Outer Range starts as a classic western, with a land dispute between two rival ranches leading to violence and secrets that dare not be shared. There are magnificent shots of riders on horseback and bison running across the plains below snow-capped mountains. But it's soon clear this is also science fiction. For a show centered around a literal black hole, it's probably not giving too much away to say that time travel is involved. On top of all that are first-rate actors playing interesting characters, backed by inspired musical choices. Here's why we think Amazon's Prime Video series Outer Range needs to be seen.
Intriguing Premise
Outer Range is hard to describe, especially when avoiding spoilers. The most common comparison is to Yellowstone, and it indeed has a certain western soap opera quality, not unlike Dallas a generation earlier. But there are also major sci-fi elements within its otherwise realistic world, so fans of The X-Files, The Twilight Zone, and of course, Lost, will likely find something in it as well. And Outer Range is undeniably weird, not quite as opaque as a David Lynch project, but full of quirky moments and seemingly random appearances that will leave viewers scratching their heads a la Twin Peaks. Besides an appropriately mysterious and moving score, musical tracks include selections from everyone from Burl Ives to Dolly Parton to Bruce Springsteen. Quite simply, Outer Range is unlike anything else streaming today.
Gorgeous Setting
Set in the mountain foothills of fictional Amelia County, Wyoming, Outer Range was mostly shot in New Mexico. Taking a cinematic approach to its filming, something surprisingly rare in streaming series, the show looks beautiful, at least during the day. (Some nighttime scenes give Game of Thrones Season 8 a run for its money.) The rural town of Wabang's strange juxtaposition of main street businesses will ring true to denizens of the modern High Plains, not to mention residents of Las Vegas, New Mexico, where it was filmed. Add to that a unique style of editing, not afraid to both linger on long takes and make sudden cuts, and the series provides an engaging viewing experience despite its slow pace.
Talented Cast
There is no question that the star of Outer Range is Josh Brolin. He is on-screen for much of each episode, and though his turn as brooding rancher Royal is not wholly unexpected (see No Country for Old Men), it does add to a résumé full of unique, often complicated, and misunderstood characters. His wife Cecilia is played by Lili Taylor, who has appeared in dozens of television series and movies and is perhaps best known for her runs on American Crime and the reboot of Perry Mason. She doesn't always get the time on camera she deserves, but she is clearly talented and steals the scenes she is in.
Other notables in the cast include Imogen Poots, who seems drawn to similarly offbeat projects like Vivarium and Green Room, and is almost too perfect for the peculiar wanderer Autumn. Noah Reid, straight off of Schitt's Creek, plays the young cowboy Billy, who'd rather be a singer. And as if there weren't enough comparisons, Yellowstone veteran Will Patton gives an unforgettably over-the-top performance as Royal's neighbor and nemesis Wayne Tillerson.
Diverse Characters
Though it doesn't move entirely beyond the cliché of a western centered on white male cowboys, Outer Range does involve some refreshingly diverse characters in its story. Tamara Podemski is Deputy Sheriff Joy, in the middle of a challenging election campaign, being both native and gay, as she slowly realizes there are far bigger questions behind a series of local disappearances and deaths. Her wife Martha is played by queer indigenous actor MorningStar Angeline, and the two characters have an adopted daughter. We also meet Maria, played by Puerto Rican-born Isabel Arraiza, a young woman having trouble making a fresh start. Furthermore, there's a good mix of older and younger performers, known and unknown, so that most viewers will find at least one character of interest.
Slow Burn
The biggest criticism consistently leveled at Outer Range is its leisurely pace. The fact that four directors each got to make two consecutive episodes makes the series' momentum feel uneven at times. But watchers who give it a chance will likely find themselves not only thinking about what they saw long after their first showing, but also eager for more. This is creator Brian Watkins' first series in a young career that started writing for the stage. And Outer Range feels theatrical at times, with long monologues to ponder and extreme close-ups to study. There are bigger, more subtle stories here, too, about ownership of land, and the inevitability of consequences for past choices. Not that it is devoid of humor, as proven when Noah Reid breaks into song wearing nothing but his underwear and Josh Brolin literally curses at the heavens from the dinner table.
Promising Future
So far, Amazon has not renewed Outer Range for a second season. It was snubbed (some would say robbed) of any Emmy nominations, though it wasn't alone. And though the current 8 episodes are worth watching regardless, it would be a shame if audiences didn't get the opportunity to further explore the story. In truth, the first season feels very much like a prologue to something bigger. Certainly, there are major reveals in the final two episodes, but many questions remain. And though the writers seem satisfied, leaving some unanswered, the fate of the main characters could easily fill multiple additional seasons.
Though divisive, Outer Range continues to maintain relatively high aggregate ratings from both critics and audiences months after its premiere. There is a risk, inherent in shows like this, that it could get lost in its own mythology. But if a plan is in place, with a talented cast and crew playing in a beautiful and imaginative world, we hope it continues to attract new viewers and secures the chance to entertain and surprise us in the future.