The Ranch - General Discussion

[greekmom]

Wonder how this will affect the dynamics of the show.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3897258/danny-masterson-fired-from-netflixs-the-ranch/

[FnkyChkn34]

Replace him with his brother, Christopher Masterson?  Or Topher Grace...

[harddazeknight]

Not much of a cliff hanger...  Colt and Rooster going through with the purchase of the Peterson ranch and then having the pipeline deal fall through.  They purportedly got a better deal than Neumann's Hill, so the "out" is easy to spot:  just sell the Peterson place to Neumann's Hill; maybe make some money on the deal to boot. 

[FairyDusted]

Despite the brouhaha I watched it yesterday. I love Sam Elliot. I hope Rooster gets hit by a large farming machine. 
Otherwise it was pretty damn good. Still laughing at the remark, "Dumbass!" 

[notcreative enough]

I would have been surprised if the pipeline actually went through. Knew it was going to fall through because quick money like that never works out on show.

Maggie can back and was still awful and self-righteous. She really can do no wrong in her mind. 

Abby was alot less horrible but that might be because she didn't have Heather to be a bitch to. Still mean to Colt. Seems to be their thing so whatever.

With they made things different with Heather. All that crap in part 3 was all for nothing now. 

Don't know how the show will go on without Masterson and what they will do with Rooster. Maybe Kutcher thinks they can pull a Two and a Half Men it worked for him for a few years.

[BetyBee]

It's so odd that Debra Winger is the worst part of this goofy show.  I don't buy her acting.  Maybe she just can't do comedy.  I hate to admit that I always found Rooster the funniest part of the show....after Sam Elliott.  But this season was a bit hard to watch knowing what a creep DM is IRL.  I really think maybe they should just end it in the next season.  

[greekmom]

I have to say best season so far.  MVP has to go to Sam Elliott.  He's the best part of the show.  

Watching DM scenes were not that bad but I cannot see how Ashton will be able to continue without Danny.  They have this great rapport.  Unless they bring back Wilmer Valderrama to replace Danny?  What they should have done was include as last episode a bar fight that Rooster had to break up and got shot or stabbed?  Unless the show is thinking they can bring him back after next season?

The others all hit the right screen time.  I liked that Abby wasn't screeching.  Maggie was there just enough.  Kurtwood Smith was a great addition as Peterson and loved the fact he was smoking pot.  Maybe they can include Mila or Laura next season?

[RHJunkie]

What I've realized about this show is that their cliffhangers are super predictable. They really focus on main storyline throughout and the cliffhanger is always, whatever is the worse thing can happen will happen.

I didn't expect that the after math of the miscarriage would be sorted through so quickly but I guess it makes sense given the context of his grief had more to do with self-reflection rather than loss.

Beau is always my favourite part of this show. His delivery is just spot on.

Will be interesting to see what they do with DM's character next season or if this impacts whether there will be a next season or not (have no idea what the show's status is). I guess leaving it open allows the opportunity for DM to come back if he's able to clear his name before or during filming begins but that seems highly unlikely. DM and AK work really well together. May be tough to not only explain DM's absence but to quickly recreate the same rapport that DM and AK have on the show.

[iMonrey]

About halfway through part 4 now. So far, no Debra Winger. I wonder if she'll be back. Also just read that Danny Masterson was fired but he apparently filmed half of Season 3 already so he'll be back next year for the first batch of episodes. 

I think the show has improved since they've somewhat softened Beau's character. When the show first started I just couldn't stand him because he was such an asshole to everyone. It didn't read as "gruff by lovable" at all. Now that he's had a few love interests and isn't constantly insulting his sons he's a lot more tolerable. 

Edited December 18, 2017 by iMonrey

[mj2000]

While I love this show, I will admit that I was super disappointed in the miscarriage storyline. I could see so much potential if the baby had survived. I feel as if Part 3 was just a waste of time as far as getting everyone invested in the baby storyline....and then just dropping it.

 

Loved seeing Kurtwood Smith as Peterson. A perfect addition. He was even able to get a "dumbass" in there :)

 

Sam Elliot continues to be my favorite. 

 

Colt and Abby's arguing is really getting old. Why make these 2 endgame if all they do is argue? It just makes me miss Heather even more.

 

RIP Rooster and Mary :(

[Hoi Polloi]

Kill me now but I love Rooster. Why does Danny Masterson have to be a monster.

