Longmire (TV Series)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Longmire'' is an American
modern Western The revisionist Western (also called the anti-Western, sometimes revisionist antiwestern) is a sub-genre of the Western film. Designated a post-classical variation of the traditional Western, the revisionist subverts the myth and romance of the ...
crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and comb ...
television series that premiered on June 3, 2012 on the A&E network, developed by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin. The series is based on the ''Walt Longmire Mysteries'' series of novels by Craig Johnson. It centers on Walt Longmire, a sheriff in fictional Absaroka County,
Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...
. He is assisted by staff, friends, and his daughter in investigating major crimes within his jurisdiction. ''Longmire'' became the "highest-rated original drama series" on A&E; however, the network announced in August 2014 that it would not renew the series after the third season. Warner Horizon Television offered it to other networks and
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
picked it up, starting with season four. Netflix released the sixth and final season on November 17, 2017. All episodes are available for
streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content i ...
via Netflix in the United States.


Plot

Walt Longmire ( Robert Taylor) is the sheriff of fictional Absaroka County. Sheriff Longmire's longtime friend Henry Standing Bear (
Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''Stand and Deliver'' (19 ...
), a
Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...
, provides insight to and sometimes aids in dealing with tribal police. (The
Indian reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
has its own police force, which has authority within the reservation boundaries, except for capital crimes.) As the series progresses, the friends deal with issues of gambling at a casino on the reservation, issues of competing jurisdictional authority for protecting people and prosecuting crimes, and other issues of contemporary Native American life.


Season One

Walt's adult daughter Cady ( Cassidy Freeman) is concerned that her father has been stuck since the death of her mother. While preparing to run for re-election, Walt has delegated most police duties to deputies Branch Connally ( Bailey Chase) and "The Ferg" (
Adam Bartley Adam Bartley (born January 28, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Sheriff's Deputy Archie "the Ferg" Ferguson on the television series '' Longmire''. Life and career Bartley was born in Minnesota, and is a 1997 graduate ...
). Branch has also entered the election, to unseat Longmire, and he is secretly dating Cady. Victoria "Vic" Moretti ( Katee Sackhoff), a transplanted Philadelphia homicide detective, arrived in Wyoming six months prior and works as one of Walt's deputies. In random flashback scenes, Walt and Henry travel separately to
Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, where Walt attacks someone in a meth house. Denver Police Homicide Detective Fales ( Charles S. Dutton) later comes to Wyoming to talk to Walt and Cady about Cady's mother's death. Cady is shocked to learn her mother was murdered, as Walt had told her she died of cancer. Fales tells Walt they found the murder suspect buried in a shallow grave. Walt denies killing the man; however, Detective Fales suspects that if Walt did not commit the murder, then Henry did.


Season Two

Cady goes to Denver to speak to Detective Fales, who gives her the details of her mother's murder and informs her the suspected murderer has also been killed. When Fales questions her, she says that her father confides in Henry Standing Bear, inadvertently giving Fales a new target of investigation. Henry tells Walt that he killed the murderer because Walt was unable to do so. Vic encounters Ed Gorski ( Lee Tergesen), a retired cop from Philadelphia. They discuss the suicide of Gorski's former partner, whom Vic had implicated in a corruption scandal that prompted an internal affairs investigation. Gorski blames Vic for his partner's death and begins to stalk her. Frightened by Gorski's manner, Vic asks Henry for help, and Walt visits Gorski to warn him away. Gorski is subsequently beaten severely. Hector (Jeffrey De Serrano), a Cheyenne mercenary believed to have assaulted Gorski, is protected by Walt. Henry confesses to Walt that he hired Hector to kill Miller Beck, the murderer of Walt's wife, but Hector explains that he did not kill the murderer, but only beat him and took his teeth as trophies. Fales and his team find the teeth at Henry's bar and arrest him. Walt wins the election. Cady is hospitalized after being hit by a car after hers is sabotaged. Branch investigates, leading to a confrontation with members of the local Cheyenne reservation, in which Branch is severely injured and calls Walt for help.


