At first glance, Outer Range, a forthcoming Prime Video series, might bring Peacock’s hit series, Yellowstone with Kevin Costner, to mind. At least it did for me. The first image I saw of it was Josh Brolin and two other men wearing cowboy hats standing in a wide-open space, possibly a ranch of some kind.
You know a show’s popular when other networks want to copy it, which I at first (mistakenly) thought was what was happening with Outer Range. However, the title intrigued me for some reason so I checked out the synopsis. When I did, two things happened.
One, I got excited. Not that it looked anything like Them, another Prime Video series with a supernatural twist, but it definitely brought that to mind.
Two, I wondered if Outer Range might be based on or inspired by the mysterious Skinwalker Ranch.
I’m not sure if it is. It may draw a little inspiration from Skinwalker Ranch, and it may also be a combo of Yellowstone with a hint of Them and also a touch of Nope, another movie coming out this year with an alien theme. (But we don’t yet know exactly what Nope will be about. There’s a lot of speculation aliens are involved because people believe the title, “Nope,” is a clue: Not of Planet Earth.)
For now, let’s take a closer look at this new Amazon series and you can decide if it has any Skinwalker Ranch vibes.
Outer Range Storyline
Here’s the synopsis Gofobo shared:
A rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness. A thrilling fable with hints of wry humor and supernatural mystery, Outer Range examines how we grapple with the unknown. At the onset of the series, the Abbotts are coping with the disappearance of daughter-in-law Rebecca. They are pushed further to the brink when the Tillersons (the gaudy owners of the neighboring profit-driven ranch) make a play for their land. An untimely death in the community sets off a chain of tension-filled events, and seemingly small-town, soil-bound troubles come to a head with the arrival of a mysterious black void in the Abbotts’ west pasture. Wild revelations unfold as Royal fights to protect his family; through his eyes, we begin to see how time contains secrets held in the past and unsettling mysteries foreshadowed.
Outer Range Cast
In addition to Josh Brolin, it also stars Imogen Poots (Vivarium, Green Room, 28 Weeks Later), Lili Taylor (Mystic Pizza, The Conjuring, American Crime), Tom Pelphrey (Mank, Ozark), Tamara Podemski (Coroner, Run), Lewis Pullman (Them That Follow, Catch-22), Noah Reid (Schitt$ Creek, Strange Days at Blake Holsey High), Shaun Sipos (Texas Chainsaw 3D, Final Destination 2), Will Patton (who actually is also in Yellowstone!) and in her acting debut, Olive Abercrombie.
And just for fun because I noticed it, expect to see more from most of these actors but especially Lewis Pullman. Other movies we’ll soon see him in include Top Gun: Maverick and Salem’s Lot.
And we’ll see Will Patton with Jamie Lee Curtis when Halloween Ends comes out.
Outer Range Trailer
Outer Range and Skinwalker Ranch: Similarities and Differences
There may be other similarities and differences that you notice. And by all means, check in below in the comments and share them. But here are the ones I noticed.
Similarities: Neither the Skinwalkder Ranch nor the Abbott Ranch are tourists ranches, and both have strange things happening on them.
Differences: Location. Skinwalker Ranch is in Utah, and the Abbott Ranch is in Wyoming. (Or possibly on the edge of Montana and Wyoming? I’m a little confused because I thought in the trailer they mention Montana, but I can’t seem to find that part again. If you do, shout!)
Outer Range Release Date
April 15, 2022, on Amazon Prime Video.
For More Info
Outer Range is included with Prime memberships. Visit Amazon.com.
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If you watch the trailer, you’ll hear “Just Call Me Angel” by Juice Newton. Do you think that song is a plot clue?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, as well as obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of healing, to learn how she channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Well now I got the song stuck in my head.:-) Absolutely I think the song is a clue. But it may not refer to haloed, heavenly angels because the fallen “angel” Lucifer was the star “of the morning.” Yikes.
ACK! Sorry! I passed along the earworm! It’s been stuck in my head ever since I first watched the trailer. lol
Also, this is why I asked. I wondered if someone else might have some kind of insight like you shared that I was missing. Because I had an idea that it wasn’t a Touched by an Angel kind of angel reference. BUT I didn’t know that about Lucifer so…maybe that hole is some sort of portal or gateway to Hell? I don’t know, but the countdown is on for the premiere!
Courtney, I am watching the first episode now. Did you ever listen to Coast to Coast AM when Art Bell was the host? He had a recurring guest named Mel who claimed to have a bottomless hole on his property. It was 25 or 30 years ago when I heard him on the show. And now I am trying to remember the details of Mel and the hole. LOL! But I am wondering if that’s at least partly where the creator got this storyline from.
You may want to do a search on Mel’s hole.
AL!!!! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to leave this comment! I will go track down Mel’s Hole because this sounds SO much more like what might’ve inspired the show. (But because it had a ranch with weird goings-on, I automatically thought of Skinwalker. lol) THANK YOU again because this show is tripping me out!
And if you happen to read this reply, maybe you can help with another thing? What is up with the buffalo? I know it’s gotta be a symbol for something but symbolism in English class was where I always struggled.
But in general, THANK YOU for this lead. The hunt for more info is now underway!
I think it may be a mixture of Mel’s Hole and Skinwalker Ranch. That’s the cool thing about having a creative mind; take influences from real life and make something new! I did some quick researching and Mel lived in Washington. And there were rumors of dead people coming back after being thrown in the hole.
Here’s what I am thinking about the bison after making it past the third episode. Royal Abbott warped ahead in time after being pushed into the hole by Autumn Rivers. And the mountain disappeared when they shook hands in a subsequent episode as if time was warping to the distant past.
I think the bison was being hunted by native Americans in the past and ran into the hole as it was trying to escape the danger. And it ended up warping forward in time. Bet heck, I’m spitballing. We’ll have to keep watching and see how it plays out!
AL!!!! Oh I’m SO excited you saw my reply and responded!!! With some new info about Mel’s hole even which really does sound SO similar to Outer Range the more you reveal. I haven’t had a chance to look into it yet but am planning a follow up post hopefully in the next few days.
And your theories on the bison (crap, did I get that wrong calling it a buffalo? something else I gotta learn about!) sounds 100% plausible to me! That’s really been stumping me. I know it must mean or symbolize *something* but what? I don’t know!
And the mountain disappearing…that reminded me of another series I watched about a little fishing village on the edge of a forest somewhere Tasmania. I think it was called The Gloaming. It has sort of a similar feel to Outer Range, but it was only one season (or all I could access was one season) and it left a LOT of unanswered questions so I’m hoping Outer Range doesn’t leave us hanging and answers some of these questions! lol
THANKS so much again for sharing your “spitballing” ideas. LOVED IT!!!