Netflix Tries to Fill Yellowstone’s Boots With Ransom Canyon
Netflix keeps chasing the Western drama magic, but Ransom Canyon isn’t snagging the crown just yet. The series hit the platform with hopes high, banking on that heartland itch viewers have had ever since Yellowstone became a sensation. Set deep in Texas Hill Country, the show paints a picture of family feuds, tangled romances, and the relentless push of corporate land-grabs. Josh Duhamel takes center stage as Staten Kirkland, a rancher trying to keep his world together after a personal tragedy. Just to keep things spicy, he’s caught in a love triangle with Minka Kelly’s dance hall owner Quinn.
Based on novels by Jodi Thomas and with April Blair steering the ship, Ransom Canyon dishes out plenty of Western aesthetics—dusty boots, wide-brimmed hats, and sweeping prairie shots. Netflix stacked the cast with recognizable faces like James Brolin and Eoin Macken, hoping their chemistry would box-office the show’s way right into fans’ hearts. The story delivers everything you’d expect: family loyalty, land at stake, emotional standoffs, and secrets bubbling under the surface. Yet, it’s the predictability that’s left some critics cold.
Reception: Guilty Pleasure or Disappointment?
Right out of the gate, critics split on the show’s staying power. With a 55% Rotten Tomatoes score, Ransom Canyon sits right on the fence—hardly a glowing recommendation but not a disaster, either. Eric Deggans of NPR didn’t hold back, calling the series a “western-flavored mashup” that looks pale compared to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone. He joked that Sheridan’s scripts seem like Shakespeare next to what Ransom Canyon dishes out. That sting hasn’t stopped some viewers from tuning in, drawn by the show’s pulpy romance and Texas backdrops.
What’s working? The views are pretty hard to argue with—stunning, rich landscapes shot like every episode is a postcard from rural Texas. The tangled love affairs and soapy storytelling have also hooked viewers needing an easy binge. For fans craving a slow-burn romantic drama with a Western twist, this show fits the bill—even if it’s a bit of a ‘guilty pleasure’ rather than must-see TV.
But the knocks keep coming for the series’ lack of originality and reliance on familiar tropes. Some compared the show to a grocery store paperback: comforting for some, but not something that sticks in the mind. Despite the criticism, Netflix is banking on the show’s blend of romance and heartland drama—hoping it grabs the crowd that’s been hungry for anything even close to Yellowstone. Whether Ransom Canyon will ride into the sunset for more seasons is up in the air, but its debut has proved that sometimes big landscapes and steamy standoffs aren’t quite enough to make a Western legend.