Season Three

As Branch recovers from being shot, he comes to believe he was shot by David Ridges (David Midthunder), a Cheyenne who was thought to have committed suicide and been cremated. Walt and the others do not believe him, and he begins his own investigation. In prison, Henry is abused by other Native Americans, led by former Cheyenne reservation police chief Malachi Strand (
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
). Strand believes Henry contributed to his arrest through his friendship with Walt. When Malachi makes it difficult for Henry to obtain an attorney, Cady decides to represent him. Henry gets released on bail and sets out to prove his innocence. Malachi is also released and begins working as security for Jacob Nighthorse ( A Martinez), a prominent Cheyenne businessman and developer. Both Branch and Henry uncover clues that point to Nighthorse's being involved in their cases, with Ridges as a key figure. Walt believes Nighthorse might have had a part in his wife's murder. He begins to believe that Branch is obsessed by his ideas about Ridges and suspends him temporarily, putting him in the care of his father Barlow ( Gerald McRaney). Walt and Henry learn that Ridges killed Miller Beck. Walt learns of Ridges' hideout location and kills him in a confrontation, in self defence. Confronted by evidence that proves that Ridges, and not Henry killed Miller Beck, Fales is forced to drop all charges against Henry, but the investigations continue. Branch questions his father, who admits to having paid Nighthorse to hire Ridges to kill Walt's wife in hopes of helping Branch become sheriff. The season ends with the sound of a gunshot.


Season Four

Walt, Vic, and Ferg set out to search for Branch, after finding a disturbing typewritten note on his home computer. Walt finds him dead in a river from what appears to be a self-inflicted shotgun wound. Walt finds soil in the shotgun shell, implying that the shell had been ejected after firing and replaced in the gun. Walt hence refuses to rule Branch's death a suicide, and begins thinking that Nighthorse is behind the murder. A drunken Barlow Connolly confesses to killing Branch. He commits suicide by cop trying to kill Walt. Afterward, Walt looks into hiring another deputy, Zach Heflin ( Barry Sloane) to replace Branch. The department investigates the rape of a Cheyenne girl named Gabriella ( Julia Jones) by a group of oil rig workers, but is unable to do anything. Henry, meanwhile, takes up Hector's role as avenger. When the rapists turn up dead, both Walt and the workers try to find the murderer, believed to be Gabriella or the new Hector. Walt begins spending time with his new love interest, Dr. Donna Monaghan ( Ally Walker). Monaghan and Walt are attacked in his home, Walt is injured and she is kidnapped


Season Five

Walt conducts an intense search for the person who kidnapped Donna after the home invasion and seriously wounded him. Walt and Donna continue their relationship. Nighthorse becomes increasingly suspicious of Malachi's activities, and suspects he is skimming at the casino or otherwise earning illegal money. Mathias (
Zahn McClarnon Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon (born October 24, 1966) is an American actor known for his performances in the Western crime drama series '' Longmire'', the second season of '' Fargo'', and the second season of ''Westworld''. In 2022, he played the le ...
), the Chief of Police on the Cheyenne Reservation, figures out that Henry has taken over Hector's duties as vigilante and uses that to his advantage. Archie (The Ferg) begins a relationship with a local nurse. A heroin operation by the Irish mob is discovered in Walt's jurisdiction. Uncovering who is selling heroin on the reservation leads Walt to arrest their local enforcer Eddie Harp (Dan Donohue). Archie is held up at gunpoint delivering Eddie to the FBI, traumatizing him. Walt defends a wrongful-death suit; if he loses, he will lose everything he owns, and probably his job. Vic learns she is pregnant but is unsure if the father is her ex-boyfriend Eamonn ( Josh Cooke) or Travis ( Derek Phillips), Branch's childhood best friend with whom she had a drunken one-night stand. Walt ends his relationship with Donna. A future possibility of a relationship with Vic is suggested as they acknowledge their feelings toward each other. Chance (
Peter Stormare Rolf Peter Ingvar Storm (born August 27, 1953), better known as Peter Stormare (), is a Swedish actor who holds both Swedish and American citizenship. He played Gaear Grimsrud in the film '' Fargo'' (1996) and John Abruzzi in the television ser ...
) tells Vic where to find a murder weapon so that he can get the death sentence, but Vic gets assaulted recovering it. Walt travels to Boston to confront the head of the Irish Mafia, Shane Muldoon (
Dylan Walsh Dylan Walsh (born Charles Hunter Walsh; November 17, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Sean McNamara in the FX television series ''Nip/Tuck'', Al Burns in ''Unforgettable'' and Sam Lane in ''Superman & Lois''. E ...
) and tell him to stop selling heroin or else he will divulge Muldoon's identity to the FBI. Some time later a photo arrives for Walt from Shane showing Eddie dead. Tucker Baggett (
Brett Rice James Brett Rice (born April 20, 1954) is an American film, television, and theater actor. He is perhaps known for his roles in the films ''Forrest Gump'' (1994), '' Remember the Titans'' (2000), ''Monster'' (2003), '' Super 8'' (2011), '' Foxc ...
), an attorney and close friend of Barlow Connally tells Walt that the real reason he is prosecuting the civil suit is so that he can bankrupt him and Barlow's real estate company can take over Walt's land for a 36-hole golf course. As Henry gives a ride home to a presumably drunk woman, Malachi and his men kidnap him. He is taken to a remote area of the neighboring Crow reservation, staked to the ground, and left to die.


