Interested in an off-brand Yellowstone? You’re in luck.
Before we all unknowingly entered into this cord-cutting era that actually costs more than what we used to pay for cable, the plan was simple. Networks would continue to make shows, and then eventually, those shows would end up on Netflix, or maybe even Hulu. Remember when those were the only two streaming options?
That golden era didn’t last long. Somewhere along the way, all of the networks and companies said, “Well why don’t we have our own streaming service?” Then that eventually morphed into, “How about we make our own, original programming so that there’s content on our streaming service?”
Now instead of paying for one or two streamers, we pay out the ass for however many streaming services there are now. I’ve really lost count, and I don’t even want to know what monthly charges are hitting my credit card. Can anyone else relate? All of that “on my soapbox” talk brings me to the new Netflix show called Ransom Canyon, starring Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel.
Based on the book series by Jodi Thomas, it’s being described as a knockoff of Yellowstone, the Taylor Sheridan series that just wrapped up its five season run late last year.
The books actually predate the show, media companies have decided they want in on the western drama genre. And because Yellowstone belongs to Paramount+, other streamers have no other choice (?) but to make their own. Which led Netflix to run with Ransom Canyon that is described as follows:
“Passions run deep in a small Texas town, as three ranching dynasties fight for their land, their legacies and the people they love.”
Ranching dynasties? Land and legacies? Yeah, all Netflix really did to change things up was swapping out Montana for Texas. Otherwise, it’s just the “Great Value” brand of Yellowstone. Maybe mix the romance component of Netflix’s Virgin River and you have Ransom Canyon.
That’s how a lot of people on social media have seen it:
Trying to cash in on some of that Yellowstone success.
— TP (@46since96) March 27, 2025
Yeehaw, is this just Yellowstone with a name change?
— Swaggy McNasty (@SwaggyMcNasty) April 17, 2025
Algorithm Canyon
— Enzee M. (@nedlaum) April 18, 2025
“Algorithm Canyon” is such a good shout.
And listen, I’m not telling you (the reader) to not watch Ransom Canyon. I’m just pointing out the rhythm of how things work in modern day media and entertainment. A show like Yellowstone – which is very original (at least for this era) – does well, and before you know it, the success of that program spawns a hundred other copy cats. Remember Amazon’s Outer Ranger starring Josh Brolin? Same thing. Like the “Algorithm Canyon” diss suggests, all of the studios are just trying to ride the wave until the next one comes.
But if you ask me, once I watched Yellowstone, I kind of got my fix for western drama, you know? I’m not seeking out other programs to scratch a similar itch… the itch was successfully scratched with Yellowstone. However, I also know that not everyone thinks that way, and some media consumers love to watch the different versions of the same show.
To each their own, I suppose.
Regardless of how you feel about SNL, James Austin Johnson’s nailed it when he went after the Taylor Sheridan universe, and the trend of new shows that just feature a grizzly man obsessing over acquiring, expanding, securing his territory:
