Netflix recently released a new Western series, Territory, and it may just give Yellowstone a run for its money. Territory is an Australian Western drama show that follows various members of the Lawson family as they fight for ownership of their family farm, Marianne Station. However, the cracks running through their family allow others to vie for the farm as well, including rival farmers, gangsters, miners, and Indigenous leaders. Ultimately, this leads to an intense battle for succession. Despite premiering just a day or two ago, the show has already garnered an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.
So far, Territory has earned quite a bit of praise for its storytelling and attention to detail. Though the show could be considered soapy, this level of drama actually makes the series all the more riveting. Audiences are immediately pulled into the simmering tensions between the Lawson family and their competition. Furthermore, Territory succeeds at showing various different perspectives, including those of the Indigenous characters, who are so often forgotten in these types of narratives. Ultimately, Territory provides amazing visuals and an engrossing story that will transport its viewers straight into the Australian outback.
Netflix’s Western Show Territory Is A Great Replacement Watch For Yellowstone
What Territory Does Better Than Yellowstone
Based on the premise alone, it is clear that Territory is a perfect watch for Yellowstone fans. The two series have many commonalities, including genre, themes, and to a certain degree, setting. Although John Dutton is firmly at the head of the Dutton family, his children play a massive part in the show, just like in Territory. Furthermore, both shows place an emphasis on the conflicts between farmers and other groups, which can often lead to violence. Australia may be a long way from Montana, but the essences of these stories are quite the same.
The Lawsons are all vying for control of Marianne Station in Territory, which gives the show a clear goal it’s working towards.
In many ways, Territory actually improves the story that Yellowstone is trying to tell. Where Yellowstone has often struggled to balance its Indigenous characters with its white characters, Territory’s cast is more successfully represented. On top of that, Territory seemingly has a much more obvious goal than Yellowstone. The Lawsons are all vying for control of Marianne Station in Territory, which gives the show a clear goal it’s working towards. Yellowstone is a bit more abstract, following the general problems faced by John Dutton and his family members. Thus, Territory offers a bit more bite than Yellowstone.
How The Lawson Family’s Dynamics Compare To Yellowstone’s Dutton Family
Yellowstone’s Scale Is Good (And Bad)
At the core of both Territory and Yellowstone are family politics. In some ways, the troubles of the Duttons and the Lawsons feel incredibly similar. Just as Beth, Jamie, and Kayce have varying visions for the future of the Dutton Ranch, Emily, Graham, and Marshall are all hoping to take control of Marianne Station, regardless of the patriarch’s wishes. Really, the only difference is that the Lawson’s fight is much more concentrated than the Duttons. While the Lawsons are in an explicit battle for succession, the Duttons’ situation is more complicated, and therefore, less intense.
In reality, Yellowstone has a much bigger scale than Territory, especially in terms of the family dynamic. The Duttons have more family members and friends than the Lawsons do, and arguably, even more enemies. This makes the world ofYellowstone feel much larger than that of Territory, which is a good and bad thing. On one hand, Yellowstone’s vastness allows for a long-running story that is complicated and intriguing. However, it also dilutes some of the story’s intensity and gives the show too many different aspects to juggle all at once.
How Territory Season 1’s Reviews Compare To Yellowstone
Will Territory Be As Big As Yellowstone?
Territory and Yellowstone may be similar, but their reviews have some key differences. When Yellowstone season 1 first aired in 2018, the series earned a rather disappointing 57% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, though its audience score was much better at 83%. Currently, Territory has a solid 80% critics’ score, and the audience score hasn’t been tallied just yet. In this way, Territory could certainly pull ahead of Yellowstone, at least in terms of first season critical acclaim. At the very least, Territory is off to a much better start than Yellowstone was.
| TV Show | Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score (Season 1) | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score (Season 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone | 57% | 83% |
| Territory | 80% | TBD |
Critical reactions aside though, Territory may not reach the same levels of popularity that Yellowstone did. Although the show may be better received than Yellowstone, it doesn’t boast the same star power that Yellowstone did via Kevin Costner. Furthermore, the Australian setting may make Territory less relatable to viewers than Yellowstone’s Montana setting. Territory is still in its infancy, but if it truly wants to outdo Yellowstone, it will have to grow into another unstoppable franchise.