Season Six

In the first episode, Henry is still being held by kidnappers (led by Malachi) on the Crow reservation and might die if not found, but is finally freed by Walt with the help of the Crow medicine woman. Walt investigates a bank robbery with some unusual aspects. Based on the use of Jacob Nighthorse's wooden stakes in the Henry kidnapping, Walt still suspects Jacob of being behind Malachi but due to Jacob's fear of Malachi, Henry arranges a reconciliation with Walt. As a result, Jacob agrees to present Malachi’s “Red Pony” ledger to the FBI as proof that Malachi was using the Red Pony to syphon illegal profits. Walt discovers that Vic is pregnant. Walt starts his trial as does Chance who pleads guilty and then engineers his escape. In finding Chance Vic gets shot, and loses the baby. Another "Hector" appears, running Jacob and Henry off the road. Walt's civil trial goes badly, but the shooting of Tucker (who is also the attorney for the plaintiff) further complicates matters as Walt is immediately under suspicion. Vic attempts suicide. The death of former sheriff Lucian Connally (
Peter Weller Peter Weller (born June 24, 1947) is an American film and stage actor, television director, and art historian. He has appeared in more than 70 films and television series, including '' RoboCop'' (1987) and its sequel '' RoboCop 2'' (1990), in wh ...
) (Walt's mentor, and Barlow's brother) upsets Walt and makes him consider retirement. Jacob testifies to the collusion between Tucker Baggett and Barlow so that Walt's land can be taken and used for a golf course, revealing that despite their differences, he has a great deal of respect for Walt. As a result of emails that Jacob makes available, all charges in the civil suit are dropped. The death of the Irish Mob enforcer Eddie Harp is revealed to have been staged and he is discovered back selling heroin on the reservation. Walt remains unconvinced of Jacob's innocence particularly after he confessed to having accepted funding from Shane Muldoon. Malachi kills Muldoon and then kidnaps Henry and Jacob to force Jacob to cede the deeds for the casino to him. Malachi and his men face a final showdown with Walt, Vic, Ferg and the recently re-instated Zach Heflin, joined by Mathias' Cheyenne Tribal Police, ending with Walt killing Malachi and Henry killing Darius Burns (Joseph Daniel Havenstar), his second in command. Walt and Vic commence a relationship, as do Cady and Zach. Walt retires after convincing Cady to run for the job of Sheriff. Walt leaves searching for the buried treasure that Lucian had convinced him that he had found, while Henry takes over Jacob's casino.


Episodes


Cast and characters


Main

* Robert Taylor as Walt Longmire, the long-time sheriff of Absaroka County. His character is a throwback to the iconic heroes of classical Westerns, laconic and introspective, with a strong sense of duty and justice. As the stories build, Walt is shown to have a knack for finding the truth behind the various crimes that have been committed. His wife died a year before the series started, and he has told his daughter and friends that she died of cancer. Walt's grief leads to isolation and guilt. * Katee Sackhoff as Victoria "Vic" Moretti, a sheriff's deputy and a former
Philadelphia Police Department The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD or Philly PD) is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The PPD is one of the oldest municipal police agencies, fourth largest ...
homicide detective. She moved to Wyoming with her husband Sean following an incident with her superior officer in Philadelphia. She has four brothers, and at least one sister. *
Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''Stand and Deliver'' (19 ...
as Henry Standing Bear, a Cheyenne who is Walt's best friend and closest confidant. Their friendship began when they met in the sixth grade. Henry owns and operates the Red Pony, a local tavern and restaurant. An expert tracker, his name is described as meaning "a bear who protects those whom he loves". Henry is initially treated as a minor character, but as the series goes on, his position as a well-respected member of his community becomes a prominent storyline, and he actively helps Walt and Cady on numerous occasions. Henry does not speak in contractions. * Bailey Chase as Branch Connally, an ambitious deputy who comes from a wealthy local family. His uncle, Lucian Connally, was Walt's predecessor as sheriff, and Branch hopes to be sheriff one day, as well. He was romantically involved with Cady Longmire. After being shot by David Ridges in Season 2, he is shown during the next season recovering and investigating the attack. He was suspended from the force and murdered by his father Barlow at the end of Season 3. * Cassidy Freeman as Cady Longmire, Walt's daughter, an attorney who initially works for a local law firm. Later, she works for Jacob Nighthorse, to provide representation to residents on the reservation. She was romantically involved with Branch Connally for a time. Later on, she becomes romantically involved with "Zach" Heflin. In the series finale, her father convinces her to run for sheriff. *
Adam Bartley Adam Bartley (born January 28, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Sheriff's Deputy Archie "the Ferg" Ferguson on the television series '' Longmire''. Life and career Bartley was born in Minnesota, and is a 1997 graduate ...
as Archie "The Ferg" Ferguson, an awkward but hard-working young deputy, who felt unappreciated next to his more senior deputies, the handsome Branch Connally and the former Philadelphia Detective Vic Moretti. His eclectic knowledge and skills have helped solve cases, justifying Walt's hiring him, despite the fact that one reason Walt hired him was as a favor to his father. He continues to feel overlooked, even when he is promoted to a more senior deputy status. In the early seasons, he has an unrequited crush on Cady. In season five, he meets Meg, a local nurse.