[QQQQ]

I've watched all seasons, but remain a little confused about the demographics re: where they are supposed to live. Opening credits show Garrison's population as 500ish but nearby there's a Wendy's, a John Deere dealership, a Bass Pro Shop?? Yet Abby has to move 6 hours away to get a teaching position? (I don't buy the excuse of competition from 30 other unemployed teachers - they aren't all in the same subject area!)

I grew up in a town of fewer than 1,000 and work in education so this bothers me. Granted, unreasonably so. Just seems like these things could be easily tweaked to add more realism to a show that prides itself on such details. I thought the holes in Colt's socks were a nice touch...

Edited December 21, 2017 by QQQQ

[moonshine71]

Jebus, this group of assholes becomes more unlikable every season. Colt whining like a baby about the Peterson ranch 5 minutes after his dad has a heart attack. Rooster is a complete f-up bitching that it wasn't his fault he served a minor, in what kind of altered reality would Maggie Lawson's character be remotely interested him.  Maybe Beau should have wasted less time putting stupid provisions about black helicopters in his contract and gotten a real lawyer to advise him that he should get paid when he signs the deal, not some stupid "you get paid when we break ground" nonsense. Couldn't see that coming 5 miles away. At this point I'm just watching because I'm hoping they lose everything and their miserable lives are ruined.

[citychic]

On 12/21/2017 at 9:12 AM, QQQQ said:

I've watched all seasons, but remain a little confused about the demographics re: where they are supposed to live. Opening credits show Garrison's population as 500ish but nearby there's a Wendy's, a John Deere dealership, a Bass Pro Shop?? Yet Abby has to move 6 hours away to get a teaching position? (I don't buy the excuse of competition from 30 other unemployed teachers - they aren't all in the same subject area!)

I grew up in a town of fewer than 1,000 and work in education so this bothers me. Granted, unreasonably so. Just seems like these things could be easily tweaked to add more realism to a show that prides itself on such details. I thought the holes in Colt's socks were a nice touch...

I don't get this either. I live in a town of 498 people, smaller than Garrison and we have a gas station with a subway, a second gas station, a bar and two churches. We have a larger town 15 miles one way which would be the McDonalds and Dairy Queen but sizzler and the Bass Pro Shop and other larger stores are about two and half hours away so I don't see how when Bo's cows got out one of them would have been standing in the sizzler parking lot. There certainly isn't enough people to support a 7-11. 

I wouldn't believe it's just product placement until I heard Bo say he borrowed Colt's Dove cucumber body wash.

 

I have a question, it looks and sounds like they open the beer bottles fresh but do they really drink the alcohol while filming? Is it real whiskey in the bottles?

[NJRadioGuy]

On 12/21/2017 at 9:12 AM, QQQQ said:

I've watched all seasons, but remain a little confused about the demographics re: where they are supposed to live. Opening credits show Garrison's population as 500ish but nearby there's a Wendy's, a John Deere dealership, a Bass Pro Shop?? Yet Abby has to move 6 hours away to get a teaching position? (I don't buy the excuse of competition from 30 other unemployed teachers - they aren't all in the same subject area!)

Garrison's a stand-in for Ouray, a magnificent little town in the San Juans that we went to on vacation a few years back, and that's shown in the opening credits. All the other places they mention are real nearby towns. Durango, Silverton, Ridgway, and Telluride, (which is 50 miles away by way of the regular highway, however there is a shortcut, but unless you've drove the Black Bear Road before....) But I digress. If there's nothing in Grand Junction or Ridgway, or any of the local towns nearby then yeah, I could see it. The other issue is the cost of living. Between the southwestern part of the state where "Garrison" is located and Denver is a little place called Aspen (and Glenwood Springs). Nice if you're a billionaire but normal folks could never afford to live there, so most of the people who work there come in from towns one or two hours away, or so I was told when I was out there. Also, Denver or Colorado Springs are more likely to pay a decent wage and offer a chance at a real career and professional development, so I can see Abby's reasons for taking that offer.

Incidentally, Ouray and the towns south of it are utterly spectacular, very tourist-oriented and have quite a "blue state" mentality. Beau would have been miserable since about the 70s. Only farmland is north of town and on up to Grand Junction. South of town it's all fourteeners, old abaondoned mines and mining roads, and sights that take your breath away. Only Bass Pros are in the eastern part of the state, though. Denver and Colorado Springs. And the nearest DQ is in Montrose (I actually ate there on our way back to the Denver airport).
 

On 12/28/2017 at 8:52 AM, citychic said:

I have a question, it looks and sounds like they open the beer bottles fresh but do they really drink the alcohol while filming? Is it real whiskey in the bottles?

