Something of a Depression-era Western, the new action-drama “Damnation” on the USA Network revolves around an Iowa town in 1931, where the farmers are on strike, refusing to sell milk to the reigning tycoon in the area.

The locals are being stirred up by a new preacher in town, Seth Davenport (Killian Scott). Not really a man of the cloth, the reverend aims to foment a real revolt. He does not believe the meek shall inherit the Earth. The farmers aren’t the only problem for the powers that be, though, so a vicious strikebreaker named Creeley Turner (Logan Marshall-Green) has been brought in.

Meanwhile, a woman detective (Connie Nunn) is on the trail of Davenport, saying he killed her husband. Davenport’s wife, Amelia (Sarah Jones), is slyly quiet, but smart enough to recite new poetry and recruit the new reporter at the local paper to begin writing about the injustices. Meanwhile, Creeley hires the only prostitute in the brothel who can read (Chasten Harmon) to help him with his correspondence, among other things – but not all that you would expect.

The bodies drop so fast and so often you wonder if anybody is going to survive the first season if “Damnation” gets picked up.

After an attempt on Seth and Amelia’s lives, she tells him he’s beginning to sound like a preacher but he refuses to tell her of his life before they met.

“Damnation” has enough mystery and action to stick around to find out. If you’re looking for something along the lines of “Hell on Wheels,” the USA series might do. It’s not there yet. The characters are interesting enough, but no one stakes out the high ground like Anson Mount did in the AMC Western.

Yet “Damnation” has laid enough groundwork for a solid series, and the first episode ends with a kicker about Seth and Creeley’s relationship.

Damnation

What: Action-drama about class struggle in Depression-era Iowa, pitting a fiery preacher and a strikebreaker.

When: Premiers 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: USA.