Ride Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Legend of the Fall
Laura Nowak
at
.
Within minutes, the McMurrays cemented a place in our hearts, and hopefully, we'll be watching them for several seasons.
During Ride Season 1 Episode 1, the McMurrays banded together to try and save the family ranch.
They also showed that family wasn't always just by blood, and sometimes you were blessed to find another family.
Many long-running family dramas have ended recently, including This Is Us, Good Witch, and Chesapeake Shores. Ride elevates the family loyalty from Chesapeake Shores and adds sizzling chemistry from the two leads.
The multi-talented cast adds to the magic of the series, particularly the McMurray family. Nancy Travis is a well-respected actress known for many projects, especially ABC's Last Man standing. She plays the matriarch, Isobel McMurray.
Tiera Skovbye, who portrays Missy McMurray, is most well-known for playing Grace Knight in the Canadian medical series Nurses and Polly Cooper on Riverdale.
Beau Mirchoff, who plays Cash McMurray, is most well-known for playing Jamie on Good Trouble and Matty on Awkward.
When you meet a ranching family that's been through a lot, the cast needs to sell a believable connection. The actors in Ride felt like a family, and bull riding was a time-honored tradition.
We never got to truly know Austin, and I suspect there are more secrets there to unfold.
Austin: First time I see you in years, and here you are trash-talking me to my wife.
Cash: Austin, it’s not like that.
It's a common trope to marry the brother or best friend f your first love if he's the safer choice and your first love isn't available. It seems like Cash was the wild one and then went into the service.
Did Austin and Missy really love in love, or was he the backup plan? Austin seemed so resentful of his brother's return, yet he was grateful he had returned safely.
However, Austin had a plan to disappear, and he needed Valeria's help. I'm unsure if he meant to die or if he wanted to vanish.
Was Austin aware the ranch was in trouble, and did he think this would assist his family, or did he want to give his wife an out? These are questions we need to be answered. He did put Valeria in an awful position.
Missy was unsure of her place in the family and on the ranch one year later.
She wanted to support Isabel and help train Cash but didn't want to get overly involved since she was Austin's widow.
Cash struggled, too, because he never planned on getting involved in bull riding. That was Austin's passion, but now Cash felt he had to carry on the family legacy.
Missy: It’s your first official ride. All I’m saying is you've got to make sure you’re doing it for you and not for them.
Cash: You know, around here, there’s no difference.
Missy felt torn since bull riding is in her blood too, but she's unsure if it's proper for her to stay much longer and feels she should get another job.
While Missy would make a wonder brand ambassador selling jeans, it's obvious her calling is with the McMurrays. Isobel has always treated her like a daughter, and Tuff insists she's needed and is like family.
Tuff: After your pep talk today, the way he rode, I hadn’t seen him like that in awhile.
Missy: Yeah, but I can’t stick around just for Cash.
Most of all, Missy and Cash exude sizzling chemistry. They are the perfect forbidden romance.
She's his brother's widow, so she should be off-limits, but everyone acts like they used to date, so maybe it would be acceptable after an appropriate amount of time.
They understand each other's mindsets, and Cash needed someone to understand him.
Cash: I can be a great ride. You know why? Cause those eight seconds are the only time my mind is truly quiet. There’s no fear, no shame, no worries, just me on that animal with nothing to lose.
Missy: Nothing to lose? There’s a whole of people here who love you. All I know is a happy bull rider is a safe bull rider.
These two know how to do the angsty sexy looks that pull you right in. In the middle of that long stare, Cash tried to kiss his ex-sister-in-law, but she wasn't ready.
Missy protested a little too much. She thought she could forget Cash by lining up a new job or dancing with another guy.
She destroyed the rapport she built with Cash by not being honest with him about possibly moving out of town. It only showed how well he knew her and accused her of running when she was scared.
What is Missy afraid of? Is she afraid of falling in love with him again and facing their mistakes? Is she afraid she might find happiness in a family again?
Missy should have told Cash the truth about her leaving because it destroyed his headspace on race day.
He could have injured himself if he participated that way.
Cash: It should have been me!
Isabel: You listen to me! What happened to Austin had nothing to do with you!
It took both Tuff and Missy to calm him down, which enforced Missy's true calling as a coach.
We'll have to see if Cash decides on any sponsorships.
Isobel struggled with letting another son become a bull rider versus needing the cash to save the family ranch.
She never wanted to burden any of her sons by worrying them that they might lose the ranch.
Isabel: It’s your job to wake up and work with what you’re given. The rest is in God’s hands.
Tuff: God's hands haven’t been holding us real gently lately.
After losing her husband and Austin, Isobel feared for Cash. She knew his heart wasn't in bull riding, and she didn't want to lose another son to the likes of JB.
She was almost ready to sell the ranch until Valeria returned home.
While Valeria wasn't blood, the McMurrays were her family in every sense of the word. She hated staying away from them, especially Missy and Isobel, after Austin died.
I'm convinced she knows more than she's saying, and she returned to the ranch to pick up the pieces.
Tuff and Missy don't fully trust Valeria, but Isobel seemed grateful to have her back. Isobel was more convinced than ever that she needed both her daughters at the ranch.
The Ride Season 1 premiere emphasized how much Isobel loved and depended on her entire family, including her girls, and how important "found family" is to people.
I may have given birth to three sons, but I was blessed to have two daughters walk into my life. I need my girls. Let’s do this together as a family.
Isabel
I have so many questions, including what Valeria did to help Austin. Is Austin truly dead, or did he merely disappear, and how will this secret affect the McMurrays?
We love to hear feedback, so I'd love to hear your opinion of Hallmark's new family drama. Comment below.
Remember, if you missed the series premiere, you can watch Ride online via TV Fanatic.
Ride airs at 9/8c on Sundays on the Hallmark Channel.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.