I've actually been quite fascinated by the sponsorship in the show by competing companies. Coors-Molson, AB Inbev (Bud), Pabst (PBR), Pernod-Ricard (Jameson's), Kirin (Four Roses), as well as Ford and GM, etc. Whisky is mostly iced tea (same colour), and beers are quite often non-alcoholic brews like O'Douls, relabeled.

My understanding of the situation with Danny is that he will appear in all 10 episodes in Part 5 (summer 2018) but will disappear sometime in Part 6 next December. Hated the character from the beginning; didn't find out about the actor until a couple of weeks ago, so I won't be sorry to see him go. I hope they actually kill his character off. Or maybe send him to prison for sexual assault.

As for the cliffhanger, yeah, that was incredibly predictable. So much so that I thought it might have been too predictable and they'd have gone a different way altogether. Selling to Neumann's Hill is the only logical thing to do, of course, but I hope they can pull a miracle out of their asses and resolve it differently. I do want to see Colt and Abby get their own ranch. But what if the sale had gone through. Colt gets the ranch with Rooster. They have to split time working on IRR and BBR or whatever they'd call it. When they're up at BBR, they leave their 72 YO father (with a heart condition) to run the whole thing? Yeah. No. Plus with Rooster flying the coop in Part 6, they'd have a staffing crisis. Sounds like both properties are marginal earners at best. Plus Rooster has already proven that he's unfit to actually run a ranching business, and Colt's only been back in the game for a year. Neumann's Hill is the best thing that could happen to the Peterson's place for those two dumbasses.

[milizard]

Still annoyed by Maggie.  I was happy she was gone for the first half of the season, at least.  Engineer Jen looked so familiar, but couldn't place he until my husband found out that she was on Psych.  Really liked Bo's more reasonable, milder personality that has developed over time.  He was a bit much at first. 

Glad the baby thing didn't happen.  It would've taken over the whole storyline.  The end with the pipeline and ranch purchase was very predictable (except for the heart issues), but I didn't mind too much.  This show touches on so many hot button issues (abortion, guns, environmental protection) for conservatives without really getting things too riled up, that I'm quite impressed.  One thing, though.  I do tend to side with environmentalists, but protesting a natural gas pipeline just because it might leak like oil pipelines do seemed a little crazy.  Maybe I just don't know enough about natural gas pipelines.  Is it liquified in some way or something?  I know the gas is flammable, but it would go up in the atmosphere, not pollute the ground, right?  I suppose I could look that up, but I don't think shows like this one should make that necessary.

[NJRadioGuy]

Natural gas is cooled to -260°F, put under pressure until it becomes a liquid, and then sent via pipeline. It's only flammable if the stoichiometric ratio is about 5-15% LNG-to-air. If the pipeline were to rupture, and if the LNG didn't ignite, it would just evaporate.

Edited January 2, 2018 by NJRadioGuy

[citychic]

On 12/31/2017 at 2:07 AM, NJRadioGuy said:

Garrison's a stand-in for Ouray, a magnificent little town in the San Juans that we went to on vacation a few years back, and that's shown in the opening credits. All the other places they mention are real nearby towns. Durango, Silverton, Ridgway, and Telluride, (which is 50 miles away by way of the regular highway, however there is a shortcut, but unless you've drove the Black Bear Road before....) But I digress. If there's nothing in Grand Junction or Ridgway, or any of the local towns nearby then yeah, I could see it. The other issue is the cost of living. Between the southwestern part of the state where "Garrison" is located and Denver is a little place called Aspen (and Glenwood Springs). Nice if you're a billionaire but normal folks could never afford to live there, so most of the people who work there come in from towns one or two hours away, or so I was told when I was out there. Also, Denver or Colorado Springs are more likely to pay a decent wage and offer a chance at a real career and professional development, so I can see Abby's reasons for taking that offer.

Incidentally, Ouray and the towns south of it are utterly spectacular, very tourist-oriented and have quite a "blue state" mentality. Beau would have been miserable since about the 70s. Only farmland is north of town and on up to Grand Junction. South of town it's all fourteeners, old abaondoned mines and mining roads, and sights that take your breath away. Only Bass Pros are in the eastern part of the state, though. Denver and Colorado Springs. And the nearest DQ is in Montrose (I actually ate there on our way back to the Denver airport).
 

I've actually been quite fascinated by the sponsorship in the show by competing companies. Coors-Molson, AB Inbev (Bud), Pabst (PBR), Pernod-Ricard (Jameson's), Kirin (Four Roses), as well as Ford and GM, etc. Whisky is mostly iced tea (same colour), and beers are quite often non-alcoholic brews like O'Douls, relabeled.

