TV-MA | 6 episodes | Drama, Action, Neo-Western, Mystery | 2024
Debuting last week on Netflix with little promotion and even less fanfare, the new six-part series “Territory” is set and was shot in Australia by Australian filmmakers, and stars Australian and New Zealand performers.
It takes place in and around Marianne Station (filmed at Tipperary Station), a fictional cattle ranch that is the largest of its kind in the world. Early on in the series, “Marianne” is described as being the size of Belgium, which is not hyperbole. The very real Anna Creek Station in Australia actually is the world’s largest cattle ranch. This premise is entirely plausible.
From Start to Finish
The plot similarities with “Yellowstone” and “Succession” are immediate and remain constant throughout. The series starts after the passing of the Marianne torch from patriarch Colin Lawson (Robert Taylor) to Daniel (Jake Ryan), the youngest of his two sons. Before the opening credits even start, Daniel is attacked and killed by a pack of wild dingoes. The reasons why and implications of Daniel’s death aren’t fully explained until the very last scene of the series.
Daniel’s death creates a power vacuum within the remaining Lawson clan, leaving Colin with a number of options, none of which he relishes. The most obvious choice is to replace Daniel with his eldest son, Graham (Michael Dorman), who desperately wants the top position. The big problem with Graham is that he’s an undependable, self-hating alcoholic.
Grandson or Granddaughter?
Not wanting the gig is Marshall (Sam Corlett), Graham’s son by his first wife. Returning home for Daniel’s funeral after years spent physically and emotionally distancing himself from the family, Marshall’s ambivalence actually appeals to Colin who wants to hand him the keys to the kingdom until he starts giving consideration to Susie (Philippa Northeast).
The daughter of Graham and Emily, Susie has recently stopped attending an agriculture college, wants to learn the family business, and is a quick study. This impresses the initially skeptical Emily and, more so, Colin. However, knowing the ins and outs of raising cattle is only half of the job. It’s successfully navigating through and dealing with hostile entities outside the family that matters the most.
There are two clear antagonists introduced in the first episode (three if you count Hank Hodge), and they all hate each other. With the death of Daniel, all recognize that the Lawsons are vulnerable. At the time of his passing, Daniel was lifting the business out of crippling debt, and this void in leadership, however temporary, is enough to get the proverbial vultures to start circling.
One of these scavengers is Campbell Miller (Jay Ryan), another ranch owner who has had his sights set on Marianne for decades. Outwardly, Campbell is genial and gracious, but in reality, he will stop at nothing to accelerate Lawson’s downfall.
Useless Nonfactor
The wild card in this mix is a group of Aboriginal natives represented by Nolan Brannock (Clarence Ryan), who feels (with some degree of legitimacy) that all of the land occupied by the Lawsons is rightfully theirs. Too much petty internal squabbling among the clan members eventually renders them a nonfactor in the bigger picture of the series.
Despite this sole subplot miscalculation, show runner (executive producer and head writer of a TV series) Ben Davies and Timothy Lee, director Greg McLean, and writers Kodie Bedford, Steven McGregor, and Michaeley O'Brien deliver six engrossing, hour-long episodes with great plot and character arcs. Originally titled “Desert King,” “Territory” is not being billed as a “Season 1” but rather as a limited series.
From where I sit, if the show has truly ended, I’m walking away satisfied. Closure is provided, although some viewers could interpret the ending as a cliffhanger. Either way, a second season could successfully continue the saga if handled with the same level of care and forethought.
