11 Biggest Changes Ransom Canyon Season 1 Makes To The Books
WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Ransom Canyon.
There are nearly a dozen major differences between season 1 of Netflix’s Western series Ransom Canyon and the 2015 book of the same name that inspired it by Jodi Thomas. Thomas, who has written a handful of popular Western book series, has written eight Ransom Canyon books, which include several sequels and even some prequels. As it turns out, Netflix and Ransom Canyon showrunner April Blair took several liberties with the source material and, in the process, omitted some shocking plot points and character developments.
Netflix’s Ransom Canyon did, however, narrow its focus to be exclusively on the first book, portraying many of the characters, such as Staten, Quinn, Yancy, Lauren, and Cap, seen in Ransom Canyon’s ensemble cast. In fact, the set of Ransom Canyon books is more of an anthology series, with a slate of new characters introduced in each installment. The original Ransom Canyon characters do still come into play in the later books.. It will be interesting to see how Netflix and Blair will go about a potential Ransom Canyon season 2 and if they will even refer to the book series much at all moving forward.
11
Staten & Quinn’s Relationship Origin Is Different
They Had Casual Flings Before Getting Serious
Staten and Quinn’s relationship in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon adaptation has a bit more “grade school” elements than the book. Staten and Quinn tease each other throughout Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, constantly coming closer only for one to push the other away before finally getting together during episode 7’s tornado episode. In the Ransom Canyon novel, Staten and Quinn have casual sex multiple times before figuring out that they actually have feelings for each other. In the Netflix series, their true feelings are quite obvious and drawn out by comparison.
10
Quinn Gets Pregnant With Staten’s Child
They Decide To Keep The Baby
About halfway through the Ransom Canyon novel, Quinn gets pregnant with Staten’s child, which adds a whole new element to their relationship. While this could be a part of a potential Ransom Canyon season 2, the fact that this major Quinn detail was left out of the series is quite interesting.
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Ransom Canyon’s Kirkland & Collins Feud Explained: Why Davis Is After Staten’s Ranch
The ongoing feud between Staten & Davis in Ransom Canyon is fueled by romantic competition, real estate battles, and decades of small-town rivalry.
The events of the novel take place over a longer period of time than in the Netflix series. For example, Staten’s son Randall died in a car accident just a year before the beginning of the Netflix series, whereas in the book, it had happened several years before. Although Staten freaks out over Quinn’s pregnancy, they decide to keep the baby.
9
The Tornado Was Invented For The Series
It Became The Highlight Of The Show
The impressive and thrilling tornado episode in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon was invented for the series as it is not a part of the original novel. That means that Staten and Quinn didn’t get together for the first time while they were taking shelter inside Quinn’s house during the storm. This addition surely enhanced the source material, as Ransom Canyon episode 7 is one of the best, if not the best, episodes of season 1 of the Netflix series. The tornado scenes in Ransom Canyon seem to be inspired by the success of last year’s blockbuster Twisters.
8
Lucas Reyes (Not Russell) Commits To Texas Tech
Lucas Is Conflicted About College In The Show
Lucas, whose last name is Reyes instead of Russell in the Ransom Canyon novel, is not nearly as conflicted about where he wants to go to college in the book. At the end of Ransom Canyon season 1, Lucas hasn’t figured out where he wants to attend college, even though he’s receiving offer letters from several of the nation’s most prestigious universities. In the book, Lucas is dead set on going to Texas Tech University, which is the alma mater of the author Jodi Thomas, and Lauren wants to go there as well to be with him.
7
Yancy Grey Doesn’t Collude With Davis Collins
Yancy Tries To Keep His Head Down In The Book
While Yancy is an ex-convict and is running away from a troubled past in the Ransom Canyon book, he does not collude with Davis Collins to try to acquire Staten and Cap’s ranches for Austin Water & Power. Yancy is still the secret biological grandson of Cap Fuller but he does not deceive him or attempt to convince him to sell his land based on a deal he had made with Davis.
