As it stands right now, there will be no second season of Damnation.
And that might well cause many people not to bother watching this series.
But Netflix has demonstrated that it is no better than the traditional television networks at placing quality at or near the top of the list of priorities when it comes to maintaining or cancelling its programs.
Fans of Dirk Gently, which Netflix has also cancelled, will attest to this.
Damnation and Dirk Gently join a long list of excellent television series, such as Deadwood, The Black Donnellys or My Name is Earl which were cut off by boardroom executives who probably never even bothered to watch these shows, who place endless increase in ratings above all other things, who believe that a show's worth can be measured in nothing else but numbers.
You should watch Damnation.
You should watch it and, if you think that it is a show that deserves far better than it received, then you should let Netflix know that they were wrong in cancelling it.
You should do the same for Dirk Gently and any other Netflix series that you think deserves to be allowed to continue.
Because, unlike traditional networks, Netflix, and the USA network, from which the show actually originates, is completely dependent on its subscribers, who may not be able to work miracles, but if enough speak out may well be able to resurrect the recently dead.
You should also watch Damnation just because it is so damn good.
It has a brooding power which will cause inevitable comparison to Carnivale (Yes, another superb yet prematurely cancelled series) and Hell On Wheels. The two lead actors, Logan Marshall-Green and Killian Scott are almost certainly going to be in a neck and neck race as to who becomes the next major superstar/ male idol. Green could easily be cast as Tom Hardy's brother. In fact in some shots you might swear that it is Tom Hardy. Scott could easily be cast as Travis Fimmel, Ragnar from Vikings' brother. And both actors have that kind of smoldering intensity and flawless acting ability that makes it hard to believe that they could ever not end up being stars. The entire cast is in fact superb. It even includes Christopher Heyerdahl, who Hell on Wheels fans will remember as The Swede, one of the strangest and creepiest villains of all time.
Damnation is just flat out great.
Set in the Depression era, the story is set around the conflict between a farmer organizing preacher, played by Scott, the forces that want to prevent the farmers from organizing, including a strikebreaking cowboy, played chillingly by Green, and a corrupt sheriff played by Heyerdahl. But none of that is what makes Damnation so good. It is the superb tension and complexity of character, the darkly powerful intensity that makes this a series well worth watching, even if there isn't going to be another season.
Watch Damnation.
You'll see what I mean.
And then, like me, you'll almost certainly want to send the mindless suits that cancelled this show to burn forever in...
Well.
Damnation.
