CHASING THE WEST: Episode 1.1: “#RanchLife”

Name: CHASING THE WEST: Episode 1.1: “#RanchLife”
Item: CHASING THE WEST: Episode 1.1: “#RanchLife”
Author: Review

"Back to the Ranch Life"

Family Content: +2 Moderately questionable elements.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

CHASING THE WEST is a Reality TV home improvement series on HBO Max hosted by brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott. The Scott Brothers provide guidance to city dwellers looking to move into rural parts of Western America. In Episode One, “#RanchLife,” a Texan family is overwhelmed with the large acreage of Northern Texas. Meanwhile, a Hollywood couple has reservations about moving to the mountains of South California. The Brothers take the families through two or three extravagant home properties and lay out each home’s amenities and features. The homeowners discuss their available options. After deciding on a purchase, the Brothers check with their clients a few months later.

Episode One of CHASING THE WEST is a tame yet enjoyable Reality TV episode for all ages. It places heavy emphasis on serving one’s family, positive husband-wife relationships and the ability to compromise with other people’s visions. The episode has a strong Pro-American perspective. Episode One of CHASING THE WEST displays great production values and excellent editing. However, there’s brief discussion about poisonous snakes and ax cutting. MOVIEGUIDE® advises parental discernment for younger children.

Content:

(BBB, CapCap, PP, V):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Very strong moral, pro-family, pro-capitalist worldview favors traditional marriage and mutual understanding, the hosts are real life brothers who practice hard work and honesty, there are two traditional husband-and-wife couples who genuinely support and compromise with one another, plus a strong Pro-American perspective where the showrunners stress the beauty and vastness of the American West, the American flag is prominently shown, the homeowners instill a sense of gratitude and teamwork into their children, and one family holds a vintage car event for the benefit of their local community;

Foul Language:

None;

Violence:

No on-screen violence, but the hosts briefly discuss the dangers of encountering wild snakes in Texas and California, the brothers teach about holding an ax correctly when cutting firewood, and a brother kicks a firewood pile as a safety precaution against poisonous snakes;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity;

Alcohol Use:

No alcohol use;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

No smoking or drugs;

Miscellaneous Immorality:

Nothing really objectionable.

More Detail:

CHASING THE WEST is a home-improvement reality TV series on HBO Max hosted by brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott. With their background in the ranch lifestyle, the Scott Brothers provide guidance to city dwellers looking to move into the rural parts of Western America. In Episode One, “#RanchLife,” a Texan family is overwhelmed with the large acreage of Northern Texas. Meanwhile, a Hollywood couple has reservations about moving to the mountains of South California. Can the Brothers reach a peaceful compromise?

For anyone who has seen a home-improvement series, CHASING THE WEST will feel very familiar. The first one, “#RanchLife,” focuses on the Scott Brothers helping two families of home buyers find the right home for their particular needs. The Brothers take a family through two or three extravagant home properties, lay out each home’s amenities and features, and end the tour with the guests giving their overall impressions. The homeowners have a detailed back-and-forth about their available options. After deciding on a purchase, the Brothers do a check-up on their clients a few months later.

In terms of production values, CHASING THE WEST is a grand slam. The series makes extensive use of flying drones, handheld footage and expressive B-roll for each location. The showrunners do a great job stressing the beauty and vastness of each home location. This is prevalent with the Californian mountains and Texan ranches, which are amazingly captured on the screen. The camera operators are the real stars of the show. Can the same be said with its moral compass?

CHASING THE WEST has a strong moral, Pro-American vantage point. The Scott Brothers often mention their upbringing as helpers at a ranch. They discuss the values of hard work, cooperation and using common sense with their clientele. The two families featured in Episode One support traditional marriage, parents teaching their children the importance of hard work, and providing social value to their local communities. Moreover, the American flag is prominently showcased in this episode. The first episode isn’t inherently religious, but it has a strong bias towards American patriotism to go along with its pro-family attitude.

Happily, CHASING THE WEST is mostly devoid of objectionable content. Foul language, physical violence, sex, and drugs are completely absent. However, the Scott Brothers do add safety advice regarding the handling farm animals and wood safety. During the Texan plot, the Brothers pet a farm pig and discuss how to protect it from wild snakes. In the California segment, the Brothers teach the married couple how to safely cut firewood with an ax. Moreover, they suggest kicking the wood storage in order to scare away any potential poisonous snakes.

The last thing to mention regarding CHASING THE WEST’s target demographic. While the series is well produced and the hosts are entertaining, CHASING THE WEST is primarily made for adult homebuyers. This program is appropriate for all ages, but it lacks any kind of “hyper appeal” to children or young teenagers. Unless your offspring are into studying home decor, this show is mostly enjoyable to homebuyers aged 18 and up.

All in all, Episode One of CHASING THE WEST is a tame yet enjoyable episode for all ages. It places heavy emphasis on serving one’s family, positive husband-wife relationships, and the ability to compromise with other people’s visions. The episode also has a strong Pro-American perspective. Episode One of CHASING THE WEST displays great production value and excellent editing. However, there’s brief discussion around poisonous snakes and ax cutting. MOVIEGUIDE® advises parental discernment for younger children.