My understanding of the situation with Danny is that he will appear in all 10 episodes in Part 5 (summer 2018) but will disappear sometime in Part 6 next December. Hated the character from the beginning; didn't find out about the actor until a couple of weeks ago, so I won't be sorry to see him go. I hope they actually kill his character off. Or maybe send him to prison for sexual assault.

As for the cliffhanger, yeah, that was incredibly predictable. So much so that I thought it might have been too predictable and they'd have gone a different way altogether. Selling to Neumann's Hill is the only logical thing to do, of course, but I hope they can pull a miracle out of their asses and resolve it differently. I do want to see Colt and Abby get their own ranch. But what if the sale had gone through. Colt gets the ranch with Rooster. They have to split time working on IRR and BBR or whatever they'd call it. When they're up at BBR, they leave their 72 YO father (with a heart condition) to run the whole thing? Yeah. No. Plus with Rooster flying the coop in Part 6, they'd have a staffing crisis. Sounds like both properties are marginal earners at best. Plus Rooster has already proven that he's unfit to actually run a ranching business, and Colt's only been back in the game for a year. Neumann's Hill is the best thing that could happen to the Peterson's place for those two dumbasses.

Ouray is a beautiful town. it looks a lot like my town in that it has six streets and one main street, only difference is their main street ends at a mountain and ours ends in a great lake. Thanks for sharing your post, I love knowing real life things about where tv shows and movies are supposed to be set. I never thought of non alcoholic beer, although I do know the tea trick from watching trailer park boys.

The sponsorship is thick, I bet there is a lot that goes in to these sets legal wise to keep the contracts straight. I don't mind it though, I like how they work it into the dialogue. I didn't see the cliffhanger coming but it's predictable and that's one things this show does do is follow through on their story lines, even having Bo find the whiskey that Rooster threw and the steak that Drake was supposed to eat. Another little one was when Abby talked about camping out and making a kid change his life and then later engineer sex machine Jen saying that her life was changed by one of those times.

I don't know how they would run two ranches either. That whole decision was made when Colt was in a manic episode over losing the baby. I think that last scene was the beginning of his crash back to reality and when he wakes up he's going to realize Abby has moved on, his dad can't work like he used to and Rooster isn't dependable.

[NJRadioGuy]

2 hours ago, citychic said:

. I never thought of non alcoholic beer, although I do know the tea trick from watching trailer park boys.

I don't know how they would run two ranches either. That whole decision was made when Colt was in a manic episode over losing the baby. I think that last scene was the beginning of his crash back to reality and when he wakes up he's going to realize Abby has moved on, his dad can't work like he used to and Rooster isn't dependable.

There's a Hollywood craft service company that relabels O'Douls with labels for fictitious-but-genuine-sounding brews, and sells them to production companies for $15 per bottle. HuffPo has a good article on the subject here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/fake-tv-beer_n_5242749.html

One resolution to the Peterson Ranch problem that would still keep the plot of the show moving forward might be for the boys to sell to Neumann's Hill, with Colt running it, not Rooster. Rooster stays with Beau on IRR until Rooster's permanent departure from the show. Colt stands to make a ton of money running ex-Peterson's, which he could invest back in to IRR and maybe implement some policies that keep IRR in better financial shape, or at least good enough to survive the next Plot Contrivance that threatens the ranch.

After that, though, it gets tricky, and I think the writers need to start thinking endgame soon. It will be Beau and Colt, running a ranch all alone within about 6 or 7 hours of screen time.

[Emily Thrace]

On 1/2/2018 at 0:25 PM, NJRadioGuy said:

After that, though, it gets tricky, and I think the writers need to start thinking endgame soon. It will be Beau and Colt, running a ranch all alone within about 6 or 7 hours of screen time.

I do wonder though if TPTB might actually be hoping this will blow over and they will be able to bring Danny Masterson back. At this point the next season won't shoot for while and there hasn't been any mention of his case anywhere for a while. The whole Scientology angle (I found it interesting today that Leah Remini accused Scientology of digging things up to attack Paul Haggis  with while some have said she's done the same to Danny Masterson with these allegations) makes things a bit murky and there have yet to be any formal charges filed. If nothing is ever proven I could see Netflix saying it innocent until proven guilty and giving Danny Masterson his job back.  As much as I would love to think things have changed I have a feeling some of these guys are going to come back from this.

