Josh Duhamel in a cowboy hat on the ranch in the 2025 Netflix Western show Ransom Canyon
Netflix
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.”

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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:

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.