better Call Saul, I love that New Mexico is a strong character in all the films that feature my home state.
Godless is no exception. From the dusty streets of La Belle (which is a set near Cerrillos) to the quaking aspens in the Pecos to Diablo Canyon to the plains near Galisteo to Black Mesa, New Mexico is a stunner.
Tune in this week to Godless and take a look yourself. You’re almost certain to see something that you recognize, and if not, it’s time to come back to New Mexico for another look. This is one breathtakingly beautiful place we love and get to live in.