The pipeline stuff annoys me because pipelines are not inherently bad and when eco-nuts like Maggie act like it is. Pipelines can actually be good for the environment because it means we don't have to move gases in tankers. Opposing every pipeline is just hating on oil companies for the sake of it.

[Moesha]

As to the lame writing, anyone else notice lines being repeated over and over again?

"What are you doing here?"

"I just want to say I'm sorry."

So predictable.

[NJRadioGuy]

So. Part 5. Thoughts? Just binged it this weekend. Can't say I like the way they handled Rooster's departure but the Peterson's Ranch solution was the right one. Overall I liked a good chunk of it, but there were other things that disappointed.

[greekmom]

11 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

So. Part 5. Thoughts? Just binged it this weekend. Can't say I like the way they handled Rooster's departure but the Peterson's Ranch solution was the right one. Overall I liked a good chunk of it, but there were other things that disappointed.

I was hoping someone else had seen this. I binged this weekend as well. I hated the way they got rid of Rooster even though I understand the reasons behind it, I wish it was that he skipped out of town due to the charges being pressed by Nuueman's Hill. 

I liked the actress playing the owner of the rival ranch.  I wonder if Beau will dump current girl for her.  

Storyline with jealous boyfriend was not good at all. And with so many guns and being a gun tootin loving family. I thought Rooster would be armed on on guard.

[MissLucas]

On 17.1.2018 at 7:11 AM, Emily Thrace said:

I do wonder though if TPTB might actually be hoping this will blow over and they will be able to bring Danny Masterson back. At this point the next season won't shoot for while and there hasn't been any mention of his case anywhere for a while. 

Either that or they pull a Becky.

[iMonrey]

I kind of thought the jealous boyfriend was going to go after Colt. First Rooster told him Colt was screwing his ex-wife, then she herself told him if she were going to sleep with one of the Bennetts it would be either Beau or Colt. I thought for sure that was going somewhere.

I did like the ending with Beau finally trying to make amends. He is kind of a shitty dad so it was nice to see him acknowledge that. 

You could tell in the very first episode that Elisha Cuthbert was already visibly pregnant the way they tried their best to hide her, so the time jump was necessary. 

Debra Winger always manages to disappear for part of each season so I'm guessing they don't have the money to pay her to be in every episode. Not that I mind, necessarily. She's kind of the weak link in the cast IMO.

They kind of left the stolen generator storyline unresolved. I'm assuming Colt will still take a plea deal for probation, but now that he and his father have made amends I wonder why Lisa couldn't just drop the charges like they agreed to originally. Maybe that will be the resolution next season.

I'm kind of over impromptu weddings officiated by friends or family who got ordained on the internet. It's become too much of a TV cliche.  

[FairyDusted]

I banged it out on Saturday. Wendy M. was a great addition but I'm nervous Beau will trade his current GF for the Rancher. (Blanking on her name) I thought the story line was ok but I hated the EX on sight. Loved that Beau had a moment with Colt. I can't help it. I'm a sucker for Sam Elliot. 

I've only seen a handful of episodes of That 70's Show so I'm not particularly attached to Masterson BUT was that RED who was Mr. Peterson??? 

Love Abby and Colt.  

I personally think they did the right thing on letting D M go. That cult is on FIRE. We have not even seen nor heard the worst of it yet. 

One more random thought...I wish they did 60 minutes instead of 30. I gulp the series in one day. I'd prefer 2;)

[greekmom]

1 hour ago, FairyDusted said:

I banged it out on Saturday. Wendy M. was a great addition but I'm nervous Beau will trade his current GF for the Rancher. (Blanking on her name) I thought the story line was ok but I hated the EX on sight. Loved that Beau had a moment with Colt. I can't help it. I'm a sucker for Sam Elliot. 

I've only seen a handful of episodes of That 70's Show so I'm not particularly attached to Masterson BUT was that RED who was Mr. Peterson??? 

Love Abby and Colt.  

I personally think they did the right thing on letting D M go. That cult is on FIRE. We have not even seen nor heard the worst of it yet. 

One more random thought...I wish they did 60 minutes instead of 30. I gulp the series in one day. I'd prefer 2;)

Yep that was Red as Peterson.  Mom from the 70's show was Abby's lush mom in the Ranch.

I hope they pull a Becky switch as well but someone who can carry DM's sarcastic attitude with A.K. 

[FairyDusted]

13 minutes ago, greekmom said:

Yep that was Red as Peterson.  Mom from the 70's show was Abby's lush mom in the Ranch.

I hope they pull a Becky switch as well but someone who can carry DM's sarcastic attitude with A.K. 

