‘Ransom Canyon’ star Minka Kelly speaks out after Netflix pulls the plug
Fans of the series ‘Ransom Canyon’ received the sad news this week as Netflix canceled the Texas soap opera after two seasons. The main star, Minka Kelly (who played Quinn O’Grady), has responded by posting a thank-you note to the viewers on social media. The actress shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram page, announcing the disappointing news on September 10, a day after the official cancellation. She posted a compilation of scenes from the show starring her character and Josh Duhamel (who played Staten Kirkland), writing, “Appreciating this little trip down memory lane as we say farewell. All good things must come to an end. And so it is.” Kelly also added, “Thank you all for giving us two beautiful seasons! I love you forever, my Ransom Canyon family!!”
Season 2 finished in July, meaning the show’s end came barely two months after the latest season’s premiere. Season 2 premiered on July 23, and the finale finally brought Quinn and Staten together. ‘Ransom Canyon’ first premiered in April 2025 and was created by April Blair, based on the book series by Jodi Thomas. The series followed three ranching families and their fights over land and legacy in a small Texas town. Duhamel and Kelly starred as Staten and Quinn, respectively, alongside Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, Casey W. Johnson, Philip Winchester, and Justin Johnson Cortez.
Meanwhile, Duhamel has not publicly reacted as of now. However, fans reacted to the news in the comments section below Kelly’s post, expressing dissatisfaction with the decision and hoping another network would pick up the series. Notably, the production also featured several firsts, as it was the first time that a Netflix production has powered its base camp primarily with solar energy for an extended period, according to The Hollywood Reporter. With no Season 3 in the works, the local crew jobs powered by the production are now also gone. But there are no known reports of a rescue for ‘Ransom Canyon.’ The series concluded after the second season, with Quinn and Staten finally coming together, much to the joy of the fans who had waited for it since the beginning of Season 1, but in a way that was not expected to be their end.
As for why Netflix canceled ‘Ransom Canyon,’ Season 2 attracted fewer viewers compared to Season 1. It got 4.1 million views in its first week, compared to 7.2 million for the first season, which is a 43% drop and probably the reason for its cancellation, Deadline reports. In addition, the series fell out of the Top 10 list quicker the second time around, taking three weeks, compared to four during its debut season.
While Netflix has never officially stated the viewership level required for renewal, insiders say the streaming service uses a rule of thumb of 30%. That means three out of every ten people who start watching a series must finish it to be considered successful by the company. Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos has publicly said cancellations are usually due to performance and budget reasons, rather than failure on a creative level. Some series do not attract enough viewership for the budget they require to continue producing.
