Yellowstone has been a hit for years, on both sides of the Atlantic. However, after the 5th season, the western series with Kevin Costner will end. It’s worth launching a successor early on. Netflix, whose Australian series Territory has been available since last week and was up at the time of this article, probably thought so too Number 1 in the series charts on Netflix stands. You can read what awaits you in the Aussie Western with Anna Torv (Mindhunter) and Sam Corlett (Vikings: Valhalla) here.
Thematically, Yellowstone and Territory are strikingly similar
As is well known, Yellowstone is about the power struggle over a ranch in Montana. The Netflix counterpart Territory is not set in the American West, but in Australia. However, the story is similar: The focus is on the largest cattle breeding station in the world.
The Marianne Station in Australia’s Northern Territory has been run by the Lawson family for generations. The sudden death of heir Daniel Lawson throws the dynasty into disarray. This not only leads to disputes within the family, but pressure is also exerted from outside. Rival breeding stations, indigenous groups and others long for the Lawsons’ demise, much as is the case with the Duttons under their ailing patriarch (Kevin Costner) in Yellowstone.
Despite the Outback as the setting, Territory passes as a neo-Western, even though specifically Australian themes (such as the relationship with the indigenous population) are dealt with.
More for Dutton fans:
The reviews for the Netflix series are mostly positive
There are not yet enough reviews on aggregators like Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes to draw a conclusion about the first season. The tenor so far is positive, with a few drawbacks.
At the Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Fienberg emphasizes that the series does not reinvent the Western wheel:
The intrigue is rudimentary, the love triangles are superficial and the cliffhangers are largely predictable […]. But the commitment to every genre cliché is completely sincere. The pretty people kiss, the bulls run around, and […] the path through this impassable terrain [ist] paved so reliably that the journey is almost too slippery.
Fienberg names a strength in comparison to Yellowstone:
In my opinion Territory does a better job than Yellowstone of integrating the indigenous perspective into the narrative. […] [Die Figuren]representing the Indigenous side, star in a more serious and occasionally provocative series than any other […].
In the less positive AV Club review (grade 3-) Todd Lazarski writes:
It doesn’t take long until the scam with the tough boys and girls gets a little too mushy often ends up in the realm of soaps. And for long stretches, the series reads downright frothy, with a love story sparked by an awkward request to take iPhone videos of some sweet riding maneuvers.
At Mashable, Amanda Yeo also draws a comparison to Yellowstone:
Compared to such titles, Territory tries to stand out from the crowd, emphasizing its Australian idiosyncrasies and such different enough to fascinate, yet familiar enough to feel comfortable.
There are more series tips in the podcast about the starts in October:
At this point you will find external content that complements the article. You can display it and hide it again with one click.
Territory and Yellowstone are streaming on Netflix
You can now see Territory for yourself on Netflix. There are six episodes, each about an hour long. If you prefer the “original,” you can stream three seasons of Yellowstone on Netflix. Paramount+ and Magenta TV have four and a half seasons to choose from.