The 10 Best Episodes of Reservation Dogs

More than a coming-of-age tale, Reservation Dogs offers a profound exploration of healing, resilience, and the bonds that define community.

Set on a reservation in Oklahoma, Reservation Dogs follows four teenagers—Elora, Bear, Willie Jack, and Cheese—as they navigate life after the tragic loss of their friend, Daniel. The show deftly weaves humor, surrealism, and raw emotion, crafting a nuanced portrayal of Indigenous adolescence and the complexities of contemporary Native life. Before its premiere, Indigenous stories on screen were largely shaped by non-Native voices. Created by Sterlin Harjo, a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma with Muscogee roots, Reservation Dogs is the first TV series with an entirely Indigenous team of writers and directors.

Since its debut, Reservation Dogs has been a catalyst for change, fostering a significant increase in Indigenous representation in front of and behind the camera. While the industry still has far to go, the series has played a pivotal role in challenging stereotypes and pushing for more authentic portrayals of Native people. It has inspired a new wave of Indigenous creators and audiences, sparking conversations that continue to shape the future of entertainment.

As the series unfolds, Reservation Dogs emerges as a meditation on grief, recovery, and the unbreakable ties that bind us to one another. From the first episode to the powerful series finale at the end of season 3, Reservation Dogs captures the full spectrum of human experience—light and dark—revealing how trauma, friendship, and resilience shape the lives of its characters. In this list, we revisit the standout episodes that define the series—each one exemplifying its rare ability to make us laugh, cry, and reflect. These are the episodes that resonated deeply, exploring everything from joy to sorrow, and the complexities of belonging. Here are the 10 best episodes of Reservation Dogs.

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10. “F*ckin’ Rez Dogs” (Episode 1.01)

Reservation Dogs, F*ckin Rez Dogs

The premiere episode of Reservation Dogs, titled “F*ckin’ Rez Dogs,” quickly establishes the show’s mix of irreverent humor and emotional depth. We meet the four main characters—Bear, Elora, Willie Jack, and Cheese—who navigate life with a blend of mischief and grief. Whether pulling off a chip truck heist or reflecting on their late friend Daniel, their strong camaraderie is clear. The episode sets up the series’ core themes of community, loss, and resilience, introducing characters who are funny, flawed, and deeply human. While the humor is sharp, moments of sadness remind us of the trauma they’re processing. In just one episode, Reservation Dogs lays the emotional groundwork for the series, balancing humor with heartfelt moments that will define the show.

9. “Satvrday” (Episode 1.08)

One of my favorite narrative devices is when characters are forced into close proximity, confronting unresolved issues they can’t avoid. In “Satvrday,” the Season 1 finale, a tornado strikes the reservation as the group faces a turning point, preparing to leave Okern for California. Willie Jack surprises everyone by deciding to stay behind, realizing she’s found what she needs on the reservation.Featuring heartfelt moments and bittersweet goodbyes, and with the tornado as a powerful backdrop, “Satvrday” closes out the season, leaving the group’s future uncertain but full of possibility.

8. “Wide Net” (Episode 2.05)

Throughout the first two seasons of the series, moments of focus on the adult characters are few and far between, but always resonant. In “Wide Net,” Rita, Bev, Natalie, and Rita’s cousin Teenie attend an IHS conference in search of freedom, fun, and casual snagging. The episode is full of humor and playful chaos, from a hilarious dance sequence to the group’s antics as they let loose and try to make connections. But as the night progresses, tensions between Rita and Teenie bubble to the surface, revealing unresolved grief and deep emotional wounds tied to the loss of a close friend from their youth.

Despite the lighthearted moments, “Wide Net” blends comedy with emotional depth, showing how unresolved pain can resurface unexpectedly. The episode is both fun and heartfelt, capturing the way the past shapes the present while reminding us that healing often comes through connection and understanding.

7. “Offerings” (Episode 2.09)

In “Offerings,” Willie Jack discovers a letter from her late cousin Daniel, prompting her to visit his incarcerated mother, Hokti (played by Lily Gladstone). Initially, Hokti is resistant to reconnecting with her spirituality, but Willie Jack encourages her to tap into ancestral knowledge and seek healing, uniting over their shared grief. This emotional journey becomes a powerful exploration of reconciliation and intergenerational connection—central themes throughout the series. The episode also subtly addresses the criminalization and mass incarceration of Indigenous women, all while maintaining the show’s signature blend of humor and lightness. It doesn’t explicitly deconstruct these systemic issues, but it highlights them through its characters’ lived experiences, offering a nuanced critique of the broader institutional harms they face.

