Netflix's Untamed - The Truth is Revealed in Yosemite National Park

Netflix’s new series Untamed, created and written by the dynamic duo Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith, delivers an electrifying plunge into mystery, set against the breathtaking, and dangerous, backdrop of Yosemite National Park. Directed across the six episodes by Thomas Bezucha, Neasa Hardiman, and Nick Murphy, the series strikes a thrilling balance of suspense, emotion, and cinematic grandeur.

To be honest, I can blame my wife, in a great way, for watching this show. I was tired and didn't even want to start a new series. I'm a create of habit and enjoy falling asleep to things I know well or don't really care about. But, as you may have noticed in previous articles, I love my wife and want to make her happy. So I put Untamed on the television and fully expected to fall asleep. Boy was I in for a surprise.

Eric Bana anchors the series as Kyle Turner, a haunted ISB special agent grappling with grief and a staggering web of secrets. I have always enjoyed Eric Bana since I first saw his appearance in Black Hawk Down. His turn as Bruce Banner in Hulk was destroyed by horrible writing and bad storylines. I did enjoy his follow up performances in Munich, Star Trek, and Lone Survivor to name a few. For Untamed, his performance mixes rugged determination with simmering vulnerability, and it’s a magnet for every scene he’s in. He's the moral compass that tries his best to keep the straight and narrow.

Sam Neill is another favorite of mine. He goes back even further as I first remember seeing him in The Omen III: The Final Conflict. I can't say I realized I'd be watching his career for four decades, but I was entranced by his monologue as an adult Damian. That scene should not have been near as good as it was for the third entry in a horror series. Obviously he kicked ass in Jurassic Park, but his career has been full of great highlights that I highly recommend, like Dead Calm (surprisingly underrated as it also showcases wonderful performances by Nicole Kidman and Billy Zane), The Hunt For Red October, Memoirs of an Invisible Man (yes, I literally seek this film out because it truly entertains me), In the Mouth of Madness, Bicentennial Man, Peaky Blinders, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, just to name a few. As Paul Souter in this series, he brings gravitas and mentor-like warmth to the role of chief park ranger. His quiet, steady presence provides a perfect foil to Turner’s turmoil. Not to mention his ability and need to keep Bana's Kyle Turner out of trouble.

Rosemarie DeWitt is one of those actresses that looked extremely familiar as I was watching, but could not place her. This might sound like a negative, but in truth, it's a fantastic compliment as she melts into her characters so I'm not looking at an actress but rather seeing the character. After looking up her filmography I was pleasantly reminded of her turns in Sex and the City (don't ask, it was related to a graduate school project), Cinderella Man, United States of Tara, Poltergeist (2015), The Boys, and Smile 2. As Jill Bodwin in Untamed, she delivers emotional complexity, embodying Turner’s ex-wife with equal parts sorrow, resilience, and unspoken regret.

Coming into the show, I was not familiar with Lily Santiago. She was in La Brea and Vineyards, one of which I skipped, the other I wasn't aware of. I'll let you guess which is which. She shines as Naya Vasquez, the rookie ranger drawn from the big city life into the perilous wild. She brings sharp intelligence and emotional backbone as Turner’s unlikely, but compelling and eventually trustworthy, partner. She also gets herself into some extremely anxiety ridden situations that left me gasping for breath. No joke.

Wilson Bethel impresses as Shane Maguire, the wildlife management officer with a quietly menacing edge and a key piece in this twisted puzzle. I was a bit disappointed at first as his character is not entirely different than the one he played in Netflix's (now on Disney+) Daredevil series. But this time out, his motivations are different. We clearly see that his version of justice and morality is his and his alone.

There are also many smaller roles that played key parts in piecing this puzzle together. Ezra Franky, portraying the mysterious Lucy Cook, captivates in haunting flashbacks that anchor the case in tragedy and unresolved trauma. Joe Holt plays Lawrence Hamilton, the head ranger just trying to portray the park as the perfect place for families to spend their vacations and thus their hard earned dollars. JD Pardo plays Michael, a stereotypical bad father and bad partner, but with an extra motivation that makes him that much more evil. Josh Randall plays Scott Bodwin, who is Jill's current husband. His story could have easily just been that of a jealous man to his wife's past, but it goes deeper and becomes incredibly endearing. And let's not forget William Smilie or Raoul Max Trujillo, portraying Bruce Milch and Jay Stewart respectively. Milch is the smart ass park ranger who constantly pulls rank, but finally shows some heart, while Stewart is the sage Native American working in the park who offers spiritual advice and a kick in the butt to Turner when necessary.

Untamed wastes no time throwing us off-balance. The series opens with a woman plummeting from El Capitan, a scene that’s as visually arresting as it is chilling. We have no clue if "Jane Doe" is a body being disposed of, or jumper finding a final way out, or something far worse. Over the ensuing episodes, layers unspool: hidden tunnels, coded symbols, drug networks beneath Yosemite’s majesty, and toxic betrayals that hit close to home. The case drags Turner into the darkest corners of both the landscape and his own past. Is he up to the challenge? Perhaps my favorite line of the whole show from him holds that answer.

"I see him. We talk. We play. I know that makes me crazy, but I don’t care. It’s worth it."

Each episode unfolds like a trapdoor, just when you're sure you've grasped the truth, another revelation flips the narrative upside-down. Rarely do I make it to the last episode of a series with little to no clue of whodunit and/or why.

The visuals are untamed in every sense. Yosemite’s sweeping vistas are rendered with such authenticity and detail (despite being filmed primarily in British Columbia) that you can practically feel the majesty all around as you watch. This isn’t just scenery; it’s character and it amplifies every tense standoff, every whispered confession, every secret buried beneath the soil.

With a strong cast, atmospheric direction, and a story that continually snarls your expectations, Untamed earns its place among Netflix’s most binge-worthy thrillers of 2025 for my wife and I. Its mix of emotional stakes, creeping dread, and stunning landscapes makes it a gripping ride. You've been warned, be ready for the thrills and chills.

Check out the trailer for the series below:

Have you seen Untamed? Let us know your thoughts!