For people who grew up watching “That ‘70s Show,” it’s no surprise that they would enjoy watching Kelso and Hyde back on the screen as Colt (Ashton Kutcher) and Rooster (Danny Masterson) in “The Ranch.”
For the most part, The Ranch” explores several aspects of what it takes to be a rancher in the 21st century. When Colt came back to his hometown in Colorado after his career as a semi-pro football player ended, most fans were pleased to watch the interaction between Colt and his father Beau, played by Sam Elliot.
One of the best aspects of the show is the dynamic between the bitter father who resents his youngest child, who left for 15 years and hides his admiration for his drunken older son Rooster, who never left the nest and has always been there to help him out in the ranch.
Over the past five seasons, there has been special appearances from fellow “That 70’s Show” alumni. This includes Debra Jo Rupp (known for portraying Kitty Forman) as one of the recurring characters, Wilmer Valderrama (known for playing Fez) as Umberto in season one, and Kurtwood Smith (known for his role as Red Forman) as Sam Peterson in season two. Fans were pleased to keep watching in hopes of getting the whole gang back together.
Nevertheless, after the rape allegations against Masterson in 2017, most fans expected the show to be canceled given that he was one of the main characters of the show.
When season five aired over the summer on June 15, it was surprising that he was still part of the cast, but by the end of the season, it was evident that Masterson was out of the picture.
The way they killed off Masterson’s character left fans assuming his death, given that it was not confirmed, yet leaving some kind of hope of him reappearing at some point.
Season six has an overall depressive tone, with the first episodes showing a heartbroken sibling desperate to find some answers to the disappearance of his older brother, and a father facing the guilt of always being so detached with his feelings and never truly telling his son how much he loved him.
The season started with a sad event and then tried to rise back into comedy and good times with the birth of Peyton Bennett, the daughter of Abby, played by Elisha Cuthbert, and Colt, something fans had been waiting for since season five.
There was no contrast between the easy-going son and the hardworking sibling dying to prove himself to his father. With Rooster’s departure, the energy between Beau and Colt got quite old very fast, not to mention the show became a bit predictable and boring.
Getting rid of Rooster was a bad move for the producers because it took away the comedy and turned the show into a more dramatic type of show.
My hopes of the show not being ruined were revitalized with the recent addition to the cast.
When the character of Luke Matthews, played by Dax Shepard, came into the story as the nephew Beau never knew he had, it kept some of our hopes alive considering the show still had a chance to redeem itself.
Most fans are asking if Luke will be the new Rooster, according to TV Line, given that both characters have a drinking problem and make fun of Colt for not being the smartest cookie. Despite this character addition, a lot has been lost with the departure of Rooster, and the results of this “switch” are yet to be known.
The season finale was one of the most dissatisfying ones the show has ever delivered to the public, and for the most part, it leaves one with no desire of watching the repercussions of Colt’s actions. Instead, it will make you think, ‘Why bother?’ Although the reasons behind the decision to kill off Masterson’s character are understandable, it leaves a permanent gap in the hearts of the fans.
