Netflix has canceled Ransom Canyon, a neo-Western drama starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly, after two seasons. The series, adapted from Jodi Thomas’s book series, followed three ranching families in a close-knit Texas community as they competed for land and influence. Marketed as Netflix’s answer to the popular series Yellowstone, Ransom Canyon premiered in April 2024 and wrapped up its second season on July 23. According to Deadline, the streaming service has decided not to continue with a third season. The second season did not perform as well as expected with viewers. It attracted 4.1 million views in its first week—a 43 percent drop from the 7.2 million views recorded during the show’s debut in April 2024. The show remained in Netflix’s top 10 for only three weeks, compared to four weeks for Season One. The cast included actors such as Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, Casey W. Johnson, Philip Winchester, and Justin Johnson Cortez. Ransom Canyon was approved in December 2023 after securing Duhamel and Kelly for the lead roles. Minka Kelly previously spoke about her push for equal pay with Duhamel, who was initially earning more. Although the two did not achieve full pay parity, Kelly’s salary was significantly increased beyond her previous earnings to narrow the gap. Netflix reportedly supported these efforts. Critics were generally unimpressed with the show. Ed Power of The Telegraph gave it a two-star review, calling it “inadvertently hilarious” and criticizing its “preposterously-named characters and duff dialogue.” Kelly Lawler of USA Today noted that Ransom Canyon failed to live up to the standards of Yellowstone, stating that it “takes more than a sad sap story, a couple of Stetsons and a ‘yee-haw’ to make a Yellowstone competitor.” Ransom Canyon joins a list of canceled Netflix shows this year, including The Boroughs, The Abandons, The Vince Staples Show, and Japan’s Alice in Borderland. The cancellation highlights the challenges that even high-profile productions face in maintaining audience interest and performance on a streaming platform.