We have seen a series that takes place on a ranch before. Yet the Australian Territory manages to surprise with beautiful landscapes and the right sense of drama. Life on a ranch appeals to me. It is not that I aspire to it myself, but I really enjoy soothing images in a meadow environment. Maybe it's the nostalgia it brings. Ranch life is dying out. The land that has remained in the family for generations is threatened by money-hungry businessmen. When your legacy is at stake, you do everything you can to fight for it. This starting point is ideal for creating series. A number of examples can already be mentioned. This time the Australian landscape awaits us in the Territory series.
Territory can be described as an Australian neo-western. The series follows the Lawson family and their massive cattle ranch, Marianne Station, in northern Australia. The story begins with the mysterious death of a family member who should also have been the intended successor to the family business. If there is no clear heir for the world's largest cattle ranch, a fierce generational struggle will ensue that will endanger the future of the country.
Territory can stand on its own two feet just fine.
The plot revolves around Colin Lawson, played by Robert Taylor. The tough family head is determined to protect Marianne Station from both internal and external threats. Due to the death of a family member, he is forced to look for a new heir. Graham Lawson is played by Michael Dorman and should be a suitable candidate. However, he is not a stable factor as he struggles with an alcohol addiction. The biggest problem Colin has with Graham is his wife Emily Lawson. Emily comes from the criminal Hodge family and is one of the rival parties of the Lawson family. The Hodge family has stolen cattle in the past, so you can understand the suspicion. However, Emily has been fully committed to Marianne Station for years and has put the interests of the Lawson family first. Emily is played fantastically by Anna Torv.
Fortunately, there are more candidates to continue Colin's legacy. Graham has a daughter named Susie Lawson with Emily and Graham has a son named Marshall Lawson from a previous marriage. Colin has confidence in his grandson Marshall, but the relationship between them is tense. Marshall has gone his own way for years and comes back into the picture to support his family through the tragedy. Outside the family, there are other forces at play that want to take advantage of the Lawson family's discord. The influential Sandra Kirby tries to bribe the surrounding population with a large amount of pocket money. She says she wants to modernize the country and the population would earn money in return. These actions endanger Marianne Station's business activities.
If you have read the above, I can imagine that the plot will be familiar to many series fans. In any case, for me it immediately reminded me of the popular series Yellowstone (2018). There are certainly nuanced differences to be discovered, but in many areas Territory seems to have used the Yellowstone series (2018) as a blueprint. First of all, they both take place on a ranch. Secondly, the death of a family member underlies a power struggle over who should be the rightful heir. Third, in both series there are investors who consider keeping a ranch unnecessary. They want to buy up that land and use it to modernize. These elements make the series look unoriginal, but the similarities do not hinder the viewing experience. Territory can stand on its own two feet just fine.
Territory offers a compelling mix of family conflict, power struggles and beautiful landscapes. The vast Australian landscapes are beautifully depicted, with impressive images of mountains, grasslands and wildlife. Although Territory feels more like a soap opera than a drama series at times, the series gains momentum as the episodes progress. The similarities with Yellowstone (2018) are clear, but Territory distinguishes itself through its unique Australian setting and cultural elements. Although the level of the series cannot quite match Yellowstone (2018), it is certainly worth watching for fans of family dramas and westerns.
About the writer, Karzal
Mike (1995) has been a member of MySeries since 2016 and is mainly active on the English version of the site. Since 2018, he has been actively translating news articles, columns, reviews and basically everything that ends up on the Dutch site. The original articles, columns and reviews were actually written by others. During the week Mike can be found at IKEA, where he is a national systems specialist and occasionally also in the classroom to teach an English lesson. In addition, Mike logically enjoys watching series and has actually been spoon-fed this from an early age. The genre doesn't matter, there is a place for everything in the otherwise busy life.