Recurring

* Louanne Stephens as Ruby — dispatcher and manager of the sheriff's office *
Zahn McClarnon Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon (born October 24, 1966) is an American actor known for his performances in the Western crime drama series '' Longmire'', the second season of '' Fargo'', and the second season of ''Westworld''. In 2022, he played the le ...
as Chief Mathias — chief of the Cheyenne reservation's tribal police * A Martinez as Jacob Nighthorse — a local Cheyenne businessman representing the interests of his people * Bob Clendenin as Jamie DeBell (seasons 1, 3, 5–6) — a nervous weed dealer, who has also worked a variety of low paying legal jobs, such as a pizza delivery man and Uber driver, who occasionally gives Walt information about criminal activity * Gerald McRaney as Barlow Connally (seasons 1–4) — a wealthy, powerful, local, real estate developer and Branch's father *
Peter Weller Peter Weller (born June 24, 1947) is an American film and stage actor, television director, and art historian. He has appeared in more than 70 films and television series, including '' RoboCop'' (1987) and its sequel '' RoboCop 2'' (1990), in wh ...
as Lucian Connally (seasons 1–4, 6) — Branch's uncle, and Walt's predecessor as sheriff, who occasionally offers Walt advice and assistance * John Bishop as Bob Barnes — the town drunk who has worked a variety of odd jobs. Despite his alcoholism frequently landing him in questionable situations, Bob is generally shown to have a good heart and occasionally helps Walt and the department with investigations. Walt sometimes demonstrates a big brotherly affinity for Bob by chastising him when he falls off the wagon but also by helping him when possible, including getting Bob a job at the local florist shop * Arron Shiver as Billy Barnes (seasons 1–2, 5) — Bob's son * Tom Wopat as Sheriff Jim Wilkins (seasons 1, 4–6) — sheriff of neighboring Cumberland County * Louis Herthum as Omar (seasons 1–3, 5) — local hunting guide with expertise in firearms. Omar regularly flirts with Vic, to her dismay. *
Katherine LaNasa Katherine LaNasa (born December 1, 1966) is an American actress, former ballet dancer and choreographer. She starred in films '' Jayne Mansfield's Car'', '' The Campaign'', and '' The Frozen Ground''. On television, LaNasa had a leading role in t ...
as Lizzie Ambrose (seasons 1–2) — wealthy local woman with whom Walt has a tentative romantic relationship * Charles S. Dutton as Detective Fales (seasons 1–3) — from Denver, investigating the suspicious death of the murderer of Walt's wife * Michael Mosley as Sean Keegan (seasons 1–3) — Vic's husband, natural gas company executive * Jeffrey De Serrano as Hector (seasons 1–3, 6) — Cheyenne ex-boxer who lives on the reservation, is a mercenary-for-hire and vigilante for Cheyenne people who seek justice * Irene Bedard as May Still Water (seasons 1, 3–4) — Cheyenne woman who respects Walt and Henry *
Amber Midthunder Amber Midthunder (born April 26, 1997) is a Native American (Fort Peck Assiniboine) actress. She is known for her regular roles in the FX series ''Legion'' and The CW series ''Roswell, New Mexico'', as well as appearances on '' Longmire'', ''Ba ...
as Lily Still Water (seasons 1, 3) — May's daughter * Q'orianka Kilcher as Ayasha Roundstone (season 1) * Lee Tergesen as Ed Gorski (seasons 2–3) — ex-cop from Philadelphia who worked with Vic. He was previously romantically involved with her but she broke off the relationship, and in the aftermath he chooses to stalk her. * Derek Phillips as Travis Murphy (seasons 2-6) — a boyhood friend of Branch Connally, who aspires to be a sheriff's deputy *
Noam Jenkins Noam Jenkins is a Canadian actor, voice actor, and television director. He is best known for his portrayal as Aiden Pearce in the 2014 video game ''Watch Dogs'', and Detective Jerry Barber on Global's ''Rookie Blue ''Rookie Blue'' is a Canad ...
as FBI Agent Towson (seasons 2, 5) — a by-the-book agent seen by the sheriff's department as a negative force * David Midthunder as David Ridges (seasons 2–3) — a Cheyenne man who shoots Branch and becomes a fugitive * Ralph Alderman as Judge Joseph Mayhew (seasons 3–6) — the judge presiding over the trials of Henry Standing Bear and Chance Gilbert * T.J. Alvarado as Dillon (seasons 3–5) — the doctor at the reservation clinic * Joseph Daniel Havenstar as Darius Burns (seasons 3-6) — Malachi Strand's right-hand man *
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
as Malachi Strand (seasons 3–6) — the former chief of the tribal police and Nighthorse's chief of security at the casino *