“Offerings” presents a deeply heartfelt portrayal of healing and reconnection. Paulina Alexis and Lily Gladstone deliver expert performances, capturing the vulnerability and strength of their characters. The episode beautifully conveys that connection, whether on the reservation, on the road, within the walls of a prison, or even with ancestors after death, remains a vital force—even in the face of grief and institutional violence. It’s a reminder that, despite their challenges, the characters on Reservation Dogs continue to find ways to reach out to each other, fostering solidarity and resilience across generations.

6. “Stay Gold Cheesy Boy” (Episode 2.07)

In “Stay Gold, Cheesy Boy,” the focus shifts to Cheese, who is locked up in a youth detention home after his uncle is arrested for growing weed. The episode delves into Cheese’s vulnerability as he navigates a world where many of the boys in the home express their masculinity through violence and aggression. What sets Cheese apart, however, is his steadfast commitment to treating others with kindness—a lesson he clings to after his friend Daniel’s suicide, even when the environment challenges it. “He was really dehydrated,” Cheese comments after watching someone literally urinate all over his hard work, highlighting his knack for seeing beyond the immediate frustration to the deeper, often unseen struggles of those around him.

“Stay Gold, Cheesy Boy” blends humor with heavier themes, using Cheese’s experiences to highlight the power of empathy and connection in the face of adversity. The episode underscores the idea that even in an environment of anger and isolation, empathy can create unexpected bonds. It’s a reminder of the impact of compassion, even in the harshest circumstances.

5. “Elora’s Dad” (Episode 3.09)

In the penultimate episode of Reservation Dogs, Elora tracks down her absentee father, Rick (played by Ethan Hawke), a house painter, with the primary goal of getting him to sign paperwork for her college financial aid. Their first meeting is awkward, revealing the emotional distance and unresolved pain that time has created between them. As they share a joint and exchange stories, Elora and Rick begin to confront the weight of their shared history—Elora’s feelings of abandonment and Rick’s remorse for not being there. The episode culminates with Elora meeting her half-siblings for the first time, blending the possibility of reconciliation with the bittersweet realization of what has been lost.

Reservation Dogs continues to explore the themes of healing and reconnection, using raw, heartfelt exchanges to examine the intricate dynamics of family and community. In “Elora’s Dad,” the series delves into how personal history, generational trauma, and the yearning for connection shape the lives of its characters. It offers a powerful reminder that while reconciliation can be difficult, it remains another way of healing—even when it feels impossible.

4. “Hunting” (Episode 1.06)

Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) quickly won over audiences with her unfiltered humor and a sharp wit that initially seems like pure comedic relief. As the first season unfolds, however, we discover that her humor often masks a deeper, more painful grief—the loss of her cousin Daniel (Dalton Cramer), who died by suicide.

In the episode “Hunting,” Willie Jack embarks on a trip with her father, Leon (Jon Proudstar), and the two share a heartfelt moment as they begin to open up to each other about their grief. The episode also introduces the Tall Man, a haunting mythical figure the pair encounters in the woods, further intertwining the spiritual with the emotional. Through flashbacks, “Hunting” reveals how grief has changed Willie Jack and Leon, impacting their relationship and manifesting in unexpected, often surreal ways. The episode powerfully explores how grief doesn’t just change us but shifts the very fabric of our connections with others. Willie Jack and Leon’s journey through grief, though filled with unspoken weight, ultimately underscores the healing power of connection, offering a glimpse of hope that, even in the face of loss, healing and understanding can emerge through shared experiences.

3. “Dig” (Episode 3.10)

In its series finale, Reservation Dogs brings Season 3‘s themes of intergenerational connection to a powerful conclusion. “Dig” explores the enduring nature of family ties—whether by blood or choice—and underscores how loved ones and community never truly leave us. Through characters like Hokti (Lily Gladstone), who is still confined by the harsh realities of carcerality, the loss of Fixico the medicine man (played by Richard Ray Whitman), and through spiritual guidance from figures like Spirit (Dallas Goldtooth), the episode highlights how resilience and connection transcend physical separation.

