With its slightly dysfunctional Bennett family, the cast of The Ranch took its viewers on a full entertainment package of comedy, drama, and romance, albeit its highly criticized predictable plot. So when Netflix announced that the show will be canceled after four seasons, fans were definitely not thrilled, especially with the streaming platform’s reputation for axing its original series prematurely.
But Ashton Kutcher, who played Colt Bennett in the show, explained in Marc Maron’s WTF podcast that they were given ample time to wrap the series up. He also added that the “story was told” and that he loved everything that they did. The show ran for a total of four seasons from 2016 until 2020, released in two ten-episode parts per season. And though it might have felt that it was cut short, the show actually fielded more installments than most series, even with an additional one or two seasons.
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As much as it was loved by the crew, the cast, and the viewers, the time was up for The Ranch.
The Plot
If you watched the highly popular The 70s Show, this was the closest to a nostalgic reboot you’ll probably ever get. But instead of revolving around the lives of a group of 17-year-olds, The Ranch followed the life of the Bennetts.
Set in the fictional Iron River Ranch in the small town of Garrison, Colorado, the series began with Colt Bennett (Ashton Kutcher), a former pro football player, returning back to their family cattle ranch to help his dad Beau (Sam Elliott) and brother (Danny Masterson) keep the ranch afloat. And while he was there, he also tried to rekindle the romance with childhood sweetheart Abby (Elisha Cuthbert) under the watchful eye of his mother Maggie (Debra Winger).
Get ready to meet the lovable cast of The Ranch – Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliott, Debra Winger, Danny Masterson, and Elisha Cuthbert – as they bring their unique dynamic to this hilarious family drama.
Ashton Kutcher as Colt Reagan Bennett
An alum of The 70s show, Ashton Kutcher played the role of the former high school star quarterback Colt, who returned home after 15 years to help his father and brother on their ranch.
Colt is a flawed character who has a prickly relationship with his dad and is oftentimes the butt of the jokes largely because of his lacking ranching skills. He is also a heavy drinker (and as fans speculated and later on confirmed by Ashton himself, the booze was real) who didn’t use much of his common sense. On top of that, he also has a complicated love life. And while it could have been easy to just give up, he didn’t. Instead, he hit the reset button and started all over again.
He later married his high school sweetheart Abby played by Elisha Cuthbert. They had a daughter named Peyton.
Danny Masterson as Jameson “Rooster” Ford Bennett
Another alum of The 70s show, Danny Masterson, played the role of Colt’s older brother Rooster. Unlike Colt, who was able to pursue his dreams, Rooster stayed behind and worked on the ranch. He is a far more competent rancher (after all, he worked years on the ranch) and a rational thinker, but he could be just as immature as his younger brother. He would also often drink and slack off.
Rooster’s plot took a sad turn with an open-ended goodbye after Danny Masterson was fired from the show. For those who don’t know, Masterson was written out of the show after Part 5 (or in the middle of Season 3) due to multiple allegations of sexual assault as well as domestic violence and rape. Fans tried with all their power to get him back on the show but to no avail. Nevertheless, the actor urged fans to still support the show.
Sam Elliott as Beau Roosevelt Bennett
The show actually offered the role of the Bennetts’ patriarch to Sam Elliott simply because he was the man for the role. Known for his signature American cowboy role, Sam played the rancher Beau who was a Vietnam War veteran. Beau is almost constantly annoyed by everyone and everything, hated modern things and is quickly angered by his sons’ antics. He is divorced from his wife Maggie, played by the seasoned actress Debra Winger.
Debra Winger as Maggie Bennett
A three-time Oscar nominee and seasoned actress, Debra Winger, joined The Ranch cast simply because she hadn’t done a sitcom before. Debra played the role of the Bennetts’ matriarch, Maggie, who divorced her husband, Beau. She is a local bar owner who lives in a trailer behind her bar. Unlike her husband, she is more laid back and patient, and her sons often come to her for company and advice. She is also an environmentalist and a marijuana smoker.
Debra left the show after the third season though there was no official statement regarding her departure.
Elisha Cuthbert as Abby Phillips-Bennett
Elisha played the role of a high school history teacher who is also Colt’s love interest. During the first part of the show, Abby is engaged to Kenny Ballard, but soon she breaks off the engagement to be with Colt. The two have a daughter named Peyton.
Abby was a recurring character in Season 1 but became a regular from Season 2 until the final fourth season.
If you haven’t watched it yet, why should you?
The Ranch is definitely not just your average sitcom because it delivers more than just the laugh and the drama. It’s set in a real place that shows the real-life issues and problems that ranchers face. And it’s country music-inspired with episode titles borrowing from the catalogs of Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, and Alabama!
RELATED: All The Country Songs From ‘The Ranch’ Soundtrack That You’ll Surely Love
So if you haven’t watched it yet, we recommend you go and binge-watch it. It’s just 30 minutes per episode, and before you know it, you have finished all 80! But if you want to see The Ranch cast a little longer, then go ahead and take it slowly. Whatever your choice is, it will never take away the fact that the show is really good. Enjoy!
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Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Debra Winger, Elisha Cuthbert, Sam Elliott, The Ranch