Josh Duhamel Says He Was Upset Netflix Ended 'Ransom Canyon' After Two Seasons

Josh Duhamel has spoken publicly for the first time about Netflix canceling the western drama "Ransom Canyon," telling Us Weekly that he was surprised and disappointed. The interview was published Monday, Oct. 19. The series, in which he starred opposite Minka Kelly, ended after two seasons.

Duhamel, 53, argued that the show's performance did not point to cancellation. Reports published since the decision, however, describe a drop in viewership between the first and second seasons.

The central numbers behind the cancellation

• Two seasons. The show ran for two seasons, and Netflix decided against a third.
• Sept. 10, 2026. According to SlashFilm, Deadline reported on this date that Netflix had canceled the series.
• Two episodes. Deadline reported that a lukewarm response to the first season led Netflix to trim its order for the second season by two episodes.
• 4.1 million views. Per Deadline, as cited by SlashFilm, this is what season 2 drew in its first week on Netflix after its July debut.
• 43%. That first-week figure was a decline of 43% from season 1, according to the same report.
• Almost two weeks at No. 1. This is Duhamel's own account of the show's ranking. SlashFilm also noted that the series reached No. 1 on Netflix's Top 10 and stayed on the charts for three weeks.

What Duhamel said

Duhamel told Us Weekly he was "pretty surprised" by the news. He said he had believed the show was safe because the numbers looked strong and viewers responded warmly to it. He said he was "a little upset" with Netflix for not giving audiences another season.

He also took a measured tone. He acknowledged that streamers have their own reasons for keeping or ending shows, said he does not always understand them, and said questioning them is not his job. He said he has to move on and feels bad for fans who were invested in the series.

Duhamel said he would like to play a cowboy again. According to Just Jared, he said a couple of projects are in the works but are too far off to discuss. He added that he would much rather play a cowboy than a defense attorney.

What the reports say about Netflix's reasoning

Netflix has not been quoted in these reports explaining the decision. Deadline, as relayed by SlashFilm, pointed to the decline in viewership and also speculated that the show's considerable budget, partly due to its marquee-name leads, may have played a role. Duhamel's view and the reported figures therefore differ on how well the show was doing.

SlashFilm also noted that streaming services judge shows by different metrics than traditional networks do, and that they do not face the need to fill gaps in a broadcast schedule. Netflix Life described season 2 as not a ratings juggernaut but said it did well enough that a third season seemed plausible.

Why it matters for viewers

For fans, the cancellation means the story will not continue on Netflix. SlashFilm reported that showrunner April Blair had ideas for a third season. Both outlets noted that season 2 did not end on a major cliffhanger, though Netflix Life said the storylines were not neatly wrapped up either. Netflix Life said both seasons remain available to stream on the service.

Kelly responded to the news with a more restrained message on Instagram. According to SlashFilm, she thanked everyone involved for two beautiful seasons and wrote that all good things must come to an end. SlashFilm also reported that many fans on Reddit voiced frustration with Netflix.

Where it stands

No revival or move to another platform was mentioned in the reports. Duhamel's comments suggest he is looking toward other work.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by Just Jared, Netflix Life, SlashFilm