Territory avoids Yellowstone’s biggest problem with its first major die-off

Includes SPOILERS for Territory season 1.

There is a great similarity between Territory and yellow stone, and it appears the Netflix series made a concerted effort to correct a common criticism of Taylor Sheridan’s Western. Since its debut in 2018, yellow stone has become one of the biggest shows in the world, known for its mix of soap opera and neo-western elements. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Netflix would attempt a series with a remarkably similar premise, albeit set in a different region of the world, allowing for variation in tone and aesthetics. Territory and Yellowstone similarities They are common, but one stands out.

THE Territory The cast plays an important role in establishing a heartfelt setting for Marianne Station in Australia’s Northern Territory, but there are also notable archetypal similarities between their characters and Yellowstone’s protagonists. The Lawson family and the Dutton family are led, in some form, by elderly patriarchs: Colin Lawson and John Dutton. Both parents have a son they absolutely detest: Graham Lawson and Jamie Dutton. It is important to highlight that Both parents also have golden boy sons who play the most active role on the farm: Daniel Lawson and Lee Dutton. Neither lasts long.

Daniel Lawson mirrors Lee Dutton in season 1 of Yellowstone

Both sons die so the show can begin

In both Territory and yellow stoneThe death of the golden boy son is the catalyst for the events of the shows. In TerritoryColin Lawson has already handed over leadership to his son Daniel, and the role remains vacant without a clear successor. In yellow stone, John Dutton still runs the ranch, but Lee Dutton is undoubtedly the ideal candidate for the job and has apparently been preparing for this all his life. With Lee Dutton’s death in the opening episodes, John is left with three children, all with talents, but none of them are right.

By the time the show begins, Colin Lawson is shown to be out of touch with the cattle business and unable to return to leadership. This puts Lawsons Station and Marianne in a more pressing and immediate situation, as vultures are circling their land and there is no one ideal to intervene. In the same way as Kayce Dutton, who is the prodigal son and ideal potential candidate in yellow stoneColin wants Marshall Lawson to take Daniel’s place, but his grandson is not interested. Graham and Jamie are the sons who want the job, but their parents don’t think they’re suitable.

Lee Dutton is barely mentioned again in Yellowstone

No one really seems to miss Lee or have any memories of him

Something that has been commonly noted as a criticism of yellow stone is that, after Lee’s death, he was almost never mentioned in the series again. He appears in Kayce’s visions in season 4, but that is his only cameo, and he rarely plays a significant role in flashbacks to the Dutton brothers’ childhood. John Dutton mourns his son at the beginning of the first season, but everyone seems to get over it pretty quickly. For such an important and revolutionary event, yellow stone treats the subject simply as a plot device and not an emotional touchstone for the series’ characters.

To be fair, no one other than Colin really seems to mourn the loss of Daniel Lawson for a long timealthough it does contribute to the show’s narrative in a specific way. It’s important that Daniel wasn’t actually the better or more loyal guy, contrasting with Colin’s rosy perception of his two sons. Lee Dutton, on the other hand, seemed to be the more sensible of the Dutton children, which made it quite surprising that he wasn’t more loved.

Daniel Lawson’s death creates a mystery throughout the territory’s first season

Daniel’s death occurred under mysterious circumstances

Although no one is really mourning Daniel Lawson, Territory cleverly uses his death beyond the original event. Instead of just killing him to create the initial succession conflict, the Netflix series establishes a mystery surrounding his death. It is revealed in episode 1 that his horse is missing, and there continues to be some intrigue surrounding the white steed and his saddle until episode 4 shows the true nature of Daniel’s fate in a flashback scene.

The final moment of Territory The Season 1 finale is still about Daniel Lawson, proving that his death will have a lasting effect on the series. If Territory is renewed for Season 2, it will likely explore the fallout between Colin and Emily as patriarch Lawson uncovers the true events behind his son’s death. Territory has a long way to go before it can compete with yellow stonebut making his first big death a significant part of the overarching narrative is a big step.