Not to be confused with Django Unchained, the Italian-French show Django recalls the classic 1966 Spaghetti Western in today’s production style. The series doesn’t share the exact same plot points, but it does acknowledge the violence towards those in the margins, specifically outcasts like Black rangers and queer people, rather than prostitutes. Fans of the genre might appreciate the casting, as it questions our assumptions of the Old West the same way the best Spaghetti Westerns have done. However, the plot does play out like a regular Western, while its grim storyline and mishmash of accents might turn off casual viewers or viewers new to the genre.
Synopsis
In the Wild West in the 1860s and 1870s, Sarah and John have founded New Babylon, a city of outcasts of all backgrounds. Haunted by the murder of his family eight years earlier, Django is still looking for his daughter, believing she may have survived the killing. When Django shockingly finds her in Babylon, about to marry John, Sarah - now a grown woman - wants Django to leave fearing he'll put Babylon in jeopardy. But Django, believing the city is in danger, is adamant that he will not lose his daughter twice.
Storyline
After the murder of his entire family, lone gunslinger Django finds his way to New Babylon, determined to find the daughter he believes has survived.
TLDR
The casting and the production is great, but it’s hard to follow the story.
What stands out
As mentioned previously, the Italian-French show is actually a reimagining of the classic that inspired the Tarantino film, amongst others. Both are set in the American frontier, donning the same 1860s Old West style. Unlike the original film, however, Django is in the English language. This choice isn’t totally bad– it removes the question in any Spaghetti Western of why cowboys in America are speaking Italian. However, the cast hasn’t decided on one specific American accent. Part of it is justified, as all the townsfolk come from varied locations, but this can prove to be very distracting to American viewers.