Hank Cheyne Hank Cheyne (born August 13, 1958) is an American actor and former lawyer known for playing Ricardo Torres in the soap opera '' Sunset Beach'' (1997–1999). He also played the role of Scott LaSalle on '' Another World'' (1986–1988) and Anton ...
as Sam Poteet (seasons 3–6) — is a Cheyenne White Warrior and sage * Scott Michael Campbell as Dr. Weston (seasons 3–6) — a doctor at the regional hospital who occasionally assists in Longmire's investigations * Nick Gehlfuss as Cameron Maddox (season 3) — a lawyer who went to law school with Cady, who helps her try to prove Henry's innocence *
Patricia Bethune Patricia Bethune, sometimes credited as P.B. Hutton, (born July 27, 1956) is an American television actress. In 2019, she received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series at the 46th Daytime Emmy Awards for ...
as Mary Jo Murphy (seasons 3–5) — Travis' mother *
Peter Stormare Rolf Peter Ingvar Storm (born August 27, 1953), better known as Peter Stormare (), is a Swedish actor who holds both Swedish and American citizenship. He played Gaear Grimsrud in the film '' Fargo'' (1996) and John Abruzzi in the television ser ...
as Chance Gilbert (seasons 3, 5–6) — the leader of an anti-government movement who is both insane and very intelligent. He kidnaps Vic and her husband after their car breaks down. He only appears in 6 episodes, but becomes a major villain. * Josh Cooke as Eamonn O'Neill (seasons 4–5) — a deputy from Cumberland County who fills in briefly at the sheriff’s department * Barry Sloane as Zachary "Zach" Heflin (seasons 4, 6) — a new deputy hired by Walt. who later becomes romantically involved with Cady * Julia Jones as Gabriella Langton (season 4) — a Cheyenne girl who is raped * Ally Walker as Dr. Donna Monaghan (seasons 4–5) — a therapist treating local veterans, who becomes a love interest of Walt's *
Tantoo Cardinal Tantoo Cardinal CM (born Rose Marie Cardinal; July 20, 1950) is a Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage. In 2009, she was made a member of the Order of Canada "for her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing a ...
as Marilyn Yarlott (seasons 4–6) — a Crow hunter and medicine woman who lives alone in the vast wilderness of the Crow reservation * Callum Keith Rennie as Walker Browning (seasons 4–5) — the manager of a regional energy company, whom Walt suspects of criminal activity * Tamara Duarte as Mandy Plitt (seasons 4–6) — a young Cheyenne woman hired by Cady Longmire to assist her in the legal-aid office on the Cheyenne reservation * Stephen Louis Grush as Monte Ford (seasons 4–5) — a young man who applies to be a sheriff’s deputy. After Zach is selected, Monte responds angrily and follows Zach around to annoy him *
Currie Graham Currie Graham (born February 26, 1967) is a Canadian stage, film and television actor. While primarily recognized as a TV actor, he has numerous film credits, including the action thrillers ''Rancid'' (2004) and ''Assault on Precinct 13'' (200 ...
as Kevin Morris (seasons 4–6) — Jacob Nighthorse's lawyer *
Lew Temple Lew Temple (born October 2, 1967) is an American actor, known for his roles as Locus Fender in the action film, '' Domino'', Cal, the diner manager in the comedy-drama '' Waitress'', and Axel in the third season of '' The Walking Dead''. Early ...
as Archer Loftus (season 4) — a worker with the regional energy company run by Walker Browning; he is also a conspiracy theorist * Mary Wiseman as Meg (seasons 5–6) — a nurse at the local hospital who begins dating Ferg * Eric Ladin as Mayor Sawyer Crane (seasons 5–6) — the ambitious mayor of Durant, Wyoming *
Brett Rice James Brett Rice (born April 20, 1954) is an American film, television, and theater actor. He is perhaps known for his roles in the films ''Forrest Gump'' (1994), '' Remember the Titans'' (2000), ''Monster'' (2003), '' Super 8'' (2011), '' Foxc ...
as Tucker Baggett (seasons 5-6) — a lawyer and wannabe real estate tycoon who is a close friend of Barlow Connally *
Dylan Walsh Dylan Walsh (born Charles Hunter Walsh; November 17, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Sean McNamara in the FX television series ''Nip/Tuck'', Al Burns in ''Unforgettable'' and Sam Lane in ''Superman & Lois''. E ...
as Shane Muldoon (seasons 5-6) — the leader of the Irish mafia * Dan Donohue as Eddie Harp (seasons 5-6) — a drug dealer affiliated with the Irish mafia * Patch Darragh as Dave Milgrom (seasons 5-6) — Walt's lawyer * Raphael Sbarge as Agent Decker (season 6) — a corrupt FBI agent with ties to Muldoon and Malachi * Marylouise Burke as Beverly Joyce (season 6) — Meg's mother * Mike Pniewski as Judge Clarence Drood (season 6) — the judge presiding over Walt's civil suit


