Audiences and critics alike have been raving aboutNetflix’s Australian Western series,Territory,landing it on the streamer’s Top-10 list. On its face,Territoryseems very similar toYellowstone,theParamounthit show, which is coming to an endwith Season 5 later this year.With a similar premise to its American counterpart,Territoryfollows the Lawson family, led by aging patriarch Colin Lawson (RobertTaylor), as the family fights to maintain control of their cattle farm.
While the two shows clearly share many concepts and themes,some major differences putTerritorya step above. The two shows share the same catalyst in the first episode, butTerritorymanages to make more out of it, putting the show on a much clearer path ahead. Overall,Territoryhas stronger, more well-rounded characters, including the Indigenous characters of the show, something Yellowstone has struggled with since its first season.
‘Yellowstone’ and ‘Territory’ Share a Similar Inciting Plot Device
In the first episode ofYellowstone,the Dutton family patriarch, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) tragically loses his son, Lee Dutton (Dave Annable), which becomes the catalyst for the show moving forward. Similarly, inTerritory,Colin’s youngest son, Daniel (Jake Ryan) also dies tragically in the show’s first episode, butit means a lot more to the story. John Dutton is still running the family ranch and, even though Lee would have been the successor, his death doesn’t have that direct consequence. InTerritory,however, Colin has already given the ranch over to Daniel, so his death has a much more direct impact, not only emotionally on the characters but within the plot moving forward.
With the newly vacated position, the Lawson family now needs to figure out who will take over Marianne Station. Emily Lawson (Anna Torv) believes it should be her husband and Colin’s eldest son, Graham (Michael Dorman), but Colin doesn’t trust either of them to take over. Anna’s family has a sordid history with the Lawsons and Graham suffers from alcoholism, making him unreliable in his father’s eyes.This sets up a great conflict, especially when Colin turns to his grandson Marshall (Sam Corlett), Graham’s son from his first marriage, who wants nothing to do with running the ranch.
All of this inner family turmoil is happening under the cloud of mystery surrounding Daniel’s death. Unlike Lee’s death inYellowstone, which felt a lot like a plot device,it’s unclear what ultimately led to Daniel’s demise.Territoryshows brief snippets of Daniel’s final moments throughout the series, which adds a level of intrigue that gives his death more drive and meaning. When the truth finally emerges,it lands with a dramatic punch in a very satisfying way.
The Family Patriarchs Differ in ‘Yellowstone’ and ‘Territory’
Something overall thatTerritorydoes better thanYellowstoneis its rich and complex characters. While the American Western tends to rely heavily on the ever-changing plot to drive the story,Territoryfocuses the story more on its characters to tell the story, giving them full season-long arcs. This especially goes for the show’s patriarchs. While there are many similarities between John Dutton and Colin Lawson on the surface,Territoryopts for a more nuanced approach.
When the audience meets Colin,it’s clear that he’s widely known as not a good guy. He’s abusive to his son Graham, he holds irrational grudges and his toxic beliefs are clearly stuck in the past, making it hard not to hate him. Robert Taylor and the writers ofTerritoryclearly lean hard into this idea,not afraid to make Colin the villain of the show. This creates a lot more drama for the surrounding characters, especially for the rest of the Lawson family, who are watching the family legacy disappear before their eyes.
InYellowstone,John Dutton is pretty awful too, clearly manipulative and abusive at times, but writerTaylor Sheridanalways shies away from making him the bad guy. Maybe the hesitancy comes from the fact that the role is played byAll-American good guy Kevin Costner,but it makes for a much more inconsistent character. While Costner does deliver a great performance, as he usually does,Robert Taylor’s take on Colin makes for a stronger characterand someone who’s much more interesting to watch.
The End Is Nigh for the Duttons in New ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Trailer
The series returns on November 10.
‘Territory’ Delivers More for its Women and Indigenous Characters
Another big difference betweenYellowstoneandTerritoryis how the two shows treat their female and Indigenous characters.Most of the women inYellowstoneare very one-dimensionaland don’t really have their own storylines. Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) has the most screentime out of any other female character, but she comes off as what a man believes a “strong woman” looks like, doesn’t really ever grow or change, andis a pretty terrible person in her own right.
Territory,however, is led by a great female cast, with each character very layered and nuanced.Emily Lawson (Torv) is a much more complex characterand is integral to the main plot of the show. She certainly has her flaws, but it’s clear that she loves her family and wants the best for them, even if her actions are questionable. Torv is given a lot of great material throughout the whole season, making her one of the most complex characters in the whole show. Other notable female performances come fromPhilippa Northeastas Susie Lawson,Sara Wisemanas Sandra Kirby,Kylah Dayas Sharnie Kennedy, andTuuli Narkleas Keeley Redford.
Another place whereYellowstonefalls short is its representation of its Indigenous characters. Often times, those characters fall into stereotypes and are given secondary storylines, with no real connection to the main plot.Territorydoes a much better job of integrating its Aboriginal characters into the storyand making them fully-formed and complex characters on their own. Nolan Brannock (Clarence Ryan), an Aboriginal contract rancher who works closely with the Lawson family, straddles both worlds, which is met with tension from his community, led by elder Uncle Bryce (Hamilton Morris).
Whether you’re a fan ofYellowstoneor occasionally feel like the show maybe falls short in places,Territoryis definitely worth a watch. The beautiful shots of the Australian outback set a great tone for the Western genre, coupled with great performances and solid writing that sets up the show for a great Season 2, which hopefully will be announced soon.
