Netflix’s new series, Territory, offers a terrific combination of Yellowstone’s plot and Mad Max’s aesthetic. With Yellowstone’s immense popularity following its premiere in 2018, it’s no surprise other platforms are trying to emulate it. Even Paramount itself has begun trying to recreate the success with various Yellowstone 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 their cattle empire set in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Territory is a Western drama created for television by Ben Davies and Timothy Lee. Territory’s cast features an impressive ensemble of Australian and New Zealand actors, including Anna Torv (Mindhunter, The Last of Us), Michael Dorman (For All Mankind), and Robert Taylor (Longmire). The show premiered on Netflix to solid critical standing, receiving an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7/10 score on Netflix. While it may not have Yellowstone’s popularity yet, it’s important to note that the Paramount series had a shakey start with its premiere season.
Territory Takes Yellowstone’s Premise & Mad Max’s Aesthetic
Territory Is A Succession Story In A Cattle Ranch With A Vast Australian Desert Setting
It would be easy to compare any film or show set in Australia’s vast landscapes to Mad Max, but the Netflix Western makes a distinct effort to mirror the iconic George Miller franchise with its cattle baron conflicts, at least visually. The show utilizes a very similar premise to Yellowstone in that it follows the succession crisis surrounding a family who’ve owned an enormous cattle ranch for multiple generations, but it embellishes its plot with its environment.
Marianne Station is to the Lawsons as the Yellowstone Ranch is to the Duttons, and both shows feature a patriarch struggling to maintain his legacy after the death of a son. Yellowstone embraces a sense of lawlessness that feels akin to the Wild West despite its contemporary setting, heightening the stakes of its drama with the threat that any character could be killed in a violent shootout. Territory creates intensity with the Australian environment, similar to how George Miller utilizes sprawling deserts for his Mad Max world.
How The Australian Setting Makes Territory Unique
Territory Establishes An Original Western Aesthetic That Heightens Its Sense Of Danger
While it may seem like a critique to suggest that Territory is just Yellowstone set in a different region, the matter is entirely justified by the show’s use of its environment. The natural environment of the Northern Territory, from harsh deserts to predatory wildlife, establishes a feeling of danger for the show and its characters. For example, the premiere episode sees a character eaten alive by wild dogs. Territory incorporates classic Western elements, modern, relatable characters, and an authentic setting that brings the series to life in an entirely original way.