Yancy tries to keep his head down in the Ransom Canyon book and does eventually get romantically involved with Ellie, who is still protective of Cap in the book. Their relationship, however, isn’t as instantly passionate as seen in the series. Jack Schumacher, who plays Yancy in Ransom Canyon, told Screen Rant that the Netflix adaptation, and particularly his character, are darker than the books.
6
Lauren Is Not A Cheerleader & Doesn’t Date Reid
Lauren Doesn’t Have Dreams Of Cheering In College
Lauren Brigman, interestingly, is not a cheerleader in the Ransom Canyon book and isn’t romantically involved with Reid, so the love triangle between her, Lucas, and Reid was an invention for the show. The effects of her mother’s alcoholism also have more of a toll on her character in the Ransom Canyon book. She also isn’t as unsure about dating Lucas as she is in the series. Her dreams of cheerleading in college and her broken shoulder at the end of the season were added to the Ransom Canyon show.
5
The Town Is Called Crossroads, Not Ransom Canyon
The Book Is Still Named Ransom Canyon
The town in the Ransom Canyon books where the story takes place is a fictional town named Crossroads, Texas. While Ransom Canyon is an actual part of Texas, located just outside of Lubbock, it’s nothing like the town depicted in the Netflix series that’s full of rural affluence and Southern charm. It makes sense why Netflix and Blair would want to change the name of the town for the series, since Crossroads sounds a bit too fantastical.
4
Austin Water & Power Was Added To The Show
AW&P Is The Biggest Plot Addition To The Series
One of the biggest differences between the Ransom Canyon book and the Netflix series is the inclusion of Austin Water & Power. Besides his fling with Quinn and protecting his son Reid, Davis’s entire character only cares about acquiring land for Austin Water & Power, which his ex-wife, Paula Jo, is on the board of. As it turns out, AW&P is not even mentioned in the Ransom Canyon book and has no part in the unfolding story, which is surprising since it drives the motivations of many characters throughout the Netflix series.
3
Yancy Doesn’t Win A Rodeo Competition
Yancy Doesn’t Win Ellie Over That Quickly
Yancy has his moment to shine and earn some respect as the new kid in town when he wins a rodeo competition in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon. While these scenes make for some entertaining moments and become the key for Yancy to start winning over Ellie, they were not a part of the original story in the Ransom Canyon book. Yancy was never pressured to throw the fight by his ex-convict acquaintance Freddie, either.
2
Staten Gets Shot By Cattle Thieves
No Shots Were Fired In Netflix’s Ransom Canyon
One of the biggest omissions from the Ransom Canyon book was the part in which Staten actually gets shot by cattle rustlers who steal his cattle. Staten does have a similar situation in the Netflix series, in which his cattle were deliberately let loose, but he is not shot over it by thieves in the Netflix series. In fact, there’s not a single shot fired by any gun in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon.
1
Quinn Has A Much Darker Backstory
Quinn Had Different Reasons For Coming Home
Quinn had a troubling backstory in the Ransom Canyon novel that is not mentioned whatsoever in the Netflix adaptation. In the book, Quinn was sexually assaulted by her piano teacher while she was living in New York, which is what sent her back to Ransom Canyon (or Crossroads) in the first place.
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Ransom Canyon, led by a lovable cast with surefire chemistry, finds ways to surprise you, make you laugh, and break your heart with Southern charm.
In an interview with Deadline, Blair discussed why she made the change to Quinn’s backstory and relationship with New York City. “I changed the concept of that because I really wanted to focus less on, like the violence against women, and [make it] more about women lifting each other up.” Blair added, “I didn’t want her to be scarred by something that was inflicted on her. I wanted her to kind of have demons… but not have it be something quite so dark and demonic as what it was in the book.” Based on the ending of Ransom Canyon season 1, it looks like Quinn will be heading back to NYC.
8/10
- Release Date
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April 17, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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April Blair
- Directors
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Amanda Marsalis
- Writers
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April Blair
