Upamanyu Biswas
In Netflix’s ‘Ransom Canyon,‘ three powerful ranching families – the Kirklands, Collinses, and Fullers – find themselves locked in a battle that could shape the future of their Texas Hill Country town. As owners of the Double K, Bar W, and Fuller Ranch, respectively, they have a significant say in safekeeping the town of Ransom Canyon from outside forces looking to plunder the natural land available in the region. To that end, the three ranches walk the tightrope between an old way of Western life and the encroaching forces that wish to change that dynamic for their own benefit. This becomes all the more prevalent as an inter-generational feud between the Kirklands and the Collinses weakens their hold on the land while they try to influence the town’s growth in disparate ways.
The Three Fictional Ranches at the Heart of Ransom Canyon
While Double K, Fuller, and Bar W play significant roles in the narrative, they are all fictional ranches. A large portion of the filming was done at Bonanza Creek Ranch, one of the oldest film studios in New Mexico. Shooting also took place at a real ranch near Santa Fe called Blame Her Ranch. Although the premise of the show is fictional, the production crew used exteriors in New Mexico—particularly in the regions of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Ribera—to represent their expansive setting. To that end, the three separate ranches were likely stitched together using various real-life backdrops.
‘Ransom Canyon’ dives into the complex interactions between the owners of the three ranches, Staten Kirkland, Davis Collins, and Cap Fuller, showcasing how each has a different approach to their business. As the protagonist of the story, Staten takes the most agency when it comes to championing the importance of the ranch businesses in the town and how they are integral to the local community.
The depiction of the ranches in the show is similar to Jodi Thomas’ description in her eponymous novel series, which serves as the basis for the Netflix project. When we are first introduced into the narrative, we learn that all three ranches have their own set of problems, which particularly manifest themselves through the challenges faced by the owners. Bar W, the ranch operated by Davis Collins, is in dire financial straits and in bad need of a cash injection. With no options remaining, Davis decides to call upon the help of a corporate business named Austin Water & Powers, which plans to take over the three ranches in Ransom Canyon and establish a permanent foothold in the local town. While Davis is willing to sell, Staten and Cap Fuller stand on the opposite spectrum.
In the meantime, we also learn that the Fuller ranch is largely losing its effectiveness owing to Cap’s age. As such, he hires a new helper named Yancy Grey to complete the menial tasks around the ranch. However, Yancy has a hidden agenda that slowly comes to light as we learn more about his past. Thus, each of the ranches has its personal struggle, which intertwines with one another over time, leading to more complicated conflicts. We see this personified in the battle between Staten and Davis, who are love rivals and professional rivals because of their opposite stances on the future of their ranches. Davis tries to persuade Staten to sell the Double K just as he is willing to let go of Bar W. However, neither is prepared to budge on their position, showcasing the value of these fictional ranches in their plans and in the story.
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