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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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.
- Kutcher somewhat confirmed that when the show’s characters are drinking, the actors are actually sipping booze.
- 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.
- Country superstar Thomas Rhett made his acting debut in The Ranch’s Part 4, wherein he played himself.
- 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.
