NEED TO KNOW
Ransom Canyon season 2 premiered on July 23 on Netflix
Davis Collins (Eoin Macken), his ex-wife Paula Jo (Meta Golding) and their son Reid (Andrew Liner) did not return
Showrunner April Blair explained that their exit was partially due to fans “not rooting for” Quinn O’Grady (Minka Kelly) and Davis’ relationship
Warning: Ransom Canyon spoilers ahead!
Ransom Canyon season 2 premiered on July 23 with a few key actors missing from its cast list.
The Netflix Western stars Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel as Quinn O’Grady and Staten Kirkland, respectively. Following a love affair in season 1 that went sour, season 2 picks up roughly six months after the dramatic end to their romance.
Of course, Quinn was also dating Davis Collins (Eoin Macken) throughout season 1, however the couple broke up in the final episode. When Quinn returns to Ransom Canyon after a trip to New York City in season 2, she soon discovers that Davis has left town — along with his ex-wife, Paula Jo (Meta Golding), and the former couple’s son Reid (Andrew Liner).
Here’s why the Davis family did not return for season 2 of Ransom Canyon — and how the show explained their abrupt departure.
Who are the three major Ransom Canyon characters missing from season 2?
Eoin Macken as Davis in season 1 of ‘Ransom Canyon’
Credit: Anna Kooris/Netflix
Davis, his ex-wife Paula Jo and the former couple’s son Reid are all missing from season 2 of Ransom Canyon.
At the end of season 1, Davis and Paula Jo are both exposed for their schemes to push through the controversial Austin Water and Power pipeline project on Staten’s land. Reid, for his part, breaks up with Lauren Brigman (Lizzy Greene) when he realizes that she actually belongs with Lucas Russell (Garrett Wareing).
How were the characters written off Ransom Canyon?
Andrew Liner as Reid in season 1 of ‘Ransom Canyon’
Credit: Anna Kooris/Netflix
The departure of the Collins family was addressed in the season 2 premiere of Ransom Canyon. When Quinn returns home from New York City, Ellie (Marianly Tejada) promptly explains their exit.
“Once the pipeline was in, [Austin Water and Power] cut bait,” Ellie says. “All that money dried up. A half dozen ranches folded. A bunch of them just sold out and cashed in.”
Quinn asks, “Davis?” Ellie then confirms that he was one of the ranchers who took the money and left for Austin, Texas.
Paula Jo, meanwhile, is “reconciling” with her ex-husband, while their son Reid is now a student at Texas A&M University.
What has the Ransom Canyon crew said about their exit?
Meta Golding as Paula Jo in season 1 of ‘Ransom Canyon’
Credit: Anna Kooris/Netflix
In an interview with TVLine, showrunner April Blair explained that part of the reason for Davis’ exit was the reaction to the love triangle between him, Quinn and Staten.
“Eoin Macken is an incredible actor, but he had a lot to shoulder in season 1,” she said. “He was playing the antagonist who was doing all this shady stuff, but then he was also the love interest. By the end of the season, once we’d put it all together, what I realized is that no one was rooting for Quinn to be with Davis. It was more of a ‘no, don’t go there’ kind of thing.”
Who are the new characters introduced in the wake of their exit?
Patricia Clarkson as Claire O’Grady in season 2 of ‘Ransom Canyon’
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Several new characters have arrived for season 2 of the Netflix Western, including Claire O’Grady (Patricia Clarkson), a.k.a. Quinn’s mom.
“Quinn’s mother, Claire — played by Clarkson, who’s an icon — comes to town, and she’s a little Postcards from the Edge meets The Notebook,” Blair told Tudum. “What did she do to mess up? We find out there are some secrets from the past.”
Other new faces include Yancy Grey’s wife, Sidney (Heidi Grace Engerman), Staten’s half-brother Levi (Steve Howey) and Oliver (Ben Robson), who is Quinn’s new love interest. Country music stars Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis also appear in Ransom Canyon season 2 as themselves.
Read the original article on People