FX’s Reservation Dogs was an incredible show for more than a few reasons. Every member of the cast was perfect, the stories were always entertaining and the approach to Native American experience was very refreshing. Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s since-ended coming-of-age dramedy tackled a number of aspects of Indigenous culture, yet it put a particularly high amount of emphasis on the concept of generations. Throughout all three seasons, the writers conveyed the importance of intergenerational relationships on a number of occasions. And I really need to talk about how well they tackled those moments.
Many are currently celebrating Native American Heritage Month, and it provides members of the community an opportunity to highlight their culture and open up about their experiences. Amid that, we can also discuss creative works that have positively impacted the Indigenous landscape, and Rez Dogs certainly fits that bill. Of course, we should be propping up the art and experiences of Natives all the time, but now is still a great opportunity to discuss intergenerational relationships in the context of the show. On that note, let’s break this down and discuss why it’s important.
What Are Some Examples Of How The Show Depicted Intergenerational Interactions?
Hulu subscription holders who wisely checked out the show were treated to plenty of instances in which the titular quartet of teens spent time with their elders (or aunties and uncles). Season 1’s “Uncle Brownie” set the tone in that regard, as it saw the youths seek out the episode’s namesake in the hopes that he’d show them how to fight a rival crew. While the wise-cracking old man (sort of) helped them in that regard, he also bestowed a bit of timeless wisdom upon them, in a humorous way. Later that season, “Hunting” took a similar – yet more serious – narrative approach by highlighting the relationship between Willie Jack and her father, Leon, who bonded over shared grief.
As the series went on, Sterlin Harjo and co. seemed to only double down on their commitment to building bridges between generations. Season 2’s “Roofing,” which saw Bear getting a job as part of a roofing crew, perfectly exemplified that. In that story, the impressionable youth managed to learn a thing or two about construction and life from his older co-workers. And one of my personal favorite episodes, “Offerings,” presented one of the most emotional conversations between one of the show’s kids and an adult. In it, Willie Jack paid a visit to her incarcerated aunt to seek advice. The result was an emotionally powerful scene that conveyed the power of prayer and family.
Reservation Dogs’ third and final season (which was part of the 2023 TV schedule) built on the trend beautifully. Entries like “Maximus” and the series finale, “Dig,” included a number of wonderful moments between the children and their elders. All in all, I can’t help but applaud the show’s entire creative team for the way in which they handled these delicate sequences. Believe me when I say they put a lot of time and effort into making them feel authentic and ensuring they stoke up emotions within viewers. I know this for sure, because I was fortunate enough to speak with two members of the crew.
Reservation Dogs' Creative Team Put A Lot Of Thought Into This Aspect Of The Show
While Season 3 was still airing, I had the pleasure of speaking with series editors Varun Viswanath and Patrick Tuck on behalf of CinemaBlend. Our conversation was very enjoyable and, during it, we covered several topics, including whether Rez Dogs and Atlanta are set in the same universe. Among the subjects we discussed were intergenerational relationships and how they sought to approach them from an editing standpoint.
The pair used the Season 3 installment “Frankfurter Sandwich” to explain their work. The episode involved young Cheese reluctantly going on a camping trip with Brownie, Officer Big and Bucky. There were a few great moments within this quirky tale, and it all culminated in a sweet heart to heart that saw the adults breaking down and sharing their feelings about past regrets. Tuck explained to me that the sequence was tough to cut, but he ultimately found a way to crack it:
Specifically for ‘Frankfurter Sandwich,’ I first was struggling with the scene quite a bit, because there is a lot going on. You have to check in with a lot of the characters throughout that scene to understand what's really happening, you know, to understand that. First, we have Big, who's mourning the loss of his two friends, still, but is finally talking about it with people he knows, you know? And at the same time, you have Cheese who is feeling lonely but hasn't fully understood that feeling, or is still processing at least. And then you have our two elder uncles, Bucky and Brownie, who don't want to talk about it at all, you know, and they are avoiding it at all costs. Once we sort of cracked the code, it was great, because the secret was just POV.
Patrick Tuck went on to explain that as the scene moved on and the characters became more emotionally compromised, precise cuts were made in order to capture those emotions at the right time. The editor also utilized close-up shots when appropriate to further establish connections amongst the group. It was a truly sweet moment that’s filled with commentary on depression, masculinity and more. Varun Viswanath relished the opportunity to tackle those kinds of scenes between the characters. He credited the creative for putting emphasis on generational fellowship:
I think so much of this – intergenerational parallels and divergences – I have to give credit to Sterlin [Harjo] and the writing team. They really put a lot of thought and effort into that. And also, you know, this is a strength of the show, like, they base characters largely on people in their lives, people in their families, people in their communities and have seen so many of these things play out. And they combine their experiences to bring together like different groups. And it also kind of highlights the dearth of these stories from before, right? I think Sterlin and Taika [Waititi] opened this door for native Indigenous storytelling, and Native communities to be on screen.
This is all a true testament to the fact that when one is doing a TV show about a very specific subject matter, it pays to have people behind the scenes who can speak to the experiences being portrayed on screen. It’s a wild concept, I know, but it’s proven to be true more often than not.
Why Is It Important That The Series Highlighted This Aspect Of Indigenous Culture?
The answer to the question posed above may seem obvious to some but may not to others. To put it simply, there’s so much that a person can learn from their elders, whether you're of Native American ancestry or belong to another minority. Adults have so much wisdom to share with the youth, whether it be on an intellectual level or on a more practical one. Many of us surely have those people in our lives who poured into us when we were younger by sharing invaluable life lessons and opening up about their own experiences.
There’s also a cultural aspect to this, as intergenerational relationships are how traditions are passed down. Plenty of people, regardless of their heritage, surely know how important that is. However, the preservation of customs is arguably more important than ever in the Indigenous community, especially since their culture has historically been suppressed at different points in time. Keeping all of this in mind, it’s heartwarming that a series was so committed to emphasizing how essential these personal relationships are.
This is all partially why I feel Rez Dogs is one of the most important shows of the past decade, and I certainly miss it. Though I find comfort in the fact that viewers can still check it out and see what it has to say about intergenerational bonds. Hopefully, the show is watched – during this Native American Heritage Month and beyond - and viewers feel as compelled as I did to talk about it afterwards
You can stream all three seasons of Reservations Dogs now alongside other great originals on Hulu.