OMG You are right! I totally gapped that! Thank you

[BetyBee]

On 6/18/2018 at 5:29 PM, greekmom said:

I hope they pull a Becky switch as well but someone who can carry DM's sarcastic attitude with A.K. 

I don't know about a Becky switch.  I guess they could bring in a ranch hand who interacts with AK in a similar manner to the way DM did, but I think most likely the show will just die after the next season.  It's too bad because this show always makes me laugh.  DM was really good in the role, but they were right to let him go.  

[QQQQ]

I'm watching Part 6, Ep 1, and the pacing of the dialogue seems wonky. As in extra slow, longer pauses between sentences. Granted, I did just binge the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel which is known for its fast-talking, but this is ridiculous. 

[BetyBee]

I've watched them all and I'm not impressed.  I didn't know that Dax Shepard was coming on board to replace DM.  I like him (and his podcast), but I'm not feeling his character in this show.  In light of current events, I get a little tired of all Sam Elliott's lines about liberals.  And all of the love of drinking/drugging talk.  I think Netflix may let this one go after this season.  And if Netflix doesn't, I will!

[QQQQ]

It felt like the dialogue was ad libbed this season, instead of written by professionals. Lazy, rehashed plot lines didn't help. I'm out if there's a 7th season.

[hkit]

I’ve seen that this was renewed for a 4th season (parts 7 & 8). I think I’m out. 

I didn’t care for Rooster as a character. He had no depth. I didn’t care for Masterson as an actor. He lacks range and nuance. You don’t even want to know what I think about him as a person. Regardless, this show cannot survive without him. 

Other thoughts: I hate the character assassination on Mary. She was always such a fun mix of redneck, ambivalence, and having to be the adult in the room when it came to her fucked up family. I don’t like this arc with her.

I hate the tired old sitcom trope of hiding things from each other. It’s so tedious. Of course Abby would find out about the herd, and of course she would react accordingly. It was so unnecessary to create drama in this way. 

Finally, speaking of Abby, I’ve never been a fan. She’s dramatic, immature, and selfish. She married someone who also embodies those things, but he at least seems to attempt to try to work on the marriage and make things work. I always wanted Colt with Heather, but I’m sure that won’t happen. And if it does, I won’t be around to see it. 

Take this one behind the barn and put a merciful end to it. 

[mamadrama]

I keep thinking that this would've worked better as a GILMORE GIRLS type of show-a drama with lots of comedy and a cast of interesting, quirky supporting characters. The sitcom aspect of it just feels so forced and the dated laugh track throws me off. I am interested in the actual storylines that verge on realism, yet sometimes the forced comedy just takes me right out of the show. Some of the funniest things that are said are the things that are subtle. 

[mamadrama]

On 12/11/2018 at 7:13 AM, BetyBee said:

I've watched them all and I'm not impressed.  I didn't know that Dax Shepard was coming on board to replace DM.  I like him (and his podcast), but I'm not feeling his character in this show.  In light of current events, I get a little tired of all Sam Elliott's lines about liberals.  And all of the love of drinking/drugging talk.  I think Netflix may let this one go after this season.  And if Netflix doesn't, I will!

My gripe with the whole liberal/conservative aspect of the show...I hate that Hollywood seems to think that it's an either/or. I LOVE the idea of a show featuring issues of rural people. I live in a farming community, always have, and while it's not ranching it certainly shares a lot of similarities. I understand many of the things that happen on the show: our livlihood is tied to the weather, we've had to live without electric, it's been difficult to make ends meet at times, we don't go "into town" often, etc. We listen to country music, shop at the Dollar General, wear boots, eat a lot of red meat, hang out at the local watering hole together, etc. A lot of us have guns. We go hunting. But we're liberals.  When Hollywood DOES make movies or shows about people like "me" then it's usually a fish out of water thing: liberal city girl moves to backwards hick town and tries to fit in with the conservatives. We're not so black and white, though. After going hunting with my rifle, I drive through town in my pickup with my George Strait blaring and my Obama bumper sticker. 

I liked the character of Mary because she DID kind of ride that line between both. But I don't know what they're doing with her now. 

[mj2000]

Where to begin.....

 

First, I just have to address the Rooster situation. I'm putting the "real life" situation with the actor aside to focus on the character. There is NO way that a loser like Nick would have got the best of Rooster. He is too smart for that. There is also NO way that Rooster would leave without leaving a clue for someone such as Colt or Beau to find. Or did he? With the exit scene of Rooster, Nick tossed him 1 bag and told him to leave. Now we are shown a hotel room with some of Rooster's stuff and the explanation of the bike accident was that the road was too wet, he was going too fast, and his motorcycle was loaded down. That doesn't make sense.

