Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Netflix Series, The Ranch

10 Things You Didn't Know About the Netflix Series, The Ranch
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

When The Ranch premiered in 2016, it wasn’t an instant hit. But through the years, the Netflix-original sitcom grew a bit of a following that when producers announced the show would wrap up after four years, countless fans were disappointed. Some even threatened to cancel their subscriptions to the streaming service.

After all, the show still had a story left to tell – including a long list of surprising cool facts. Check them out below.

  1. The Ranch is actually a reunion project for Danny Masterson and Ashton Kutcher. The two actors have been together in the comedy series ‘That ’70s Show’ which ran for eight years – from 1998 to 2006.
  2. Danny Masterson’s character was written out of the show following the surface of sexual assault allegations against the actor. There were at least four women who have accused Masterson of sexual assault, rape, and domestic violence.
  3. Just like the conventional sitcom format that has become standard on network TV, The Ranch was filmed in front of a studio audience. So, the people you hear cracking up at the gags are actually real.
  4. Three-time Academy Award nominee Debra Winger joined The Ranch cast as the Bennett family matriarch – and she did it for one simple reason, she “hadn’t done it [a sitcom] before.”
  1. Beau Bennett has always shown his disgust with Hollywood as well as with California. Ironically, portraying the aging patriarch of the titular ranch is Sam Elliott – who was born and raised in California.
  2. If you think some of the photos from The Ranch’s opening credits look familiar, it’s because it’s from two movie publicity stills: one is Danny Masterson’s character from Beethoven’s 2nd, while the other is Urban Cowboy‘s Sissy played by Debra Winger.
  3. Kutcher somewhat confirmed that when the show’s characters are drinking, the actors are actually sipping booze.
  4. If you look closely at the episodes’ names, you’ll see they’re named after country songs. This includes the catalogs of Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, and Alabama.
  1. Country superstar Thomas Rhett made his acting debut in The Ranch’s Part 4, wherein he played himself.
  2. The Ranch kept things real! The show actually often tackles issues real-world ranchers are facing right now, like the 2015 toxic spill in Animas River and its impact on local ranchers’ land.

Truly, the amazing cast of this incredible show will forever be missed, that we can’t help but play The Ranch soundtrack over and over again for some comfort.

Latest Stories

HARDY performing live onstage in the U.S., shown here during a past show, ahead of canceling the European leg of his Jim Bob World Tour to prioritize family and crew.

HARDY Cancels European Leg of Jim Bob World Tour Ahead of First-Ever Headlining Dates

The long-awaited European run for HARDY’s Jim Bob World Tour just hit the brakes, and fans across the pond are understandably bummed. On the morning of June 16, HARDY dropped ...

Billy Ray Cyrus stands on the red carpet in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, unintentionally becoming the center of family drama after Trace Cyrus called him out online.

Trace Cyrus Blasts Billy Ray for Skipping Grandma’s Funeral to Chase Fame and It’s About as Ugly as It Gets

When your son calls you “the l𝐚mest man to ever walk planet earth,” it’s safe to say things have gone past the point of no return. Trace Cyrus is not ...

Holly Dunn performs passionately under soft stage lights with her guitar in hand, capturing the emotion behind her heartfelt classic “Daddy’s Hands.”

Holly Dunn Wrote “Daddy’s Hands” for Her Dad and Somehow Spoke for an Entire Generation

This is the kind of song that makes grown men stare out the truck window in silence and pretend it’s just the pollen getting to them. When Holly Dunn wrote ...

Oliver Anthony belts out raw heartbreak in a dimly lit studio session, his face scrunched in pain, strumming a resonator guitar with the kind of fury only divorce can fuel.

Oliver Anthony Poured His Divorce Hell Into “Scornful Woman” and It’s Flat-Out Devastating

You can smell the smoke coming off this one before the first note even hits. Oliver Anthony isn’t one for PR gloss or neatly packaged pain. He’s raw, gravel-throated, and ...

Brad Paisley strums his guitar under a spotlight—looking like he’s about to sing the song that breaks every stepdad’s heart wide open. Not the original performance, but you can feel the same lump in your throat.

Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be” Is the Ultimate Tribute to Men Who Chose to Be Dad

It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you, then hits like a freight train made of soft memories and old regrets. Before Brad Paisley was co-hosting the CMAs ...

John Foster beams under the spotlight, guitar in hand—looking every bit like the guy who just sold out Baton Rouge in under an hour. Not from that night, but you get the vibe.

John Foster Sold Out Baton Rouge Show in 52 Minutes and Night Two Is Already Locked In

The tickets were gone faster than a cold beer in a Louisiana summer. That’s how fast 1,350 seats disappeared for John Foster’s August 2 show at The Texas Club in ...

Lainey Wilson, George Strait, and Chris Stapleton are featured in a celebratory graphic as the Grammys announce a new Traditional Country Album category, finally recognizing the roots of real country music.

Traditional Country Just Got Its Own Grammy Category and That’s a Win We’ve Waited Decades For

You can almost hear a fiddle crying out in joy from a dusty honky-tonk in Texas. The Recording Academy just handed traditional country music the kind of validation it’s been ...

Lauren Alaina and husband Cam Arnold cradle their newborn daughter Beni Doll Arnold in a hospital room, sharing a joyful family moment just after her birth on June 11.

Lauren Alaina and Husband Cam Arnold Welcome Their First Child, a Beautiful Baby Girl

One minute, she’s singing about “Getting Good,” and the next, she’s holding a baby on her chest, a tear-stained guitar in the corner, and a song she never planned to ...

Zach Bryan performs live on stage in a previous concert, wearing a sleeveless shirt and ball cap, as he announces a surprise $50 Red Rocks show set for August.

Zach Bryan Drops Surprise Red Rocks Show With a $50 Ticket Cap and a Promise to Keep It Real

While everyone else is out here selling pit passes for the price of a mortgage payment, Zach Bryan just dropped a $50 Red Rocks show like it was nothing. On ...

Mark Herndon plays drums on stage with a smile, wearing sunglasses and a bandana, representing his longtime role with country supergroup Alabama despite feeling like an outsider.

He Was Alabama’s Drummer for Years But Mark Herndon Says He Was Never Treated Like He Belonged

He played the beat behind the biggest country band in the world, but they made sure he knew his place. Off to the side. Mark Herndon was the guy in ...