Development and production

''Longmire'' received a pilot order on December 14, 2010. The pilot was written by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin, and directed by
Christopher Chulack Christopher Chulack is an American television producer and director, best known for his work on the NBC drama series '' ER'' (1995–2008), along with Michael Crichton, also ''Third Watch'' (1999–2005), which he co-produced along with Edward Al ...
. Coveny, Baldwin, and Chulack serve as executive producers alongside
Greer Shephard Greer Shephard is an American television producer and director. She was an executive producer on the FX (TV network), FX series ''Nip/Tuck''. She is also an executive producer on the Turner Network Television, TNT series, ''The Closer''. Along with ...
, Michael M. Robin, and the production companies
Warner Horizon Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
and the Shephard/Robin Company. The series is an adaptation of the Longmire mystery novels written by best-selling author, Craig Johnson. The story is set in northern Wyoming, but the series has been filmed in several locations in
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, including Santa Fe, Eagle Nest, Espanola, and Red River, and
Las Vegas, New Mexico Las Vegas is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities (one a city and the other a town), both were named Las Vegas—West Las Vegas ("Old Town") and East Las Vegas ("New Town" ...
,
Pecos, New Mexico Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,392 at the 2010 census, shrinking slower than other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village i ...
. Buffalo, in Johnson County, in northeast Wyoming, is the setting for some scenes set in the fictional town of Durant, county seat of Absaroka. Casting announcements began in February 2011, with Robert Taylor cast first in the lead role of Sheriff Walt Longmire. Katee Sackhoff, Bailey Chase, Cassidy Freeman, and Lou Diamond Phillips followed, with Sackhoff cast in the role of Victoria "Vic" Moretti, Chase cast as Branch Connally, Freeman cast as Cady Longmire, and Phillips cast as Henry Standing Bear. On August 26, 2011, A&E picked up the series for a 10-episode first season. A&E renewed it for a second season on June 29, 2012, following early success as the highest-rated summer scripted drama debut, and as A&E's highest-rated scripted drama. The network renewed it for a third season on November 25, 2013. In 2013, massive wildfires scorched the
Valles Caldera National Preserve Valles Caldera (or Jemez Caldera) is a wide volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. Hot springs, streams, fumaroles, natural gas seeps and volcanic domes dot the caldera floor landscape. The highest point in the caldera i ...
, which disrupted the series production. Three fires started over a three-week period, two at the same time. The
Prescott Fire Department The Prescott Fire Department is the municipal fire department for the city of Prescott, Arizona. Additionally, the PFD provides aircraft rescue and firefighting for the Prescott Municipal Airport. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest fire departm ...
's Granite Mountain Hotshots assisted in preventing the destruction of the area around where Walt's house is filmed. Nineteen of the Hotshots' 20 members were later killed battling the 2013
Yarnell Hill Fire The Yarnell Hill Fire was a wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona, ignited by dry lightning on June 28, 2013. On June 30, it overran and killed 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. Just one of the hotshots on the crew survived—he was pos ...
in Arizona. The second season's finale honored them in the closing credits. Production for the third season began in early 2014. Filming of the interiors took place in New Mexico at Garson Studios, on the campus of
Santa Fe University of Art and Design Santa Fe University of Art and Design (SFUAD) was a private, for-profit art school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The university was built from the non-profit College of Santa Fe (CSF), a Catholic facility founded as St. Michael's College in 1859, and ...
. According to the New Mexico State Film Office, exteriors were filmed in and around Santa Fe and at Garson Studios. On August 28, 2014, A&E announced that ''Longmire'' was cancelled after completing its third season, despite consistently strong viewership that made it "the most-watched original series in A&E history, packing almost 6 million viewers" per episode, "reportedly because it appealed to an older demographic that was unappealing to advertisers" and was produced by an external studio. Three months later, Netflix confirmed that it had picked up the series (based, in contrast to A&E, on its strong appeal to a specific segment of the audience) and would film additional episodes. The 10-episode fourth season filmed on location in New Mexico, and was made available for viewing in North America and Oceania on September 10, 2015. On October 30, 2015, Netflix announced that ''Longmire'' would return for a fifth season. Season-five location filming was scheduled for late March to late June, 2016. It took place primarily in Las Vegas, New Mexico, the town shown in the series. Other locations included towns in the surrounding area. The studio work was completed at Garson Studios at Santa Fe University of Art and Design. The 10-episode fifth season was made available for viewing on September 23, 2016. According to Eric Witt, director of the Santa Fe Film Office, season-six filming was scheduled to begin in March 2017. By June, the interior scenes had been filmed at Garson Studios; location photography was underway in various New Mexico locations including Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Valles Caldera, Pecos, and other sites in the northern part of the state. The director was T.J. Scott and the producers included Hunt Baldwin, John Coveny, Greer Shephard, and Michael M. Robin. Filming concluded the last week of June.


