Outer Range, the riveting sci-fi suspense series starring the esteemed Josh Brolin, has been sadly discontinued by Amazon Studios after two stellar seasons. Its future on Prime Video has been extinguished, according to a source privy to the decision, who shared this news with IndieWire. Brian Watkins, the series' ingenious creator, was joined by an esteemed list of executive producers including Charles Murray, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ernest McNealey, Josh Brolin, Tony Krantz, Heather Rae, and Jon Paré. The ensemble cast, led by Brolin, boasted talents such as Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tamara Podemski, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Isabel Arraiza, Olive Abercrombie, and Will Patton.
The series blended the paranormal with the rugged charm of the rural West, following Brolin's portrayal of Royal Abbott, a rancher valiantly defending his land and family. It was at the fringes of Wyoming's vast wilderness where Abbott stumbled upon an enigmatic phenomenon—a dark void that defied comprehension. The second season intensified the drama as the family grappled with the sudden disappearance of their cherished granddaughter, deepening the mystery surrounding the ominous void.
Upon its April 2022 debut, IndieWire's review was somewhat dismissive, noting that "'Outer Range' seemed to be for people who loved 'Yellowstone' but longed for a more 'Lost'-like experience." Despite spending five weeks on Nielsen's streaming charts for its first season and maintaining a presence for the last three weeks since its May 16 premiere for the second season, the series, despite Brolin's star power, never attained the same level of attention as Amazon's "Fallout," which boasted Prime Video's second-largest debut ever.
Between seasons 1 and 2, "Outer Range" underwent a change in leadership, with Zev Borow stepping aside and Charles Murray taking the reins. Even Brolin himself made his directorial debut with an episode of the show. In a revealing discussion on one of IndieWire's Consider This panels back in May 2022, some of the series' creative minds shared how they built the show's elaborate sets from the ground up and transformed their New Mexico shooting location into the Wyoming setting of the series.
