TV-MA | 10 episodes | Drama, Romance, Western | 2025
Last fall, Netflix released “Territory,” a six-part Western drama series set in modern-day Australia. Although not officially labeled as such, it was clearly intended as a clone of “Yellowstone” and, from my perspective, it largely succeeded.
Although the series met with positive critical and audience approval, it was canceled in January, which is unfortunate as it closed with a cliffhanger.
Netflix is now giving the whole “Yellowstone” copycat thing another go-round with the 10-episode “Ransom Canyon.” Bearing more of a resemblance to “Friday Night Lights” and the 1980s prime time soap operas “Dallas” and “Dynasty,” “Ransom Canyon” will certainly find audiences that prefer semi-complicated matters of the heart over cattle wars and messy Big Sky politics.
Box Checking
The series opens with great promise, with multiple “Yellowstone” boxes being checked. Widowed rancher Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel) was at odds with his son Randall (Hubert Smielecki) when he dies in a car crash after a heated argument. The car was a recent gift from Randall’s uncle (and Staten’s former brother-in-law) Davis Collins (Eoin Macken). No details of the accident are provided, which is OK as the event is revisited in flashback later on.
Staten and Davis more or less hate each other. Both are competing for the affections of Quinn O’Grady (Minka Kelly), the owner of a local dance hall and a former classical pianist. Classy, unaffected, gorgeous, and thoroughly lacking in pretense, Quinn seems more interested in Staten; neither, however, seems to be in any kind of hurry to reveal their true feelings. Their season-long, will-they-or-won’t-they slow burn is arguably best subplot of the series.
Both Staten and Davis, along with Cap Fuller (James Brolin), own vast quantities of land and cattle. An Austin-based water and power company is courting them to sell some, if not all, of their assets. Neither Staten nor Cap is interested, but Davis, who is living far beyond his means, provides a soft, easy mark.
Love Triangles
Before the first episode is even over, “Ransom Canyon” morphs into a modernized mix of [name your favorite 1980s teen movie] and the “Real Housewives of Dallas.” Love triangles of the young and ex-spouses of supporting adult characters begin to dominate the narrative and, for a while, it seems all is lost.
Through a combination of dumb luck and accidental foresight, show runner April Blair and her team of writers, working from a series of books by Jodi Thomas, are able to right the rudder. They infuse the show with meaty crime-thriller elements that keep everything heading in the right direction. If there is a second season, Blair would serve herself and viewers well by keeping the teen element down to a minimum and leaning heavily into the crime or thriller aspects.
As mentioned, Duhamel and Kelly, when together, rule the show, and for good reason. Their chemistry is immediate and molten. Both of their characters come with lengthy, complicated back stories; neither is ready to jump into a full-blown torrid relationship right off the bat or at the drop of a hat. They earn viewers’ emotional investment over time. As a result, viewers receive the proper dividends. Nothing about what takes place between them is easy or a given, and the show is better off because of it.
Stretching the Brand
I’m a huge fan of “Yellowstone” and everything else the series’ show runner Taylor Sheridan did before it. From “Sicario” to “Hell or High Water” to “Wind River,” I love all of them. He’s a true visionary.
However, with the subsequent “Yellowstone” prequels (“1883,” “1923”), I’ve noticed that he’s “stretching the brand” a little too thin. It’s too much of more of the same. On the flip side, when Sheridan tries something original (“Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King,” “Landman”), he returns to peak form.
The point here is that “Yellowstone,” like “All in the Family” and “The Sopranos” before it, was a once-in-a-generation TV marvel. It can’t be duplicated, copied, or cloned with any degree of lasting conviction or success.
Blair needs to recognize this and should distance her show from “Yellowstone” as much as possible. Keep the bare bones stuff—the thriller elements, the grown-ups’ romance, the turf wars, the Western flair—and jettison the rest. It’s all dime-store window dressing and has no staying power.
“Ransom Canyon” is at a crossroads. Does it want to be another variation of “Dynasty,” “Dallas,” or “Yellowstone,” or something with teeth that can survive on its own merits?
The series is now streaming on Netflix.
‘Ransom Canyon’
Show runner: April Blair
Stars: Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, James Brolin, Eoin Macken
Episodes: 10
TV Parental Guidance: TV-MA
Release Date: April 17, 2025
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
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