Whether our protagonists forge their path away from the reservation or step into leadership roles within their community, each character’s journey unfolds uniquely.

As Hokti tells Willie Jack, the people we love and the communities we’re part of stay with us, even when we’re apart. It’s hard to say goodbye to these characters, but ‘Dig’ reminds us that the story of Reservation Dogs—and its spirit—will live on.

2. “Deer Lady” (Episode 3.03)

Too often, media created by white writers exploits the trauma of Indigenous communities, using graphic violence as a tool for sensationalism rather than reflection. Throughout history—and even in some contemporary portrayals—Indigenous characters are subjected to violence that is weaponized for narrative purposes, reducing their suffering to mere plot devices. These representations rely on harmful stereotypes and fail to center Indigenous voices in telling their own stories. Additionally, white savior narratives persist, treating the harm done to Indigenous people as mere backdrop or character development for white protagonists, while normalizing and justifying the actions of colonizers.

“Deer Lady” stands in stark contrast. It is immersive, impactful, and empathetic, yet unflinching in its portrayal of violence. The episode powerfully underscores the necessity of telling stories about the violence faced by oppressed communities through the lens of those communities themselves—specifically, a narrative shaped by Indigenous voices, grounded in the history of Indigenous peoples.

The episode places viewers directly into the harrowing experience of a young Deer Lady (played by Georgeanne Growingthunder) who is forcibly taken to a Catholic-run Native boarding school. Through her perspective, the language barrier between the children, who speak Kiowan, and the colonizers is felt viscerally, with the words of the Catholic nuns rendered unintelligible—a deliberate choice that immerses the viewer in the disorientation, displacement, and fear faced by children subjected to the violence of these institutions.

Director Danis Goulet expertly highlights both the physical and cultural violence inflicted on the children, from a nun slapping Deer Lady to the traumatic cutting of the boys’ braids, culminating in the brutal murder of Deer Lady’s friend, Koda. By focusing on these painful truths, the episode shines a light on an institution largely ignored or misrepresented in mainstream media, while recontextualizing Deer Lady not just as a victim, but as a survivor—grounding her mysticism and spirituality in a deep, defiant resistance.

“Deer Lady” is a masterpiece, unflinchingly depicting the harm of cultural genocide while also celebrating resilience in the face of it. As Deer Lady, now filled with a renewed sense of purpose after avenging the death of her best friend, tells Bear in the final scene, “They can’t stop you from smiling.”

1. “Mabel” (Episode 2.04)

Though “Deer Lady” is an extraordinary episode, our top pick had to go to one that most fully encapsulates the spirit of Reservation Dogs—a show that ultimately celebrates the strength and complexity of community..

From the smallest, most intimate details—like hands making fry bread, pouring coffee, wrapping up food, or tending to those in grief—”Mabel” beautifully portrays the experience of loss within the framework of a tight-knit community. As the characters navigate the death of an important figure, the episode shows, in both subtle and profound ways, what it means to grieve together, to offer mutual aid, and to support one another. The house fills with family and friends, a scene that perfectly captures the feeling of scrambling to pull extra chairs from the closet to make room for everyone, the space between the belly laughs and the tears as people share memories of the loved one they’ve lost. Devery Jacobs (who also co-wrote the episode) brings a signature softness and depth to Elora, culminating in a powerful emotional release that is both cathartic and heartbreaking.

The episode also features moments of touching humor—like Cheese’s endearing, consistently inclusive prayers—and the jovial mysticism embodied by Spirit (played by Dallas Goldtooth). “Mabel” brings together the best qualities of Reservation Dogs while also tapping into something deeper and more universal: the way life moves in cycles, how it ends, begins, and continues. In the end, all we have is each other. Whether in grief, joy, fear, or uncertainty, we must rely on our community to keep each other safe, honor one another, and remember that we are never truly alone.

Joshua Harris (he/him) is a lover of television, independent film, and his two dogs. His work has appeared in Awards Radar, mxdwnTELEVISION, and more. He is an African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) member.

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