Ransom Canyonis Netflix’s most recent addition to the Western romance genre, and the show has already made waves on the streaming service.Ransom Canyonhas received some positive reviewsafter debuting with a moderate Rotten Tomatoes score. The series has drawn some apt comparisons to other Western and romance shows, and viewers of the series are already hoping for updates on a potentialRansom Canyonseason 2.
Ransom Canyonfollows Staten Kirkland in his attempts to recover from the loss of his wife and son while also engaging in a territory war with developers looking to put in a pipeline, as other members of the town struggle with similar business and personal battles. While the season starts slowly to introduce all the characters,Ransom Canyon’s endingincludes some big reveals and a set-up for future stories. Between the stunning landscapes and emotional performances,Ransom Canyonis a great watch, and several other shows boast similar qualities.
Paramount+’s 2024 TV seriesLandmanis the most recent addition toTaylor Sheridan’s Western TV empire. The new series focuses on oil landman Tommy Norris, as he attempts to manage problems for his Texas oil company employer. While Tommy deals with big problems at work that can have massive implications, he is also stuck in difficult situations with his family.The often messy family dynamics give the series a similar dramatic quality toRansom Canyon, though the characters can be even more stubbornly entertaining at times.
Friday Night Lightsis a classic sports drama series that similarly centers on a small Texas town, though through the focus on the high school football team rather than ranching. The series deals with the personal lives and struggles of the adults and students in the town through their relationship dramas, life aspirations, and grief.
Friday Night Lightsalso boasts a great ensemble cast led by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, with many of the younger characters changing across seasons. Fans ofRansom Canyonwill also appreciate thatFriday Night Lightsstars Minka Kelly in her breakout role, making the two a truly fitting combination.
Despite being set in Canada rather than Texas,Heartlandlooks and feels a lot likeRansom Canyon. The two series share small town settings and a focus on ranching. For example, inRansom Canyon, Staten Kirkland is attempting to grieve the loss of his wife and son while addressing important concerns about the fate of his ranch against modern developers.
Seasons 1-16 ofHeartlandcan be streamed on Netflix.
InHeartland, the Fleming family, attempting to keep their ranch afloat after the death of the main characters' mother.Amy and Lou Fleming learn about life, love, and businessthroughtout the show’s 18 seasons.
The WB seriesEverwoodfollows a New York City doctor who decides to move his children across the country to the small town of Everwood, Colorado, following the death of his wife. Much likeRansom Canyon,the series explores the ups and downs of life in a small townwhile coping with seemingly insurmountable grief. The series' teen and adult characters learn from their trials and relationships asEverwoodprogresses. While the occupations of the main characters are quite different fromRansom Canyon, the emotional core is similar.
Ransom Canyonhas a lot of emphasis on the romantic connections between its characters for a Western, butLongmireis a true example of agreat modern Western show. The crime drama sees the titular sheriff, Walt Longmire, investigate various crimes while also dealing with strife in his relationships. ThoughRansom Canyonhas hints of investigation in Staten’s look into his son’s death,Longmireis mainly focused on crime solving and is perfect for audiences who want a little more grit in their Western shows.
Ransom Canyonhas already drawn several comparisons toYellowstone, and that is entirely unsurprising.Both shows focus on wealthy ranchers who are fighting against outside forces to maintain their grip on their landin an ever-changing and modernizing world.Yellowstonedeals with the complicated family dynamics across generations of the Dutton family, just asRansom Canyonexplores the connections between many people in Staten’s small town.
Yellowstonehas come to be emblematic of what the Western genre looks like today. Beyond the main series, which is similar, though notably darker, toRansom Canyon, Taylor Sheridan’s most well-known series has several spinoffs for audiences to enjoy as well on Paramount+.
Virgin Riveris one of Netflix’s most successful shows to date, with season 7 already confirmed. It follows a nurse practitioner named Mel from Los Angeles after she decides to move to a small town for a fresh start.Virgin Riverfocuses on Mel’s work in the local clinic, but the series is just as much about her journey to start over and find new love. Just as Staten begins to explore his complex feelings for Quinn inRansom Canyonafter the death of his wife, Mel’s new romantic life is an adventure of its own.
