Where to stream

The West

8.419961 seasonTV-PGTV SeriesDocumentary

The West, sometimes marketed as Ken Burns Presents: The West, is a documentary film about the American Old West. It was directed by Stephen Ives and the executive producer was Ken Burns. The film originally aired on PBS in September 1996.

DirectorStephen Ives

WritersGeoffrey C. Ward·Stephen Ives

ProducerKen Burns

Where to watch

PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel

PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel

Availability shown for Canada · rights vary by country

Seasons & Episodes

E1

The People (1500-1806)

Sep 15, 1996 10.0

E2

Empire Upon The Trails (1806-1848)

Sep 16, 1996 10.0

E3

The Speck Of The Future (1848-1856)

Sep 17, 1996 10.0

E4

Death Runs Riot (1856-1868)

Sep 18, 1996

E5

The Grandest Enterprise Under God (1868-1874)

Sep 19, 1996

E6

Fight No More Forever (1874-1877)

Sep 20, 1996

E7

The Geography Of Hope (1877-1887)

Sep 21, 1996

E8

Ghost Dance (1887 -1914)

Sep 22, 1996

E9

One Sky Above Us (1887-1914)

Sep 23, 1996

Cast · Directed by Stephen Ives

Peter Coyote

Self - Narrator

N. Scott Momaday

N. Scott Momaday

Murphy Guyer

John Trudell

Eli Wallach

Arthur Miller

John Lithgow

Gary Sinise

Jimmy Smits

Keith Carradine

Keith Carradine

Adam Arkin

Matthew Broderick

Matthew Broderick

Self - William Swain

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The West — streaming FAQ

Which OTT platform streams The West?

The West is streaming on PBS Documentaries in Canada, and available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store. It's not currently on Netflix.

Is The West on Netflix?

No, The West is not on Netflix in Canada as of September 2026. It's currently on PBS Documentaries.

Is The West on Amazon Prime Video?

No, The West isn't on Amazon Prime Video in Canada right now. It's on PBS Documentaries instead.

Where can I watch The West for free?

The West is available on PBS Documentaries in Canada, but you'll need an active subscription — there's no free option right now.

How many seasons are in The West?

The West has 1 season in total (9 episodes). The series concluded in 1996.

Are all episodes of The West out yet?

Yes — all 9 episodes across 1 season of The West are out and available to stream.

Is there a Season 2 of The West?

No — The West ended after 1 season, so there is no Season 2.