Netflix’s New Yellowstone Meets Cowboy Bebop Debuts To Rare Rotten Tomatoes Score

Published Nov 3, 2026, 2:29 PM EST Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in August 2019 and is now one of the leading contributors of the TV News team. Having written over 4000 news stories in that time , with his work cited in Buzzfeed and TV Insider, he's always bemoaning that there's too many shows and not enough time. You can contact him at: aalghamdi@hey.com. Netflix's new genre-mashing series is poised to be a hit. Although much has been said about Netflix's struggle with original shows, as returning comedies and dramas tend to lose a portion of their audience with each season, animation has been a bright spot. Blue Eye Samurai is returning in January. Devil May Cry, which combines horror with action and adventure, has likewise been renewed. Bass x Machina, which is now available to stream on Netflix, is another genre-mixing anime. It fuses the Western backdrop of Yellowstone with the neon steampunk stylings of Cowboy Bebop. It's led by a familiar voice as the legendary Bass Reeves, though it places the historical figure in a very different environment. Bass x Machina has kicked off with a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The score currently comes from just seven reviews, meaning the numbers could shift as critics continue to weigh in over the coming days and weeks. The Average of Rated Reviews, viewable by clicking the Tomatometer, stands at 8.60 out of 10. This points to an especially strong early critical response. The latest Netflix Original unfolds in a Steampunk vision of the West where the law has lost its power. Instead, brutal outlaws rule. It's in this environment that machines and supernatural terrors rule. This is where the focus shifts to the title character, who has to become “judge, jury, and executioner, knowing full well that it could cost him his family and all the people that he is trying to save. The series is created by LeSean Thomas, whose previous credits include Adult Swim's Black Dynamite, Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra, and the adult animation satire The Boondocks, which is hailed as a classic of its genre. Atlanta and Eternals star Brian Tyree Henry leads the cast as Bass Reeves. The Oscar-nominated actor lends his voice alongside Janelle Monáe, Tati Gabrielle, Cree Summer, Chaske Spencer, Currie Graham, and Starletta DuPois. ScreenRant's review of Bass x Machina by Grant Hermanns praises the show's blend of anime and Western, noting that Studio Mir succeeds in delivering visuals that will appeal to viewers and underlining how the steampunk sci-fi deftly handles what might be overwhelming themes in lesser hands. Hermanns notes that, nonetheless, the narrative does feel a little incomplete at just six episodes. That may, however, be a selling point for audiences not looking for a big time commitment. That's particularly true since similar points of praise echo elsewhere. The early appraisals of Bass X Machina tend to praise how the series stages its actions by finding the space between distinctive anime-inspired scenes, while never straying too far from either Westerns or the realm of steampunk sci-fi. and science-fiction elements. Bass x Machina has more to offer than inventive action and striking visuals, though. The streaming original is co-written by Chad Handley, whose previous work includes HBO's The Righteous Gemstones. It's at least worth a sample, considering that it's shaping up to be a gem that is closing out 2026. All episodes of Bass x Machina are now on Netflix. Release Date November 3, 2026 Network Netflix Writers Chad Handley Cast Janelle Monae Glory (voice) Brian Tyree Henry Bass Reeves (voice)