Outer Range
Lukewarm sci-fi mystery on Wyoming ranch has booze, fights.
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Outer Range
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Outer Range is a sci-fi thriller that takes place on a Wyoming ranch, where a mysterious occurrence baffles a land owner. Drunken grudges are settled by means of parking lot brawls, which are depicted graphically (a punch to the throat cracks a man's windpipe). A mother has disappeared and is presumed to be dead. Characters drink to the point of vomiting and passing out, and they drive drunk. Characters are killed by violent acts or perilous situations.
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What's the Story?
In OUTER RANGE, a rancher named Royal (Josh Brolin, Dune, Deadpool 2) is counting his cattle on his property in Wyoming when he is confronted with a disturbing noise that rattles his senses. He returns to his family home to find that he has mysteriously lost two hours. His daughter-in-law has been missing for almost a year, and though everyone has been searching and praying for her return, she's nowhere to be found. A property dispute is brewing with the upwardly mobile ranchers next door, while Royal's youngest son is fighting a losing battle with the bottle. When a mysterious stranger (Imogen Poots, Castle in the Ground) asks to camp on the property, things get even stranger. What is disturbing his cattle? Why is his neighbor calling at night to warn his family of bad things to come?
Is It Any Good?
Though visually stunning and populated by excellent actors, Outer Range can't figure out whether it's a Western or a sci-fi thriller. Life on the ranch is splintered by the jagged camera work in an attempt to build suspense, but it has the effect of being suffocating at times, or else not detailed enough. Josh Brolin struggles to make a meal out of the anemic script, and Imogen Poots' poetry-writing drifter fails to make it as the shamanistic soothsayer she wants to be.
There are some nail-biting moments, but the majority of the thrills are too predictable. Teens might want to see this for a jolt, while adults might get something out of the gorgeous landscape. But there's better fare on which to binge.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about excessive drinking in Outer Range. What kind of things happen in this show when alcohol is abused?
Perseverance is a trait that characters exhibit while working on the ranch. How is working hard in the country different from hard work done in the city? Does one require more perseverance?
This show requires that characters face their fears and look at what faith means to them. What is faith to you? When has your faith been tested?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 15, 2022
- Cast: Imogen Poots
- Network: Amazon Prime Video
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: April 16, 2022
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