It looks like Hallmark Channel is trying to catch some of that Yellowstone fever with the series premiere of its new rodeo family drama Ride.
Sunday’s debut introduces viewers to the McMurrays, an almost dynastic rodeo family who runs a small-town ranch in Colorado. Mom Isabel (Last Man Standing‘s Nancy Travis) leads the brood following the death of her husband. She has three sons: the eldest, Austin (When Calls the Heart‘s Marcus Rosner), follows in his father’s footsteps as a well-known rodeo champion, with the help of his out-and-proud brother Tuff (Hallmark movie vet Jake Foy), while Cash (Good Trouble‘s Beau Mirchoff) is in the army.
Cash makes a surprise return during a particularly fateful ride for Austin and reunites with his brother’s wife, Missy (Riverdale‘s Tiera Skovbye), who is a trick rider. There’s tension between all three, before Austin departs to tell ranch hand/Missy’s best friend Valeria (The Flash‘s Sara Garcia) that she needs to help him or the family could be in a lot of trouble.
“I know your secret, and you are the only one that I know who can fix this,” Austin says to Valeria as a mysterious figure watches nearby. Valeria promptly leaves town, while Austin mounts his bull. But he’s not in the right headspace for the ride, leading him to tragically get trampled by the animal.
A year later, Cash has picked up the bull-riding mantle, Tuff has quit training out of guilt and Missy is trying to figure what her place is on the McMurray ranch now that she’s a widow. Meanwhile, Isabel is struggling to save the ranch from foreclosure, putting more pressure on Cash’s shoulders to ride well and secure a sponsorship despite Isabel’s fears of losing another son. When Missy reveals that she’s planning to take a job in Texas, Cash accuses her of running away when she’s afraid, just like she did during their almost-kiss the other night. (Anyone else think something was going on between these two while Austin was alive, hence the tension at Cash’s homecoming?)
When it’s time for Cash’s first official ride, he’s clearly rattled. “It should have been me,” Cash declares.
Then Missy steps in to give Cash a pep talk that is so successful that Isabel asks Missy to stay and coach Cash, because with her whispering in his ear, Isabel believes that Cash will be somewhat safe.
Elsewhere in the premiere, Valeria returns after a year away, still harboring some secret and still skittish around that mystery man, which catches Tuff’s attention. Valeria is welcomed back by Isabel, who views her and Missy as daughters, and Valeria pleads with Isabel not to sell the ranch. If they reseed the land, it could be prosperous one day, she argues. The episode ends with Isabel asking Missy and Valeria to help her fight to save the ranch and protect Cash as the family that they are.
The cast also includes Tyler Jacob Moore (Shameless) as Gus, a new resident… and possible love interest for Missy?
What did you think of the Ride series premiere? Grade it below, then hit the comments!
I really enjoyed the first show & I will continue to watch it. I always like NancyTravis as an actress.
Is this an Error? “Cash makes a surprise return during a particularly fateful ride for Austin and reunites with his wife, Missy (Riverdale‘s Tiera Skovbye), who is a trick rider. There’s tension between all three…”
Isnt Missy Austin’s wife but always had feelings for Cash?
Really liked it.
This show was awful. The writing was weak. There was no chemistry between the actors and the acting was subpar, even Nancy Travis, who I really like. Very disappointed.
I’m not really sure if I’m going to like this series. I like the topic and what it’s about but it seems like I’ve seen this kind of thing before on other channels. This woman loves that guy that guy came back now he loves her she doesn’t love him fight to save the ranch no we can’t do this it’s kind of a been there done that before type of series but I’ll give it episode 2 chance
Couldn’t make it through the first episode. Realized liking this new series would be a longshot since I rarely enjoy western/cowpoke oriented programming and despise the inherent animal cruelty associated with rodeos. Not for me. This is an extremely poor follow-up to the captivating allure of The Way Home.
Oh my. Just how important can Valeria, a “ranch hand/best friend” be to the family? And why did she have to leave for a year, and what was she doing that supposedly was saving the ranch per Austin (that obviously didn’t work). Missy has a problem not figuring out who she loves. She really should get out of there. Lastly, No. Every family doesn’t have a gay kid. And then to name him Tuff “We need more cowboys like you” is just silly. Why does Hollywood keep trying to push the gay cowboy on us? Hallmark is trying too hard to be woke. Call me all the names in the book, I don’t care. This is dumb.
Thanks for the review… I also won’t support hollywoods pushing of agendas.
agree
I just started watching this weekend. I have been recording “Ride” every episode so far. The show tried to slip in the gay thing; but, that was an immediate turn off-literally and figuratively. I won’t continue watching. The entire story and good/mean characters is overdone. Dallas, Dynasty…that was then, this is now. Why can’t Hallmark stick to making nice movies and shows? A happily married couple who is not on the verge of bankruptcy would be nice. And, there are families which have well-adjusted children.
Enjoyed the first episode. Hoping the Series becomes a hit. Like the plots and characters. Although I tend to agree, this has been seen before. Lose the romantic part between brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Hopefully the writers correct this mistake.
It would be more believable if they removed all references to Boulder. Boulder has nothing to do with rodeo and people are more to grow pot than attend a rodeo. I just can’t believe the storyline.
I only watch Hallmark movies not their series but this caught my attention and I tried to get into Yellowstone but I’m not crazy about that show. Ride seems like it’s legit.