Created bySterlin HarjoandTaika Waititi,Reservation Dogsis a comedy that follows four Indigenous teenagers, Elora (Devery Jacobs), Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), and Cheese (Lane Factor), who live on a reservation in Oklahoma. The crew are troublemakers, but have hearts of gold. They are fiercely passionate about their community and the family and friends they have. At the start of the show, it has been one year since their best friend, Daniel (Dalton Cramer), died. The group wants to honor him by following through with his dream to move to California. Before that, however, they need to get the money for the move and clean up any loose ends that they may have at home.
They steal a chip delivery truck and drive it to a salvage yard. They manage to sell the stolen truck to Kenny Boy (Kirk Fox) but keep the chips and sell them in Bear’s front yard for 50 cents each. Officer Big (Zahn McClarnon), a light horseman, stops by and asks them about the stolen chip truck, but the group pretends they don’t know anything about it. Officer Big also mentions other instances of crime in town, ranging from graffiti to taking copper out of streetlamps – all petty crimes committed by the group.
New Rivalries and Visions
Their new rivals, NDN Mafia, composed of Jackie (Elva Guerra), Bone Thug Dog (Jude Barnett), Weeze (Xavier Bigpond), and White Steve (Jack Maricle) drive up to throw paintballs at them, to claim the street as theirs. Bear faints after being hit by one of their blasts. He meets an Indigenous spirit, William Knifeman (Dallas Goldtooth), who was at the Battle of Little Horn (he did not die in battle, but instead was crushed by his horse). While he likes to joke around, William Knifeman gives Bear some much-needed life advice before he wakes up.
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Changing Mindsets
The friend group has a deep love for one another, but the viewer can see how their priorities begin to shift throughout the season. Although they are dedicated to raising money for their move to California, the closer they get, the more doubts start to arise. Halfway through the season, Bear spends their California fund on a gift for his father, Punkin’ Lusty (Sten Joddi). He commissions a medallion from Auntie B (Kimberly Guerrero) in the shape of a microphone, but it accidently looks like a certain body part instead. Elora is upset that Bear would use their funds on a gift, but Bear is optimistic that they will be able to make up the money quickly. Punkin’ is supposed to show up for a gig at the Diabetes Awareness Frybread Feast, but never arrives. Upset, this event makes Elora start to question if her friends are truly serious about the move to California. When Jackie texts her, an uneasy kinship between the two starts to form.
On the day that the group is supposed to leave for California, they get stuck inside a church basement with the entire town, including NDN Mafia, because of a tornado. After spending some time with her father in the woods and remembering her cousin Daniel, Willie Jack realizes that California isn’t something that she wants anymore. Shortly after, Cheese says that he is out as well, leaving only Elora and Bear. Once the coast is clear and everyone is allowed to leave the basement, Bear waits for Elora to pick him up on his driveway. In the end, Elora decides to take all the money they have saved and pick up Jackie instead for the trip to California.
What to Expect In Season 2
The trailer for Season 2 ofReservation Dogsfeatures Jackie and Elora stopping in a gift shop and their car breaking down, so viewers can expect to get a closer look at how their relationship has and will develop since the events of Season 1. Bear and Willie Jack’s relationship will be explored more as well, with the trailer showing flashes from when they were toddlers to the present day. Willie Jack is grappling with the guilt of thinking that everything is her fault. Meanwhile, Bear starts working with his uncle in construction, played by the enigmatic TikTok creator,Nathan Apodaca, otherwise known as 420doggface208. Bear’s mom, Rita (Sarah Podemski) looks like she will be letting loose in Season 2 and having a bit of fun. A reunion between the core group is teased, with everyone hugging each other.