Release


Broadcast

''Longmire'' began airing in the United Kingdom on TCM, on March 17, 2013, at 9 pm, in Australia on
GEM A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...
on May 15, 2013, at 9:30 pm. Season two began airing in Australia on July 31, 2013, and in Italy on
Rete 4 Rete 4 (in English Network 4) is an Italian free-to-air television channel operated by Mediaset Italia and owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. Presently the director is Sebastiano Lombardi. Programs TV Programmes (currently) Rete 4's strengt ...
on July 4, 2013, at 9 pm. The sixth and final season began airing on TCM in the UK, on January 7, 2018. The series is shown in Ireland on
RTÉ One RTÉ One ( ga, RTÉ a hAon) is an Irish free-to-air flagship television channel owned and operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched as ''Telefís ...
and in Germany on
RTL Nitro Nitro is a German free-to-air television channel owned by the RTL Group. Conception The slogan of Nitro is „Fernsehen für Helden“ (television for heroes). It describes itself as a "premium entertainment channel" ("Premium-Unterhaltungsse ...
, as of January 10, 2014, at 10:05 pm. It made its Canadian debut in English, in January 2014 on APTN, and in French on May 26, 2014, on Séries+. International broadcasters retain the rights to new Netflix-commissioned seasons of the show until their licenses expire.


Home media

The first season of ''Longmire'' was released on May 28, 2013. It featured a documentary about filming in New Mexico, when the setting is in Wyoming, a gallery of photographic stills, and some unaired scenes. The second season was released on May 13, 2014. The three-disc set included an extended directors' cut version of the seventh episode, "Sound and Fury", as well as the season finale, "Bad Medicine". A bonus featurette, "Testing Courage: The Storm Defines the Man", was also included. The third season, including a bonus featurette, "The Ghost in the Storm", was released on March 3, 2015. The first three seasons were added to
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
in the United States in June 2015. The fourth season was released on September 16, 2016, in a three-disc, 10-episode set. The Blu-ray releases of the series were handled by the
Warner Archive Collection The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...
. A 21-disc Blu-ray set titled Longmire: The Complete Series will release on February 14, 2023 from Warner Bros.


