The Ranch gives real life in the sticks the sitcom treatment

Our generation's King of the sitcom Ashton Kutcher has returned to screens with a new show on Netflix about a salt of the earth family whose ranch is in serious trouble.  Kutcher is the prodigal son Colt Bennet, returning home from the city as his football career goes into decline and he realises how much his family needs his help. Joining Kutcher is his fellow That '70's Show alumni Danny Masterston as his straight talking brother Rooster. Sam Eliot is fantastic as Beau the head of the family and farm and manages to bridge the gap between absurd comedy and sensitive drama, particularly  when giving fatherly advice to his sons. While their mum Maggie is a quick witted independent woman who lives apart from her husband for her own sanity and runs the local watering hole.

The show especially captures the small town mentality and sense of community, the shared histories and complicated relationships that such familiarity brings with it. The setting of a sitcom back in the mundane or normal realms, far from LA or NYC, brings with it some of the magic found in other sitcoms like Malcom in the Middle or Roseanne. True relatability. The issues facing these ranchers are ones we can all relate to: tight finances, miscommunication, eating better, health issues, aspirations and disappointments. A great mix of emotionally nuanced story lines, country wit and slap stick, the best thing about The Ranch is that you can imagine them really being a family. Close in real life the fraternal chemistry between Kutcher and Masterston is fantastic and belies their long friendship, while the lack of glitz and glamour is what really makes the show shine.