The new Netflix series, Territoryoffers a fantastic combination of Yellowstone plot and Mad Max aesthetics. With Yellowstone immense popularity after its debut in 2018, it’s no surprise that other platforms are trying to imitate it. Even Paramount itself began trying to recreate the success with several yellow stone spinoff shows and more from creator Taylor Sheridan. Netflix’s take on the neo-Western soap opera mash-up offers something new, with its central Lawson family and cattle empire set in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Territory is a Western drama created for television by Ben Davies and Timothy Lee. Territory The cast features an impressive array of Australian and New Zealand actors, including Anna Torv (Mindhunter, The last of us), Michael Dorman (For all humanity) and Robert Taylor (Longmire). The show debuted on Netflix to solid critical standing, receiving an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7/10 Netflix score. Although it may not have Yellowstone popularity still, it’s important to note that the Paramount series got off to a shaky start in its debut season.
Territory takes on the premise of Yellowstone and the aesthetics of Mad Max
Territory is a story of succession on a cattle station set against a vast Australian desert backdrop.
It would be easy to compare any film or show set in Australia’s vast landscapes to Mad Maxbut Netflix Western makes a distinct effort to mirror the iconic George Miller franchise with its cattle baron conflicts, at least visually. The show uses a very similar premise to yellow stone in this follows the succession crisis surrounding a family that has owned a huge cattle ranch for several generationsbut it beautifies its plot with its environment.
Marianne Station is to the Lawsons what Yellowstone Ranch is to the Duttons, and both shows feature a patriarch struggling to maintain his legacy after the death of a son. yellow stone embraces a sense of lawlessness that feels similar to the Old West despite its contemporary setting, raising the stakes of its drama with the threat that any character could be killed in a violent shootout. Territory creates intensity with the Australian environmentsimilar to how George Miller uses vast deserts for his Mad Max world.
How the Australian setting makes the territory unique
Territory establishes an original Western aesthetic that heightens its sense of danger
Although it may seem a criticism to suggest that Territory it’s just yellow stone Set in a different region, the subject matter is entirely justified by the show’s use of its environment. The natural environment of the Northern Territory, from inhospitable deserts to predatory wildlife, establishes a sense of danger for the series and its characters. For example, the premiere episode features a character eaten alive by wild dogs. Territory incorporates classic Western elements, modern, relatable characters and a authentic setting that brings the series to life in a completely original way.
A power struggle erupts after the death of the Lawson family patriarch, leaving his massive cattle ranch without a clear successor. Rival factions, from cattle barons and indigenous elders to billionaires and gangsters, vie for control. Tensions rise as the once-dominant Lawson family faces betrayal from forces within and without.
- Cast
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Anna Torv, Michael Dorman, Robert Taylor, Sam Corlett
- Character(s)
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Emily Lawson, Graham Lawson, Colin Lawson, Marshall Lawson
- Release date
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October 24, 2024