The English mini-series is a unique Western revenge drama, as it has a Native American lead actor. This show is created by the UK-based writer, director and producer, Hugo Blick.
It is set in the period when the Europeans were expanding their footprints across Northern America in the 1890s colonial era. Against this kind of background, this drama is set.
Synopsis of The English (2022) Mini-Series
An epic chase Western, The English takes the core themes of identity and revenge to tell a uniquely compelling parable on race, power, and love.
An aristocratic Englishwoman, Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt), and a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout, Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), come together in 1890 middle America to cross a violent landscape built on dreams and blood. Both of them have a clear sense of their destiny, but neither is aware that it is rooted in a shared past.
They must face increasingly terrifying obstacles that will test them to their limits, physically and psychologically.
But as each obstacle is overcome, it draws them closer to their ultimate destination—the new town of Hoxem, Wyoming. It is here, after an investigation by the local sheriff Robert Marshall and young widow Martha Myers into a series of bizarre and macabre unsolved murders, that the full extent of their intertwined history will be truly understood, and they will come face-to-face with the future they must live.
Ratings of The English (2022) Mini-Series
| FM’s rating | 4.05/5 |
| Rotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date | 83% Tomatometer and 81% Audience Score |
| Critics Consensus / Rotten Tomatoes | A visual knockout elevated by Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer’s performances, this show is a heady and somewhat meandering Western made with admirable craft. |
Spoiler-Free Review of The English (2022) Mini-Series
The introduction
As we said earlier, this Western show is set in the 1890s period in middle America. In those times of violent annexation of America, the Native American communities suffered the most at the hands of those neo-conquerors. Please note that the indigenous Native communities of America were not alone in facing misfortune, during that colonial period.
Our apologies for not discussing the detailed plotline, as we believe that the plot summary shared above is a good enough story outline. Instead, we shall talk about its two lead actors.
{Spoilers Alert} – A video clip – when Cornelia (Emily) first meets Eli (Chaske) in it
Lead Actress Emily Blunt is good in it
We read somewhere that for this neo-Western mini-series, actress Emily Blunt (Cornelia Locke) had to learn to ride a horse for three months prior to the shooting. In addition, while shooting this Western drama throughout, she had to take a daily dose of antihistamine tablets. As Emily is allergic to horses. We loved her dedication towards the art of acting.
Lead Actor Chaske Spencer is good too
So, in Hugo Blick’s limited mini-series, Chaske Spencer (Eli) is the co-lead opposite Emily Blunt. Along with the lead star Emily, the supporting actor Chaske has essayed the role of a Native American soldier Eli with aplomb in this limited show. We have shared Chaske’s views about his heroic role and interesting character in this series in the paragraphs below.
For years, as an actor that happened to be Native American, I had to sit on the sidelines for a long time, waiting for something like this. And, finally, a character comes out like Eli in The English. I knew it was a homage to the Westerns of before, to the Man With No Name in the A Fist Full of Dollars to Paul Newman in Hombre, (and) Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West.
Actor Chaske Spencer, who plays Eli Whipp in this mini-series | The Upcoming
I could see in Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid – I could see where the blueprint was being made for this character. So it was a fun character to play. It’s just like when I was a kid, going out in my backyard and playing cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians.
The conclusion
Given their (Emily and Chaske) praiseworthy performance in this limited series, we applaud their unwavering commitment to their craft. With their onscreen chemistry, both actors have made this mini-series, a high-quality show. Not to forget, the overall production value (including music, costume, cinematography, etc.) of this show is of high quality.
It is a good and unique Western vengeance drama. With only six episodes, this limited mini-series is a good choice for marathon-watch on any given weekend or even weekdays.
Spoilers Alert – 6 Episode Summary of this Neo-Western Drama
A peek into the Six (6) Episodes of this Western Drama
What You Want & What You Need (E1)
Eli Whipp, a retired Pawnee scout out to claim his birthright, meets Cornelia Locke, an Englishwoman hell-bent on revenge. Their paths are fated to cross, they travel north together.
Path of the Dead (E2)
Eli and Cornelia are forced to make a choice when they find an orphaned baby and child. Meanwhile, in Powder River, an English farmer discovers the slaughter of his pregnant cattle.
Vultures on the Line (E3)
With Eli in grave danger, Cornelia must find him before it is too late. In Powder River, Sheriff Marshall is investigating a suspicious suicide and murder.
The Wounded Wolf (E4)
Fifteen years earlier, Trafford witnesses a violent massacre in America which triggers another tragedy across the ocean in England setting the course of Eli and Cornelia’s destiny.
The Buffalo Gun (E5)
Eli sets his compass for a new direction to atone for a past wrong and, now united in their hunt for revenge, grows closer to Cornelia. Trafford makes desperate preparations.
Cherished (E6)
Cornelia finally confronts the man who killed her son and new revelations come to light. Love both lost and found determines a showdown with irreversible consequences.
Poster of The English (2022) Mini-Series
Key Details about The English (2022) Mini-Series
| Genre | Western, Drama |
| Creator | Hugo Blick |
| Age-restrictions | A (18+) |
| Released | 11 November 2022 |
| Season | One (1) |
| Episodes | Six (6) episodes (Limited Mini-Series) |
| Cast | Emily Blunt, Chaske Spencer, Stephen Rea, Tom Hughes, etc. |
Trailer of The English (2022) Mini-Series
Awards won by The English (2022) Mini-Series
| Names of the Awards | Names of the Nominees/Winners |
|---|---|
| Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) 2023 | Stephen Rea – Winner IFTA Award – Best Actor in a Lead Role – Drama |
| BAFTA Awards 2023 | Chaske Spencer – Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Leading Actor Hugo Blick – Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Director, Fiction Phoebe De Gaye – Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Costume Design Chris Roope – Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Production Design Federico Jusid – Nominee BAFTA TV Award – Original Music, Fiction |
| Royal Television Society, UK 2023 | Phoebe De Gaye – Winner RTS Craft & Design Award Costume Design – Scripted Christopher Billig, Steve Fuller, Colin Hess, Danny Kamhaji – Winner RTS Craft & Design Award Design – Titles |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards 2023 | Emily Blunt – Nominee Actor – Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series |
Please note that we have added and updated this information about awards at a later date.
If you like the historical Western drama set in North America, then go ahead and check out our FM article about the 1883 series, too.
Featured & Other Images: The English | Amazon Prime.