Part five (otherwise known as season three, part one) of The Ranch, starring Ashton Kutcher, was released June 15 on Netflix and our heroes just found out that the gas pipeline, which was going to bring them some much-needed financial relief, has been canceled thanks to protesters. When Rooster meets one of the protesters in a bar, he tells her she "fucked up a lot of peoples' lives with that protest" and realizes that is the one thing that could stop him from hitting on an attractive woman.
The Ranch Part 4 saw fortunes changing for the Bennett family, as well as for other struggling ranchers in the community of Garrison, Colorado, when an oil and gas company announced they were going to put a pipeline through. The income this would bring was going to help immensely. The Bennets made plans to buy the ranch next door and risked it all - only to have the company pull out because of ill-informed protesters.
So, when Rooster Bennett (Danny Masterson, who was fired by Netflix and written out of the show after allegations of sexual assault) runs into one of those protesters at the local bar in episode 2 "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right," he realizes he can't overlook it, even for a woman who seems perfect for him otherwise.
Rooster: So, Megan, what brings you to Garrison.
Megan: I've been here protesting the pipeline.
Rooster: Seriously?
Megan: Yep, and we actually stopped it.
Rooster: You know, you fucked up a lot of peoples' lives with that protest.
Megan: We stopped an oil company from fucking up the environment.
Rooster: A lot of ranchers in this town were depending on that money. This is our land, you can't tell us what to do with it.
Megan: I can when it affects my planet.
Rooster: (scoffs) You know, I've heard guys talk about a hot chick who was too annoying to hook up with? I never believed it until this minute.
Of course, as they discussed last season, pipelines are safer for the environment than tankers. These protesters are just spewing talking points; they don't even know the facts. They've come in from out of town knowing nothing about the pipeline or the local needs, messed things up for everyone, and now they're going back home, leaving everyone else to deal with the aftermath. Sounds about right, doesn't it?
The second part of season three (also known as Part 6) should be released at the end of the year, and I am already looking forward to it. Not only did this season demonstrate the damage ill-informed protesters can do, they showed a community pulling together and turning to faith, complaints about mainstream media, and the Bennett family patriarch even quoted Ronald Reagan, his "one true love." It's refreshing to have a television show that will tell the other side of the story-- and actually have that "other side" be the good guys. The Ranch is one of those rare shows that does just that.
