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'Outer Range' Episode 1 Review: Meet the Abbotts and the Tillersons

In Episode 1 of 'Outer Range,' we are introduced to the Abbott family and their ranch and get a peek into their relations with the Tillersons

'Outer Range', at first glance, reminds you of 'Yellowstone.' At its core, the Amazon Prime Video series is about a family's attempts to protect their ranch amid challenges. Soon, it turns out there is a supernatural angle to it as well, making it something that could have been pitched as "Yellowstone meets The Void." After the opening shots of a corpse being carried on a horse, Episode 1 of 'Outer Range' begins in Royal and Cecilia Abbott's bedroom.  

The opening shots happen to be from Royal's (Josh Brolin) nightmare and he wakes later up to be informed by Cecilia (Lili Taylor) that she had a dream as well. We find out that the family has been going through tough times ever since Rebecca, their daughter-in-law, went missing and that Cecilia has been dreaming about Rebecca reuniting with them. Rebecca's disappearance has affected Perry, Royal's older son, the most, while it's revealed that Rhett, their younger one, is a drunk and a somewhat up-and-coming rodeo. 

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A visit from the heirs to the neighboring Tillerson Ranch adds to their woes, as Royal and his sons are given a notice that orders them to hand over a vast amount of their western pastures to the Tillersons as it turns out to be encroached land. It's around this time, that Royal finds a mysterious black void around the same region that is being disputed. He also meets Autumn, a drifter of sorts, who claims to be a poet, looking to camp on the ranch for a while and ends up staying near the disputed region.

What initially seemed to be Amazon Prime Video's version of 'Yellowstone' quickly turned out as something more, as the sudden appearance of the void and Autumn, bring supernatural elements to 'Outer Range.' The series, written and created by Brian Watkins, takes its time to unfurl. The hour-long episodes are slow-burners for most parts and could test your patience as they don't focus on the payoffs. Instead, they primarily give us a peek into the lives of the Abbotts. Shot by Adam Newport-Berra and Jay Keitel, 'Outer Range' is vivid but switches to gloomy when necessary. In all, Episode 1, titled 'The Void', introduces us to the Abbotts and their neighbors, and by the end keeps us on the edge of our seats as tensions rise between the two. 

The first two episodes of 'Outer Range' are available for streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video