Ransom Canyon is just one of Netflix’s most-anticipated new shows. Indeed, out of all of the new titles coming to the platform in April 2025, the western series stands out as the one to watch, which means I've marked my calendar for when it drops on April 17.
Based on Jodi Thomas’ series of novels, Ransom Canyon follows three ranch families in the heart of Texas Hill Country leaving no stone unturned with their intertwining drama, love, and loss. One of its central characters is Reid Collins, a role that actor Andrew Liner has bravely taken on for his first time filming with Netflix.
We’re still a few days away from Ransom Canyon’s premiere, and there are a lot of unanswered questions about what we can expect to see in the show’s first season. Luckily, Liner has all the answers and took the time to tell me all about Netflix’s western, the biggest acting lessons he’s learned, why he thinks the western genre has resonated with so many viewers and whether a second season is on the cards.
“Growing up, I wanted to see myself on screen”
Right off the bat, Liner’s excitement for the show is unconfined. Without giving too much away, the Netflix star perfectly captures the essence of what we can expect from what could become one of the next best Netflix shows.
“I’m so excited for people to start connecting to the characters. There are some fights, murder mysteries, and I'm excited for people to start guessing on who they think did it. As much of a roller coaster ride as it is, you're guessing a different character for each episode”. Liner was really selling it to me, and I was buying it.
But when it came to stepping into the role of Reid, this transition seemed to be a pretty smooth one for Liner who immediately identified his character’s objective and carved his narrative accordingly. He describes Reid very simply; “complex”.
“That's why I like him so much. He’s misunderstood and very complex, and when you're in your youth, you're trying to figure out who you are, and he's very much doing that”, the Netflix star adds.
Liner doesn’t stop there, delving deeper into his character: “He’s trying to find the good in himself, but also not trying to lose the integrity of himself. I think that a lot of people will think he’s not a good guy, but I love him. He's just stumbling along and trying to be good.”
“I'm making something that I think a lot of people could potentially watch”
This is what the Ransom Canyon star shared with me when I asked how it felt going into a Netflix production. But although he has worked with alternative streaming platforms, most notably Vampire Academy on Peacock, Liner felt a difference with Netflix.
“It definitely felt a bit different because it felt bigger”, he recalls first stepping into the Netflix studio. But despite this difference, Liner is a prepared actor, and was already equipped with the skillset required to bring another big scale TV production to life.
“Thank God for Vampire Academy. That was eight months of stunt training, so I got to use that and everything moving forward. I have a fight in Ransom Canyon, and I got to use that stunt training to the best of my ability. But our women are fierce and opinionated and strong, and they fight harder than the boys”, Liner shared with me, teasing more action-fueled moments from the upcoming Netflix show.
Having gained ample experience working on supernatural, fantasy, and sci-fi shows, Ransom Canyon marks the first western production for Liner. Given the rise in popularity of adjacent shows such as Yellowstone, Liner is very aware of what this genre means to viewers.
Liner puts it quite simply: “When I was growing up, Paul Newman and Robert Redford in Butch Cassie and the Sundance Kid were the coolest guys. I think that’s what we want to get back to. We want to feel some out of world experience, but close to the world, but not really, but kind of. It's about passion."
Will Ransom Canyon return for season 2?
Speaking of impeccable taste, Liner is as obsessed with TV shows just as much as the average buff. Having found that out, I had to know more.
“I love Bojack Horseman! It's an adult animation, dark comedy, but it's also so grounded, and emotional. I always do a frequent re-watch of that. And Black Mirror is always awesome. It lends a huge hand to the writers creating a story, and it gives actors an opportunity to really dive into these roles."
Hopefully, Ransom Canyon will prove itself worthy of the same level of respect as audiences have given to shows like Bojack Horseman and Black Mirror. Still, its first season is very much in an embryonic stage, but Liner has hopes that the story can continue for a second season, stating “we don't know yet, but I sure hope so”.
“Once you see the finale you'll see that there's more story to tell. And I think with my character in particular, you're going to want to see what he does after his actions – the repercussions, if you will."
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