April Blair takes us through the biggest shocks and surprises of “Ransom Canyon” season 1.
The new series (out now) kicks off with not one, but two major deaths.
Their plot thickens when Davis goads Staten into taking a swing at him.
Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady and Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Credit:Courtesy Netflix
After that whirlwind of a season, we had to rustle up some answers fromRansom Canyoncreator April Blair.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Yancy decides to go straight and save Caps ranch.
Can we trust that to be genuine?
Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Courtesy Netflix
Is he fully committed to that?
But through the course of the season hes found the family and home he was missing.
By seasons end, hes genuine in his desire to protect that.
Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Anna Kooris/Netflix
In a potential season 2, thatll be the crux of his struggle.
Can he stay the course and be true to his convictions?
How much is Davis going to threaten or make a run at divert Yancy from that path?
Marianly Tejada as Ellie and Jack Schumacher as Yancy Grey in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Courtesy Netflix
Yancys going to have a lot of obstacles as he moves forward.
But the existential threat to Yancy is always Yancy himself.
Hes his own worst enemy.
Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady and Eoin Macken as Davis Collins in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Anna Kooris/Netflix
Why does Staten lash out when Quinn says shes going instead of supporting her?
It feels pretty clearly a bad move.
Staten has experienced a lot of loss in his life.
Eoin Macken as Davis Collins in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Anna Kooris/Netflix
His heart was very shutdown.
But by the end of the season he found a way to open it again.
Open it to Quinn.
Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Anna Kooris/Netflix
And so he has very knee jerk reaction to the news that shes going back.
Could he have handled the news better?
But hes the architect of his own pain in a lot of ways.
Marianly Tejada as Ellie in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Courtesy Netflix
Quinn tells Staten that all he wants is his own pain.
How much work does he need to do on himself first?
Staten almost feels at home in his pain and grief in season 1.
Lizzy Greene as Lauren Brigman and Garrett Wareing as Lucas Russell in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Courtesy Netflix
Hes gruff and flawed, but hes also funny and loving.
Hes a work in progress.
One well enjoy watching figure it all out.
How much damage does Staten’s last swing at Davis do to all of their relationships?
That swing at Davis is going to ripple through everything Staten holds dear: Quinn.
The town of Ransom Canyon.
Its going to be the inciting incident of his story moving forward.
Staten leaves his bracelet behind on the bar.
Does he think thats what Quinn wants?
Eoin Macken as Davis Collins and Andrew Liner as Reid Collins in ‘Ransom Canyon’.Courtesy Netflix
Or why does he do it?
I think hes trying to do the honorable thing in that moment.
Statens father and Davis are trying to wrest control of the ranch from him.
What can you say about their plans and how much trouble theyre planning to cause?
Theyve goaded him to that punch.
Hes walked right in to their trap.
And there will be deep consequences.
Ellie is planning to marry Yancy but then someone claiming to be his wife comes in.
What can you tell us about that woman?
Ill save that reveal for a potential season 2 because I dont want to spoil all the fun.
But, I will say, shes a wrecking ball.
What comes next for them Ellie has dropped her dress and Yancy is waiting with a priest?
Lets just say, that night does not go as Yancy planned.
What makes Dan [Philip Winchester] decide to go through with arresting Margaret?
Its obviously very hard for him as her husband.
Because its the right thing to do, as his daughter points out.
Dan is a law man.
Hes driven by principles of justice.
Its what his whole life is built on.
I think the real struggle for him was not doing it sooner.
It hard, but its almost a relief for him to do whats right.
What will that mean for Margaret and her recovery?
What about for Lauren?
Ultimately, Margaret is going to have to answer for her mistakes.
But Lauren also has to answer for her mothers transgressions.
Thats the legacy Margaret has delivered.
One of shame and pain and loss, and which shapes Laurens future storyline in a big way.
Are she and Lucas good now after his grand gesture at Gracies?
Lauren at least deserves that, right?
Shes lost cheerleading after her injury.
Shes lost her intact family unit.
She needs a win.
Kit is home, which is great in terms of Lucas being out of the crosshairs of CPS.
Thats a story and family dynamic that were really excited to dive deeper in to.
Garret Wareing [Lucas] and Casey Johnson [Kit] are both such strong and compelling actors.
Its going to be fun to see all the trouble they get into.
And there will be trouble, I promise.
Nobody has an easy time in Ransom.
What fun would that be?
But Reid has changed in season 1.
Hes evolved from a me-first, privileged guy in to someone with a conscience and maturity.
But that desire to impress his dad will be an ongoing challenge.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