 

Second, Beau and Joanne. I'm probably in a small group with this, but I like Joanne. She doesn't whine when something goes on, she tells Beau what she thinks. For that reason, I truly believe that he respects her. I am glad to see their relationship progressing the way that it has.

 

Third, Colt and Abby. As per the usual, her royal highness got offended. She wasn't working....Colt was. She was staying home with the baby. She starts whining because she's having trouble with the baby being fussy and complains for Colt to handle it. He handled it. Then she decides to go for another teaching job. All the while this was going on, Colt was having to deal with Rooster's death and trying to get his ranch up and running. Naturally, he didn't want to worry her about it. So, he lied. Do I think it was wrong of him to lie? Absolutely. But I do understand why he did it. Unfortunately for Colt, his gamble with the herd didn't pay off. Let's no forget that her truck or Colt's Bronco was unacceptable to drive their baby in according to Abby. She just had to have a more "family oriented" vehicle such as a minivan. This was her desire when she was not even working and Colt had not even "supposedly" sold the herd. Where was her so-called, adult, financial responsibility then? Did she honestly think that a new rancher could just produce money for a new vehicle? After the truth about the herd is revealed, as always, it becomes about her. Colt lied to her....blah blah. Their finances, their daughter's future, or Colts self confidence did not matter. It was all about the fact that he lied. Abby takes Beau's advice about thinking about what's best for the baby and again makes it about her. Then SHE decides they need to separate. SHE takes THEIR child away from Colt to go to her parent's house. I have never liked Abby and this entire situation is why.

 

Fourth, Mary. I have been shaking my head incessantly on this one. I could see her feel guilty about the situation with Nick and Rooster. What I don't understand is the writer's decision to take a strong, independent woman like Mary and turn her into a pill popping, trouble making, liar. Its pretty bad when I had to actually feel sorry for and agree with Maggie of all people.

 

My last rant is the character of Dax Sheppard. I had not ever heard of him until this show. While I'm grateful that the writers did not bring this man on to replace the character of Rooster, I do see the hints, at times, that they are trying to make his character similar. I see no point to this character at all. I did like the idea of the show dealing with the subject of PTSD. This character is, in my opinion, written as a bratty, ungrateful, neusance just trying to fill a void. Putting him with Mary was just a slap in the face to viewers who were fans of Rooster's character and his relationship with Mary.

[iMonrey]

This last batch did indeed feel very disjointed and suffered from the loss of a main character. They certainly left the door open for Danny Masterson to come back since a body was never found, so I don't know why they went through all the angst and the funeral. No body, no death. Haven't they ever seen TV?

I was at first delighted to see Dax Shepard because I like him but the character just didn't work for this show. Putting him with Mary was also a mistake. It seems like they didn't know what to do with Mary after Rooster left and the road they took her down was a bad choice IMO.

There's this weird thing going on where Maggie pops in for a batch of episodes and while she's there Joanna mysteriously disappears. It's like Beau is trading out wives. 

As for Cole and Abby, I agree with mj200's assessment, although Cole is also written as a complete idiot. It seems unlikely to me he wouldn't have known how much money to expect for his cattle. 

[greekmom]

I wish they would have just Darren'd Rooster's character.  Maybe brought back Wilmer Valderrama's character to work the ranch or Laura Prepon as a cousin who wants to be a rancher.

[FnkyChkn34]

I think Mary is redeemable, if they want to - they can send her to rehab to get clean and acknowledge that she stole and lied.  If she shows remorse, people can give her a second chance.  She's slightly sympathetic as it is, she feels so guilty over Rooster.

[STOPSHOUTING]

So, I would like to think this season (or "part" in Netflix parlance) for getting me out of an abusive relationship with this terrible, unfunny and ultimately depressing show whose highest praise at any point in its run was, 'Meh, it's fine I guess?' 

My husband travels a lot, and I try not to watch things we both like when he's away. Somehow, this has resulted in me seeing, up until now, every episode of this utterly mediocre, at best, show, thanks in large part to fond feelings about the non-Ashton Kusher/Danny Masterson cast members. (Growing up, my mom absolutely adored Sam Elliott and Debra Winger.) But two episodes and endless lazy redneck and Democrat jokes into this batch I finally, FINALLY pulled the Netflix rip cord and said, 'No, I absolutely do NOT want you to start the next episode.' 

