Friday Flix: Longmire

We were a little late to the party on “Longmire,” a TV series set in a small Wyoming town about a sheriff and his small posse of deputies who solve crimes. There’s an inordinate number of murders that occur in sparsely populated Absaroka County, Wyoming. When we first discovered this series last year, I was instantly drawn to the strong, silent Sheriff Walt Longmire, played by Robert Taylor. He lives in a rural log cabin, drives a beat up old bronco, drinks Ranier beer and eschews most forms of technology, especially cell phones. Since his wife died, under somewhat murky circumstances, he seems to have isolated himself to the point where his daughter and staff are very concerned. Walt’s solution is to throw himself back into work.

The supporting cast includes Victoria “Vic” Moretti (Katee Sackoff), a forthright young woman who is the deputy most often at Walt’s side when investigating crimes. She is devoted to Sheriff Longmire both professionally and personally, in ways that might not be completely appropriate for someone who is married. She is brash, acts first and asks questions later, which can get her into trouble. But I can’t help but like prickly Vic. Sackoff has created a multi-faceted character, and while I might not agree with her decisions, she always feels true to character. She’s tough but vulnerable, which can be hard to pull off for an actor.

Deputy Branch Connally (Bailey Chase) fills the role of the up-and-comer with his eyes on Walt’s job. He’s also got the sexy, brooding cowboy thing going on, but although he’s a bit more accessible than Walt, he lacks experience and knowledge of the community. Branch also comes from a wealthy family and is used to having things handed to him, something that is in direct opposition to Walt’s hardworking background.

Deputy Ferguson “The Ferg,” played by Adam Bartley, adds the comic relief as he is a bit of a bumbling clown, though he does things by the book and gets frustrated with Walt’s unconventional problem solving methods. I’m hoping they give Ferg’s character more to do in upcoming seasons because I feel like there is a good backstory there. Both Vic and Branch have had their stories fleshed out, but Ferg remains a one-dimensional character at this point.

Walt’s best friend is Henry Standing Bear, a Native American played by Lou Diamond Phillips. While Walt and Henry have a long-standing friendship, there is still quite a bit of animosity between Walt and the leaders of the nearby reservation. The tribal police don’t trust Walt or his department and go to great lengths to keep them off the reservation. I like that even though Walt is clearly the hero of the story, the Native Americans don’t see him as a savior who is going to solve all their problems. One moral, well-meaning white man is not going to erase decades of mistreatment. It’s a complicated relationship between the people of the reservation and the community of people Walt serves as sheriff. The grey areas between races are layered and steeped in this country’s history, and I hope the writers continue to treat it with care and compassion.

Based on the “Longmire” novels by Craig Johnson, the series ran for four seasons on A&E before it was cancelled. However, Netflix has picked it up for a fourth season! If you haven’t seen Longmire yet, it’s worth a look. While the episodes are constructed like a typical crime drama with the sheriff and his deputies solving a crime each episode, the greater character arcs do offer some originality. I can relate to the small town, rural atmosphere. The actors, particularly Taylor, Sackoff and Phillips portray their characters in a way that feels true to life. There’s nothing easy about the decisions they make, and that keeps me coming back for more.

We must not be the only ones. On a recent trip to Bend we were following a motorhome with plates from back east that had a bumper sticker that read “Honesty & Integrity, Walt Longmire, Sheriff Absaroka County.”