That Dirty Black Bag (2022)

🎬 Overview

That Dirty Black Bag is an English-language Spaghetti Western TV series that premiered in 2022. Created by Mauro Aragoni, Silvia Ebreul, and Marcello Izzo, the show features gritty storytelling and a stylized homage to classic Westerns. It was directed by Mauro Aragoni and Brian O'Malley and aired on AMC+.

📝 Plot Summary

The story is set in a lawless, dust-covered frontier town named Greenvale, where outlaws, bounty hunters, and corrupt officials struggle for power. At the center of the conflict are two men:

• Red Bill (Douglas Booth), a mysterious bounty hunter known for beheading his targets and storing their heads in a canvas sack—the "dirty black bag."

• Sheriff Arthur McCoy (Dominic Cooper), the town's seemingly principled lawman, who hides a dark and violent past.

The series unfolds over eight days, during which brutal confrontations, shifting alliances, and buried secrets come to light. It explores themes of justice, revenge, faith, and survival in a brutal world where morality is as dry as the desert.

👥 Cast & Characters

• Douglas Booth as Red Bill – a haunted, head-collecting bounty hunter

• Dominic Cooper as Sheriff Arthur McCoy – an upright sheriff hiding a murky past

• Niv Sultan as Eve Hoover – a brothel owner with ambition and resilience

• Christian Cooke as Steve – a religious homesteader caught in the town’s violence

• Rose Williams as Symone – a young prostitute under Eve’s care

• Paterson Joseph as Charles Thompson – a land baron with sinister motives

• Aidan Gillen as Butler – a cult-linked figure with unpredictable violence

• Supporting cast includes Travis Fimmel, Anna Chancellor, Guido Caprino, and Eugene Brave Rock

🌄 Production & Setting

• The series was filmed across dramatic landscapes in Spain, Italy, and Morocco, evoking the visual legacy of classic Spaghetti Westerns.

• The use of practical effects, stylized cinematography, and original score helps set a tone that is both eerie and cinematic.

• The eight-episode structure allows the story to unfold gradually, building tension day by day.

🎥 Themes & Style

• That Dirty Black Bag pays tribute to the brutal, mythic tone of 1960s and 70s Spaghetti Westerns, featuring long silences, intense stare-downs, and sudden violence.

• The series blends classic Western tropes—bounty hunters, shootouts, outlaws—with modern storytelling: flashbacks, shifting timelines, and psychological depth.

• It explores themes like the futility of violence, the corruption of justice, and personal redemption in a world where goodness rarely wins.

📺 Reception

• The series received generally favorable reviews for its gritty atmosphere, strong production design, and committed performances.

• Douglas Booth and Dominic Cooper were praised for portraying complex anti-heroes with conviction.

• Critics and viewers were divided on pacing—some found it slow and overly stylized, while others appreciated its moody tone and ambition.

• It gained a cult following among fans of neo-Westerns and genre experimentation.

📅 Season 2 Status

As of now, a second season has not been officially confirmed or canceled. The show’s creators have hinted that the story was intended as part of a multi-season arc, but no updates have been made public. Fans continue to express strong interest in seeing the narrative continue.

💭 Final Thoughts

That Dirty Black Bag is a bold and violent reinvention of the Western genre. With its stylish direction, morally gray characters, and unapologetically harsh world, it stands out as one of the more unique Western shows in recent years. It’s not for everyone, but for fans of Spaghetti Westerns or atmospheric revenge tales, it’s a gripping ride worth taking—dust, blood, and all.