After 'True Detective,' Stephen Dorff Faced a Forgotten Neo-Western on Fox

A Unique Take on the Western Genre

When the word "Western" is mentioned, many people might not immediately think of Los Angeles. Known for its noir films and crime dramas, the city isn't typically associated with traditional horse operas. However, the short-lived Fox series Deputy aimed to change that perception. Starring True Detective actor Stephen Dorff, the show follows Bill Hollister, the longest-serving mounted deputy in the Los Angeles Police Department. Due to a loophole in the state's constitution, Hollister is promoted to sheriff after his predecessor dies of a heart attack. With his new badge, he takes to the streets to fight crime in the style of an Old West lawman.

Pushing the Boundaries of Modern Westerns

Created by Will Beall, the writer of Gangster Squad, and directed by David Ayer, known for Training Day, Deputy brought a modern Western flair to the true crime of Los Angeles. The series was compared to shows like Justified and Walker, as it tackled real-world issues with a more traditional lens. Bill Hollister served as a stand-in for a typical Western sheriff, but unlike many political figures, he had no time for bureaucracy or red tape. Instead, he was a no-nonsense lawman who aimed to see justice done, no matter the danger. Over 13 action-packed episodes, the show successfully brought neo-Western sensibilities to the urban streets of modern-day LA, creating a fascinating combination that worked better than expected.

A Promising Concept That Never Fully Took Off

Despite its unique concept and potential, Deputy was a mid-season replacement that never got the chance to shine. It showed promise to become the next McCloud, a show with a similar premise where a Western-like lawman found himself embedded in the New York Police Department. However, it didn’t take off in the same way. Fox was riding the success of shows like Yellowstone and Longmire, but Deputy felt too average by comparison. The show suffered from expositional dialogue and genre clichés, which hindered its growth. Still, many of the issues critics had could have been resolved with more time to develop. The potential was there, and the show improved with each episode, but it wasn’t given the chance to go further.

Stephen Dorff Shines as Lawman Bill Hollister

One of the most compelling aspects of Deputy was its leading man, Stephen Dorff. He was the perfect fit for Bill Hollister, a character who famously quotes Tombstone upon his introduction. Dorff’s portrayal of Hollister was headstrong, determined, and old-fashioned, yet still appealing to the people of Los Angeles. He held himself to clear Western ideals while navigating the modern world without much difficulty. His charisma, toughness, and vulnerability made it easy to connect with the character, especially as we saw him in both work and family contexts. In many ways, Dorff’s character was the complete package, able to relate to or draw in any member of Fox’s television audience with his “badge, gun, and heart.”

Breaking the Mold of the Traditional Western

From the beginning, Deputy refused to portray Hollister as a small-town hick in a big city. This is where the McCloud comparison falls apart, allowing Deputy to adjust more to the times and stand out as its own entity. Rather, Hollister is clearly a Los Angeles native who aims to bring change to the big city. He believes that the LAPD needs to adopt a more cowboy-like approach rather than focusing on politics. During his tenure as sheriff, his goal was to reform the police department and get violent offenders off the streets. The concept should have been a knockout for the network, if only the show had been more effective from the start.

A Show Cut Short

After receiving generally poor reviews from critics — though some gave the show a solid three stars — and failing to attract a large enough audience, Fox canceled Deputy before it could grow legs. Deadline reported that the show was the second-lowest-rated drama on the network that season, likely due to poor promotion or reviews. Although it was a mid-season replacement, it felt like the type of police procedural that could have expanded to 20-something episodes. Ultimately, it was axed with little fanfare or protest. While there are many great neo-Western television dramas out there, Deputy was unique; it just dealt a bad hand. The show is available for streaming on Tubi.