Reception


Ratings

''Longmire'' debuted as A&E's number-one original-series premiere with 4.1 million total viewers.


Critical reception

In its first season, Nancy DeWolf Smith of ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' called the series "the best of two worlds: a modern crime drama with dry wit and sometimes heart-wrenching emotion that's also got a glorious setting under the big sky of Wyoming 'sic'': Longmire was filmed in New Mexico" She added: "If it weren't for a few modern conveniences, like cellphones and trucks, it might as well be 1875, so rugged and unspoiled does the scenery look." ''
Newsday ''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...
''s Verne Gay stated: "''Longmire'' arrives as silently as a dust devil kicked up by a high wind on the Wyoming plains. With little in the way of fanfare and a lead actor unacquainted with household name status, it must instead rely on a quiet fortitude, much like its namesake." He added: "Unassuming ''Longmire'' doesn't shout 'Love Me!' but instead works its charms subtly, quietly. There's promise here."
Alan Sepinwall Alan Sepinwall (born October 19, 1973) is an American television reviewer and writer. He spent 14 years as a columnist with ''The Star-Ledger'' in Newark until leaving the newspaper in 2010 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He th ...
of
HitFix HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...
said of season one, "there's a sense of place to the show that makes it feel unlike every other cop show on television", and he would "like to see the mysteries grow more engaging as the series moves along, but ''Longmire'' at least starts with a good foundation in Walt, his sidekicks, and the wide, open spaces they travel." The ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
''s David Wiegand was critical, writing that the series "has the look and feel of a show cooked up by a bunch of bored TV industry types while they were waiting for the valet to bring their car to them at the
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
Chuck E. Cheese Chuck E. Cheese (formerly known as Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre, Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza and simply Chuck E. Cheese's) is an American family entertainment center and pizza restaurant chain founded in 1977 by Atari's co-founder Nolan Bu ...
." He added: "There's very little drama, and the pilot episode lumbers along like an overfed elk." Three years later, after viewing the first three episodes of season four, Brian Tallerico wrote on the
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
site, "It sometimes sounds like faint praise to describe a series like you would a reliable car, but ''Longmire'' is just a sturdy show. It is well-constructed all around—confidently made, well-acted, and the writing is much smarter than many shows like it. It hums, each episode these three feeling more well-paced than the one before." At the same point in the series, Mike Hale of ''The New York Times'' also filed a favorable review, with particular praise for actor Robert Taylor, described as a "modern-day Gary Cooper or Joel McCrea". In the aggregate, ''Longmire'' received favorable reviews on
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
and
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
. For example, season four received an average rating of 8.5/10 based on seven reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.


Accolades

In 2013, the pilot episode of ''Longmire'', whose teleplay was written by Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny, was nominated for an
Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...
by the
Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...
. The season-two episode, "Party's Over", was nominated by the Entertainment Industries Council for a PRISM Award for Best Drama Series Episode – Substance Use. Also in 2013, the series won the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...
's
Bronze Wrangler The Bronze Wrangler is an award presented annually by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to honor the top works in Western music, film, television and literature. The awards were first presented in 1961. The Wrangler is a bronze sculpt ...
for Fictional Television Drama. The series won a Bronze Key Art Award for its season-two
television advertisement A television advertisement (also called a television commercial, TV commercial, commercial, spot, television spot, TV spot, advert, television advert, TV advert, television ad, TV ad or simply an ad) is a span of television programming produce ...
, titled "The Oath". In 2014,
Steve La Porte Steve La Porte is a makeup artist. He won at the 61st Academy Awards in the category of Best Makeup for his work on ''Beetlejuice''. He shared his Oscar with Ve Neill and Robert Short. He is also known for his work on TV, for shows such as ''L ...
was nominated for a Makeup Artists and Hairstylist Guild Award for Best Special Makeup Effects. Over the years, the series has also received two Key Art Awards and two Red Nation Film Awards of Excellence, the latter for Supporting Actor A Martinez and
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
.


References


External links


''Longmire''
on A&E * *
''Longmire''
on
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

Walt Longmire series of books
on
Goodreads Goodreads is an American social cataloging website and a subsidiary of Amazon that allows individuals to search its database of books, annotations, quotes, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and read ...
{{A&ENetwork Shows 2012 American television series debuts 2017 American television series endings A&E (TV network) original programming 2010s American crime drama television series 2010s Western (genre) television series American action television series English-language Netflix original programming Television series by Warner Horizon Television Television shows filmed in New Mexico Television shows set in Wyoming Neo-Western television series