New Netflix Series Not a ‘Yellowstone’ Replacement, Creator Says

April 16, 2025

18

With Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone coming to a conclusion last year, Western fans have been looking to fill the gap left in its wake, and Netflix may have them covered thanks to Ransom Canyon. The new series starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly launches April 17 on the streaming platform, and it’s based on the novels by Jodi Thomas. Though every Western these days is going to be compared to the Sheridan series, creator April Blair says that’s not exactly what she’s going for with Ransom Canyon, which she instead says combines some of the steamy elements of Bridgerton with a dash of Friday Night Lights.

Speaking to the New York Post, Blair had high praise for Sheridan as a creator, calling him a “once-in-a-generation writer that redefined contemporary westerns.” That being said, Ransom Canyon is something she’s always wanted to do, and while Sheridan’s hit show may have given her the push to move forward, it’s an idea that’s been brewing for quite some time:

“I always wanted to do something that was like a neo-Western, but also something soapy and romantic… What we’re hoping for is something that couples and families can sit down and dig into, together […] There’s steamy elements, but we don’t go too crazy. But I think the love and the longing — like, all that painful heartache stuff — is really where romance lies, rather than just like the physically steamy stuff.”

From Godless to Justified, here are the giants of western TV Shows.

As to how Friday Night Lights fits into the equation? That comes by way of Duhamel and Kelly, who, at 52 and 44, are obviously older than many of the leading men and women we see today. Kelly starred as Lyla Garrity in the classic football series, but for Blair, it was Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler she looked to as examples when creating Ransom Canyon:

“You had all these age ranges, and it was like something everyone could dig into and relate to. And, I do think it’s important to show people that once we hit 40, we’re still having love and romance and drama. We don’t stop making bad decisions.”

What is ‘Ransom Canyon’ About?

First published in 2015, Thomas’ Ransom Canyon novels kicked off with Winter’s Camp, and thus far, there are seven books in total in the series. The Netflix adaptation stars Duhamel as rancher Staten Kirkland, who is healing from a heartbreaking loss and on a quest for vengeance. His only glimmer of hope rests in the eyes and heart of Quinn O’Grady (Kelly), a longtime family friend and owner of the local dance hall.

But while romance is at the heart of Ransom Canyon, that’s not all it has to offer. Blair calls it a “multigenerational soap,” and it is indeed that. The series not only focuses on the connection between Kirkland and O’Grady, but it also examines three ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of their land, their lives and their legacies, so it definitely sounds like it has something for everyone.

In addition to Duhamel and Kelly, Ransom Canyon also stars the phenomenal James Brolin, Lizzy Greene, Eoin Macken, and Meta Golding. Look for all 10 episodes to hit Netflix on April 17, 2025.

Source: New York Post