(Credits: Netflix)

Ransom Canyon undoubtedly depicts one of the best takes on the modern Western genre. So, following the emotional rollercoaster Netflix took us on in the debut season, it’s undeniably coming for more with a second season.

According to Netflix, the cameras have been rolling for the second season of the contemporary series in New Mexico, originally set in a small town in Texas, where love triangles, high-stakes land disputes, and intergenerational family drama are an everyday affair. As is expected with the production status, Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel have returned to the sets.

But turns out, that’s not all Netflix has to announce for Ransom Canyon’s comeback. This time around, a special recurring guest star has joined the addictive series, Steve Howey, best known from Shameless, Off Campus, and High Potential. Howey is set to portray Staten’s half-brother, Levi, described as a “mountain man” who lives the life of a countryman.

Howey joins previously announced actors helming season two, including Patricia Clarkson, Ben Robson, and Heidi Engerman. The returning cast consists of Duhamel, Kelly, Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Jack Schumacher, Marianly Tejada, Justin Johnson Cortez, Casey W Johnson, Tatanka Means, Kenny Miller, Philip Winchester, Jennifer Ens, Brett Cullen, and Niko Guardado.

Coming from the coattails of creator April Blair, the first season of Ransom Canyon began with the tale of three ranching families, whose lives and legacies were marked by loss, love, and loyalty, in the Texas Hill Country. When an enigmatic cowboy arrives in Ransom, he scoops up the mud all the more, heightening the contentious state with twice as many hidden secrets that raise the stakes of the struggle these families face.

But even amidst the tension and suspense, the epic romance between rancher Staten Kirland and community leader Quinn O’Grady steals the show, just when they have to confront outsiders who threaten their way of living and the place they call home. Speaking of the second season renewal, Blair told Tudum, “I couldn’t be happier that Netflix is ready to get back in the saddle for Ransom Canyon. Our dreamy little corner of Texas Hill Country is full of stories still untold, and we can’t wait to bring them to our incredible fans. Get ready for another ride.”

Ransom Canyon concluded with some major tenterhooks when the curtain fell on the first season. After ten episodes of will-they-won’t-they romance, fans were relieved to see Quinn and Staten finally together. However, at the same time, Quinn gave a nod, accepting a position at the New York Philharmonic to keep her Ransom dance hall afloat following a ruinous business deal with Davis, her ex-lover and Staten’s brother-in-law.

Kelly opened up about the plot twist, saying, “That’s one of my favourite things about this show. A lot of times, the women, Quinn in particular, are not making choices that you typically see in a romance on TV.” So, the question remains whether Staten will move in with Quinn, especially now that the questions surrounding his son’s death are answered. According to Duhamel, such a turnout is actually hard to picture, but he’s ready for whatever’s next.

Quinn left the responsibility of running the dance hall to her friend and co-worker, Ellie, who is swept up in romance with her fiancé, Yancy. But to complicate the situation, a woman claiming to be Yancy’s wife also appears out of the blue in the season finale, leaving viewers biting their nails. So, there’s a lot to find out when Ransom Canyon returns with its second season. Hence, all one can hope is that viewers are ready.