SPOILERS ALERT! This story reveals the plot point from the series premiere on March 26th Drive on trademarks.
It takes place on an idyllic but financially troubled ranch run by a widowed parent who loses a loved one in the premiere episode – while everyone looks outright sexy in their wranglers and cowboy boots.
But that’s where the similarities come to yellowstone End for Hallmark’s Driveconsists Sherri Cooper-Landsman (brothers and sisters, Everwood), who will direct the new drama about a rodeo dynasty with Rebecca Boss and Chris Masi (Our kind of people).
“For me, it was just this beautiful ranch setting with a family going through things that a family goes through,” Cooper-Landsman tells Deadline Drive. “And to be honest, I hadn’t even seen Yellowstone, so I didn’t even think about it. It was just this beautiful environment and a world that Becky [Rebecca] really knew that well.”
Driveproduced by Endeavour-backed Blink49 Studios and Seven24 Films in association with Bell Media for the CTV Drama Channel in Canada, stars Nancy Travis as matriarch Isabel Murray and Beau Mirchoff (Good trouble), Jake Foy (Designated Survivor) and Marcus Rösner (Arrow) than her sons Cash, Tuff and Austin. Tiera Skovbye plays Austin’s wife, Missy.
Here, Cooper-Landsman breaks down the premiere episode and explains what fans can expect from the series, which was shot entirely in Calgary, Alberta.
DEADLINE You were brought in after the show was announced. Is that right?
SHERRI COOPER LANDSMAN I was brought on board in March last year. Chris had written the pilot. It’s the world of Chris and Becky. They brought me in just before we started the mini-room, so we had a pilot script and did the casting and everything together when I started.
DEADLINE Oh you said the dreaded phrase, the mini room.
COOPER LANDSMAN However, it was the most adorable mini room! There were maybe six of us at Zoom. We were gathered because we hadn’t gotten the green light yet. Very often they do. When we had the pickup we were all excited to continue.
DEADLINE The comparisons to yellowstone are inevitable. Did you have concerns about that at the beginning?
COOPER LANDSMAN Not at all. To be honest, I’ve never thought about it. All I knew when I read it was that I could make a good contribution because this was just a great family. This is my sweet spot. For me it was just this beautiful ranch setting and this family going through things that a family goes through. And to be honest, I hadn’t even seen Yellowstone, so I didn’t even think about it. It was just this beautiful setting and a world that Becky really knew so well.
DEADLINE But… you killed a son in the premiere. That happened in yellowstone Pilot.
COOPER LANDSMAN I hate to say this, but… I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and usually someone dies in a teaser. [Laughs]. Credit goes to Becky and Chris and the cast. It was our own thing. We didn’t think of other shows and had to avoid comparisons.
DEADLINE Did you have to go to school all over the rodeo world?
COOPER LANDSMAN A little bit. But at the end of the day, I really needed to learn how a ranch works, not how rodeo works. What are the concerns when a family raises cattle or engages in agriculture? What are the burdens and the burdens? I went to school with it.
DEADLINE I was actually pleased to see everyone wearing helmets while riding this stubborn bull.
COOPER LANDSMAN Yes, they do. It’s like skiing today. Everyone skis with a helmet and everyone at the rodeo wears a helmet. It was all filmed at the Calgary Stampede. Rodeos and other events are held here. We found a beautiful family ranch to photograph at [for the Murray family scenes].
DEADLINE Have you wondered if you had to change the way you tell stories because you did it for the family-friendly Hallmark?
COOPER LANDSMAN No. What was great about our conversations with Hallmark from the start was that they just wanted to tell this family drama. There’s nothing we haven’t touched, I don’t think. It was a kind of joy because we felt like the characters had to lead the stories for us. Nancy brought so much seriousness to it. It’s like, ‘Oh my god, we found our Isabel.’ It reminded me of Sally Field [who played the matriarch on] Brothers and sisters. Isabel is the backbone of the family.
DEADLINE In the premiere, family friend Valeria [Sara Garcia] Austin tells something before the tragedy strikes. Will you keep this secret for a while longer?
COOPER LANDSMAN It’s one of our seasonal secrets. It takes a while to get a real answer. The answer is surprising and feels genuinely satisfying. We will also go into Valeria’s backstory. She has been around for years and you will see the friendship between her and Missy. You have a story.
DEADLINE It seems like there are no black sheep in the family. Or is there?
COOPER LANDSMAN Cash is like the prodigal son coming back. They openly say that Every time we talk about Cash, he’s doing something you shouldn’t be doing. That’s our hope that Cash is some kind of black sheep coming back and trying to make things right. We’ll find out why and what his skeletons are.
DEADLINE Will Isabel be okay with the idea of Cash’s affection for Missy?
COOPER LANDSMAN It feels like a grand story, like a juicy complication. It’s so complicated because Missy was married to her other son who is no longer here. So it’s great family drama fodder. The chemistry between Beau and Tiera is just magical. I was lucky enough to be there when we first saw them together.
DEADLINE Tiera’s wardrobe is pretty cute too, as is Nancy’s.
COOPER LANDSMAN I feel like we’re bringing back western chic.
DEADLINE I’d be screwed if I didn’t ask where the names Tuff and Cash came from.
COOPER LANDSMAN The great thing is that Tuff tries to be tough and feels like his role in this family is to be the bullfighter, but not just in the ring. I think it’s a perfect name for him. Becky and Chris gave names to all of these characters before I came on board and whenever we had a naming question we always went to them. She was a superpower with a name.
DEADLINE And Tuff is gay.
COOPER LANDSMAN Yes. He’s very open about his sexuality. He has a complicated role in the family. It’s just one aspect of him.
DEADLINE How many episodes is the first season and are you done?
COOPER LANDSMAN There are 10. Yes, I’m done. I had set up some development stuff beforehand. I knew an executive at Blink who hired me because I did some family drama, but I could only commit to the first season. It was supposed to be just for the mini room but I just fell in love with the cast and the writers and the whole show. So I stayed all season. I am excited which way it will continue. It’s the world of Becky and Chris and these actors are amazing. You all know what the show is now.