The new Netflix series The Abandons brings together a large cast of familiar faces from past Kurt Sutter projects. Katey Sagal, who is married to the show’s creator, appears in a supporting role. Her character, Giselle, is a significant figure in the frontier town where the show’s main conflict takes place.
Sagal plays Giselle, the owner of the local brothel in the town of Angel’s Ridge. This character is part of the complex social world of the 1850s Washington Territory, where the show is set. Giselle’s establishment is a recurring location, and her character interacts with members of the powerful Van Ness family. While not a central figure like the show’s two matriarchs, Giselle is a notable part of the community’s landscape.
This role continues Sagal’s long-standing professional collaboration with her spouse, creator Kurt Sutter. The couple has worked together on several television series, most notably Sons of Anarchy, where Sagal played the lead role of Gemma Teller Morrow.
Who Does Katey Sagal Play in The Abandons?
Katey Sagal portrays Giselle, the pragmatic owner of the brothel in Angel’s Ridge. The character appears throughout the show’s seven-episode season. As the madam, Giselle operates a business that serves as a social hub and refuge within the harsh frontier setting.
Her role, while supporting, connects her to the main story. Giselle forms a personal connection with Garret Van Ness, one of Constance Van Ness’s sons. This dynamic places her at the intersection of the town’s power struggles and family dramas. Critics have noted that Sagal’s performance brings nuance to the part, even with limited screen time compared to the primary cast.
How Katey Sagal’s Role Compares to Her Past Work
This role is notably different from Katey Sagal’s most famous collaboration with Kurt Sutter. In Sons of Anarchy, she played Gemma Teller Morrow, the fierce matriarch of the motorcycle club and a central character whose actions drove the entire story. Her performance in that role earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
In The Abandons, Sagal has a smaller, supporting part. This shift highlights Sutter’s tendency to cast actors from his previous shows, creating a repertoire company of performers. Alongside Sagal, other Sutter veterans in the cast include Ryan Hurst and Timothy V. Murphy. For viewers familiar with Sagal’s career, Giselle offers a different type of character from the commanding Gemma or her iconic comedic role as Peg Bundy in Married… with Children.
The Story and Conflict of The Abandons
The series centers on a bitter feud between two formidable matriarchs in the 1850s Pacific Northwest. On one side is Fiona Nolan, played by Lena Headey. She is a fierce, faith-driven Irish immigrant who leads a found family of adopted outcasts on a cattle ranch in Jasper Hollow. Her land is believed to sit on valuable silver deposits.
Opposing her is Constance Van Ness, played by Gillian Anderson. Constance is a wealthy widow who controls the mining operations around the town of Angel’s Ridge and is determined to expand her power and territory. She wants to acquire Fiona’s land at any cost. The conflict escalates from business pressure to outright violence, pulling in the entire community, including local Native American tribes, the town’s mayor, and hired outlaws.
“Fiona stands up for people for whom no one else would take a stand,” says executive producer Christopher Keyser. “She’s created a family out of nothing and taking care of people who needed to be taken care of. She’s defending her right to something that she actually owns.”
The drama explores themes of family, land ownership, and survival on the unforgiving frontier.
A Troubled Production for the Netflix Western
The journey of The Abandons to the screen was marked by significant behind-the-scenes challenges. The show was originally announced as a ten-episode order from Netflix. However, the final released version contains only seven episodes.
More notably, creator Kurt Sutter left the production before filming was complete. Reports indicate that “creative disagreements” with Netflix led to his departure. The remaining production team had to finish the series without its original creator. Several critics who reviewed the show noted that this turbulent process seems to have affected the final product, citing a rushed pace, underdeveloped characters, and unresolved plot threads.
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Where to Watch The Abandons
All seven episodes of The Abandons are available to stream now. The series premiered on Netflix on December 4, 2025, with all episodes released at once. The show streams exclusively on the platform.
Critical reception for the series has been mixed. Reviews have praised Gillian Anderson’s performance but noted that the shortened episode count impacted the storytelling and character development. The season ends with unresolved plot points, leaving open the possibility of a second season, though Netflix has not yet made any announcement about a renewal.
