Network: SundanceTV
Episodes: 12 (hour)
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: February 27, 2014 — May 7, 2015
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Martin Henderson, Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson, Tamara Tunie, Kiowa Gordon, Allie Gonino, Annalise Basso, and Tom Sizemore.
TV show description:
A missing college student in rural Walpole, New Jersey brings longstanding tensions between the Native Americans and the local townsfolk to a rolling boil. Painful past tragedies between the populations now simmer with new conflicts in the desaturated landscape.
In this town, every exchange is mired in decades of discomfort. When every action seems doomed to birth yet another disaster, no one remains above distrust for long.
Reckless teenage lovers Rachel Jensen (Allie Gonino) and Junior Van Der Veen (Kiowa Gordon) pretend their passions cross the troubled water, but their relationship only drives further rifts between the two societies.
Jensen’s newly sober mother Jean (Julianne Nicholson) fights her own demons that can’t allow her daughter to date a Lenape. Her husband, local police office Harold (Martin Henderson), struggles to keep the consequences of Jean’s varied psychoses under wraps while upholding the law.
Hulking over this melting pot is Kiowa’s elder, estranged brother Phillip Kopus (Jason Mamoa). The returning ex-con is resurrecting his career in criminal activity, funded by his villainous father, Jack (Tom Sizemore).
Their intricate schemes to keep Harold in their pocket (or in the dark) only complicate relationships that are already strained by circumstance, history, and racial bias.
Episode #12 — Shadow Walker
Harold and Phillip catch up with Junior, who tells them Levi is not far behind.
Katie picks up pills for Jean to resume treatment while Rachel stays at a friend’s house, not yet ready to see her mother.
Phillip goes ahead to distract Levi and his men while Junior and Harold stay back.
Katie returns home to find her mother gone.
Jean visits her father, apologizing for her earlier accusations, convincing him to take her inside the house to “say goodbye.” Once inside, Jean confronts her father, who finally admits the truth about her brother and his own abusive attempts to treat Brian’s schizophrenia. Jean hooks a plastic bag over her father’s face like he used to do to Brian. He fights her off, but then suffers a heart attack. Instead of calling for help, Jean watches him die.
Harold and Junior make it to the highway and commandeer a passing truck. Junior begs Harold to wait for Phillip and he does, giving Phillip just enough time to hop into the truck bed and escape Levi’s men.
Rachel finds Jean sitting outside her childhood home and tries to take her away. Jean tells Rachel “the bag” is still inside and no one can see it. Rachel enters the house and finds her grandfather’s body as well as the plastic bag nearby.
Harold drops Phillip and Junior off at Marie’s, where they find Marie taking care of Mike’s baby; Sonya left the child when she fled. Phillip tells Marie that Levi will come after them, but they have to handle it on their own to avoid Junior going to prison for attempted murder.
Harold tries to comfort Jean and Rachel. Later, Jean asks Rachel what’s wrong, and Rachel shows her the bag. Jean confesses the truth about her father and Brian and the bag. Rachel wants to go to the police, but Jean says they don’t need to.
On the news, the Jensens learn that Jean’s father called the mayor’s office to voice his version of events, casting blame on the Lenape for polluting the mountains.
At work, Harold tries to prevent the force from promoting conflict between the people of Walpole and the Lenape.
Harold visits Marie, sharing Jack Kopus’s confession and asking her to visit Jack in prison and try to determine if he’s telling the truth.
In prison, Jack taunts Marie about her decision to leave him to join Levi’s cause and the effect it had on the young Phillip. Eventually, Jack tells Marie the truth: Walpole city officials were behind the dumping — the mob just supplied the drivers. Jack gives her the picture of a young Phillip posing with his soccer trophy, pointing out a Walpole sanitation truck in the background — evidence of the city’s complicity.
Harold pays Phillip a visit, revealing he’s pulled strings to keep Phillip out of prison despite violating his probation by traveling out of state.
Junior and Rachel reconcile and share a kiss, Junior telling Rachel he’d stay by her side if she started manifesting symptoms like her mother’s.
Marie shares the picture of the Walpole sanitation truck with Sky, asking if it will serve as compelling evidence in her planned lawsuit against the city.
Junior shows up at Phillip’s to help defend against Levi’s men. Phillip turns him away, reminding him that Mac was not the vengeful type.
The officer who responded to Rachel’s emergency call tells Harold that Rachel seemed “under duress” when she told him what happened.
Jean tells Rachel she doesn’t want her getting too close to Junior again, since it will make it hard for her to leave for college next year. Rachel tells her mother she’s not going to college, instead planning to stay in town and live with Junior. Jean tells Rachel she won’t allow it, but Rachel points out that Jean can’t tell her what to do anymore, implicitly blackmailing her over the bag.
Harold comes home and asks Rachel if anything happened he doesn’t know about, but she denies it.
Levi’s men try to kill Phillip, but he surprises them, killing one and forcing the other to call Levi inside. Phillip executes Levi and his remaining henchmen as sirens converge on the scene… and then pass by.
Phillip follows the sirens to Marie’s, where he finds Frank, Marie, and Junior all wounded by Levi’s men. Phillip cries over Marie and tells her he’s sorry. (Courtesy SundanceTV.)
First aired: May 7, 2015.
What do you think? Do you like The Red Road TV show? Do you think it should have been cancelled or renewed for a third season?
We just came across The Red Road on Netflix. I cant believe that’s how it ends. I think Netflix should make it a Netflix series and play this story out.
Please bring it back!! Good shows are far and few between these days, I would really like to enjoy another season or more..
This was the best of all series that I have ever watched. The actors and actresses were fantastic. Why would a series be cancelled without giving viewers an ending to 12 episodes that they spent time in watching?? I hope it will be brought back for another season to give an ending to the story. Thank you
Finally found another show I enjoyed as much as justified and no season 3. This show could have gone in so many directions. Reminded me of the movie Fire Down Below…
We’ve just discovered The Red Road on Netflix. We loved it and were so sorry it was cancelled. The last episode didn’t seem like an ending. If they weren’t going to produce any more shows they should have at least had a better ending. I couldn’t tell if Marie was dead or alive. And what about Jean? Did she commit suicide? It seemed she was heading that way. What happened with Rachael and Junior? There were just too many unanswered questions for it to end.
How can you guys cancel something so good and leave us hanging!! I’m so disappointed..
So sorry Red Road was cancelled. Really enjoyed watching it and was looking forward to another season.
I am surprised that there’s not a season 3 ..why would they cancel a movie as good as this one & keep so many that are just pitiful to watch!..bring it back & don’t leave us hanging in the wind like that .. thanks .
Please finish this amazing tale
Please bring back the red road with original characters! This show is amazing! I have dreams about it and craving to see more but just keep starting it over from beginning to the last episode made. I’m native and love the nature of of the nation being part of the show and Jason m is my spirit animal!
Please please bring back season 3 of Red Road there has to be more to this story. It’s #1 ratings you have to keep this show going
Not sure why this was canceled…Great series and really would love to see it continue. PLEASE!
Should had been renewed because there was no real ending to it! Left viewers hanging! Great acting also!
I loved the show. And would love too see a season 3. So please please keep it going
Disappointed that it’s not returning….it’s a good show….now I’m wondering how it really ends…smh
Needed more to complete the story.