Edited January 6, 2019 by STOPSHOUTING

[bichonblitz]

Debra Winger is notorious for being difficult to work with. Saw her on a rare talk show appearance recently and she was positively hateful.  I always wonder what it's like with the other actors on the show having to deal with her. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by bichonblitz

[Chas411]

Only started this - it seems like a vanity project for Ashton Kutcher to practice his Serious! Acting! 

Only in episode 8. Elisha Cuthbert is so wasted as the boring ex girlfriend. Debra Winger is not great at comedy. She’s the weakest link of the show.

[Commando Cody]

This was a hard series to get through. I took some breaks from watching it, but I wanted to see how it ended. 

Debra Winger was a big disappointment. I agree that she was the weak link in the series. When Kathy Baker started hanging around, I thought, oh, fuck no. I was relieved when he hooked up with the hair dresser.  I'm still hoping he dumps Joanne for the other rancher. I have liked Wendy Malick in everything I've seen her in. 

Abby is bitchy all the time. They try to soften her up by showing her do nice things, but deep down she's just a bitch. I'm not sure if she's just that way, or she's bitchy because Colt made her that way.  It's too bad he didn't end up with Heather. She seemed very sweet. The baby story would have made things interesting. I could tell at the beginning of some episodes - they all run together now - that the actress who played Abby was really pregnant. Mostly by the way they were hiding her. 

I didn't mind Bo being a curmudgeony old man.  I think they went too far when he talked the rancher lady into pressing charges again after Rooster stole the generator. He was total jerk in that episode.  This show goes to great lengths to remind us how utterly stupid Colt can be. He tried to get rid of it in the same car it was stolen in? Didn't cover it up. That episode was just bad all around. 

The series wasn't great. It was kind of like watching 'That 70s Show' - on a ranch and not in the 70s. Lots of familiar actors were in it. By the end I was only watching it to get through the series. I'm not a fan of Dax Shephard, but I thought he was okay here.  Hooking up with Mary was weird and predictable and an unwanted turn of events. The whole series kind of went dark in the later seasons. Why was Mary getting paid?  She said she would work for tips because Maggie couldn't pay her.  Her and her "girls" still paid off for her. Mary was kind of a likeable character for a while. Now she's poison, apparently. After Rooster left, they had an easy way to just get rid of the character all together. 

[greekmom]

Looks like they are back on Sept 13.  Honestly how much do the writers hate this family that they can't throw them a bone? I would be shocked if they get a part 8 green lit. I mean Netflix cancelled an awesome show like One Day at a Time. 

[texassunflower]

I have watched the first three episodes of Season 7. Debra Winger is out. She is not listed in the opening credits and the creators have changed the pictorial opening sequence. So far, the first three episodes have been depressing. Cole can't catch a break, Mary is a trainwreck, and I don't like the storyline that is occurring with Joanne. Why can't  Beau and Joanne be happy? They are an older couple that are well suited and lucky to have found each other. Sam Elliot is great and I enjoy the scenes with him and Barry Corbin. It looks Heather will have a large role in the first 10 episodes. I will see the series through to the end but it's time to end it. Losing Rooster affected the show and I don't think Dax Shepard can take his place.

[greekmom]

I did finish the whole thing. I will put my thoughts in spoilers:

Spoiler

1. I didn't like Joanne's storyline. I like the fact that Beau is finally happy but why make her ill?

2. Didn't like the Colt/Abby divorce storyline.  I understand that she wants honestly but seriously?  She doesn't like what he says anyways.

3. Dax Sheppard isn't Danny M.  While I understand why they got rid of Rooster, the replacement isn't all that great.

4. Why did they get rid of Maggie?  

5.  I dislike even more Wendie Malick's Lisa character.  She's a real bitch.

6. The whole 'Who shot Nick' ending is very predictable.  It was Mary. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Ranch won an Emmy award!

Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series - Reckless

[greekmom]

BTW I forgot to add, I wish they Darren'd Rooster.  

[iMonrey]

Haven't finished "part 7" yet but my goodness this just gets more depressing with every season (or "part"). Joanne has Alzheimers,  Mary's a drug addict, Colt and Abby getting a divorce based on one of those stupid, cliched tropes where neither couple says what they are actually thinking. They turned Wendy Malick's character into a complete mustache-twirling villain. 

I know I read somewhere that the show is ending, I can't remember if this was supposed to be the last season of if there's just one more.

[texassunflower]

This is the last season. There are 20 episodes in all. Netflix drops 10 episodes at a time. There will be a Part 8 sometime in 2020. The Ranch came back later this year. It usually has a June  and December premiere for new episodes.