Netflix cancels third season of Texas drama "Ransom Canyon" after viewership decline

Netflix confirmed that it will not move forward with a third season of the Texas-set romantic drama "Ransom Canyon," starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly. The decision follows the release of the eight-episode second season on July 23, which recorded 4.1 million views in its first week, a 43 percent drop from the 7.2 million views the series earned during its 2025 premiere week.

The series, adapted from Jodi Thomas novels, was already on a tentative renewal schedule after a modest but not large audience for its first season. Although the second season received a reduced episode order and a creative overhaul that included changes to the supporting cast, its performance fell short of Netflix’s renewal thresholds, especially given the series’ relatively high production costs tied to its lead actors.

Industry observers note that the show’s viewership trajectory mirrors that of several other sophomore Netflix titles that have seen similar declines yet secured renewals, such as "Running Point" and "The Four Seasons." However, Netflix appears to weigh cost against performance more stringently for titles with larger budgets.

During the series’ development, actress Minka Kelly negotiated for pay parity with co-star Duhamel, ultimately achieving near-parity, a move highlighted in industry reports as notable amid broader industry cost-cutting trends.

The second season concluded without major cliffhangers but introduced a potential love triangle involving the character Ellie and hinted at a larger role for Staten’s half-brother Levi, portrayed by Steve Howey. Showrunner April Blair, who also serves as creator and executive producer, along with executive producers Duhamel, Kelly, Dan Angel, Bradley Gardner and Joe Fazzio, will not be returning for a third installment.

Netflix’s cancellation reflects its ongoing strategy of balancing viewership metrics against production expenses when determining the future of its original series.