Sep 10, 2026 · 1h 18m
Netflix’s Lonesome Dove gamble meets an Emmy forecast
Emmy Predictions, Netflix Is Adapting ‘Lonesome Dove,’ and ‘The Paper’ Season 2
The episode tests whether a new Lonesome Dove can expand and correct a beloved miniseries while weighing television’s current awards hierarchy.
- 1Netflix’s Lonesome Dove adaptation could deepen the saga’s women’s and Native perspectives beyond the original miniseries.
- 2The Emmy forecast turns on momentum, career recognition, and crowded races across comedy, drama, and limited series.
- 3The Paper’s second season shows stronger ensemble instincts but remains constrained by its crowded cast and limited runway.
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The hosts confront the challenge of recasting Gus and Call after Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones defined the original miniseries.
The brief
Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald open on Netflix’s planned Lonesome Dove adaptation, asking whether a new version can honor Larry McMurtry’s cultural legacy without merely reproducing the miniseries.
The central argument is expansion: a full adaptation could deepen women’s interior lives, Native perspectives, and the four-book saga while confronting the original’s dated casting and assumptions.
Casting Gus, Call, Jake Spoon, Dish, Newt, Deets, and July Johnson becomes a test of whether contemporary actors can create a new ensemble rather than imitate Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.
The Emmy discussion shifts from adaptation anxiety to awards mechanics, weighing momentum and career recognition in races involving The Diplomat, Matthew Rhys, and other major contenders.
The episode closes by assessing The Paper’s second-season ensemble and debating whether the 49ers’ Australia acclimation plan beats the Rams’ rapid in-and-out approach.