The Ranch

The Ranch is an American streaming television comedy/drama series. It stars Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson (who previously co-starred on "That '70s Show") as brothers Colt and Rooster Bennett, who help run the Colorado cattle ranch owned by their father Beau (Sam Elliott). It also stars Debra Winger as their mother Maggie, a local bar owner, and Elisha Cuthbert as Colt's love interest Abby, a local school teacher. Other cast members from "That 70s Show" who have recurring roles include Wilmer Valderrama, Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp. It debuted in 2016 on Netflix and ran for four seasons in eight parts.
"The Ranch" was filmed on a sound stage in front of a live audience in Burbank, California. The opening sequence shows scenes from Norwood, and Ouray, Colorado, and the surrounding Ouray, and San Miguel Counties. The exterior shot of Maggie's bar is a bar located in Naturita, Colorado, in Montrose County, Each season consists of 20 episodes broken up into two parts, each containing 10 episodes, the episodes are approximately 30 minutes in length. All episodes are named after American country music songs.
On October 31, 2018, Netflix renewed the series for a fourth and final season. The first part of the final season (Part 7) premiered on September 13, 2019. The second part of the final season (part 8) was released on January 24, 2020.
Premise.
The show takes place on the fictional Iron River Ranch, near the fictitious small town of Garrison, Colorado (population 512, as displayed on a sign in the opening credits). Dialogue places the town in southwestern Colorado (near the real town of Norwood), about six hours from Denver by car. The series details the life of the Bennetts, a dysfunctional family consisting of two brothers, their rancher father, and his wife who owns a local bar and cannot live with him on the ranch.
Release.
The first ten episodes premiered on April 1, 2016, the second batch of ten episodes premiered on October 7, 2016. In April 2016, Netflix renewed "The Ranch" for a second season of 20 episodes, the first half of which premiered on June 16, 2017, and the second half was released on December 15, 2017.
On July 4, 2017, Netflix announced through its official "The Ranch" Twitter account that the show had been renewed for a third season of 20 episodes, the first ten of which aired on June 15, 2018. In December 2017, it was announced that Masterson had been written out of the show following multiple sexual assault allegations made against him, and appeared in only the first 10 episodes of the third season.
On October 31, 2018, Netflix renewed the series for a fourth and final season with the series to conclude in 2020. On August 21, 2019, it was announced that the first part of the final season (Part 7) was set to premiere on September 13, 2019. On December 9, 2019, it was reported that the second part of the final season (part 8) was set to be released on January 24, 2020.
Reception.
"The Ranch" has earned mixed to positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the series an average approval rating of 63% (60% for season 1, 67% for season 2) based on 141 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A formulaic set-up and predictable plotting are elevated by "The Ranch"'s surprising sensitivity and strong performances." Metacritic gave the series a score of 56 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Writing for "Slate" in a positive review, television critic Willa Paskin wrote of the show, ""The Ranch" is a red-state sitcom, though it takes place in the swing state of Colorado, and is good enough to be watched by people of any political affiliation" and "The goodness sneaks up on you." "Los Angeles Times" wrote: "[Elliott and Winger's] scenes together, as restrained as they are, are the show's most emotionally resonant. You will want to check them out."