Tuning into Ransom Canyon season two is probably the most-looked-forward-to activity of the week for Netflix subscribers. But what until then? Should they turn into couch-potatoes already, or warm up with a preview marathon?

Although nothing really tops a recliner and blank stares at the wall midweek, for the sake of what’s to come, we’d like to recommend an exception and get started with a Netflix binge session that conveys the emotive themes of Ransom Canyon.

While the sophomore season is expected to put an end to hawk-eyed fans’ year-long wait, it is confirmed to open with a six-month jump from the debut season finale.

But before the due date arrives, tune into these five Netflix shows to watch while waiting for Ransom Canyon season two.

Five Netflix shows to watch before Ransom Canyon season 2

Virgin River (Martin Wood, Monika Mitchell, and Andy Mikita, 2019-Present)

If you love Ransom Canyon’s cosy, small-town community, emotional veracity and the romance at the heart of the show, Virgin River is probably the ultimate companion. The romantic drama, adapted from Robyn Carr’s book series, follows Mel, a grieving nurse practitioner and midwife, who relocates to a remote Northern California town called Virgin River, hoping for a fresh start after the tragic death of her husband and the heartbreak of a stillborn baby.

When she arrives in the town, she instantly squares off with the town’s doctor before actually becoming a crucial part of the very community. But the core of Virgin River centres around Mel’s run-in with the local bar owner and former Marine Jack, resulting in an epic love story that anchors the show as they navigate a tumultuous romance alongside medical difficulties, town scandals, and of course, local crime.

Sullivan’s Crossing (Gail Harvey, Chris Grismer, April Mullen, Jerry Ciccoritti, 2023-Present)

If Ransom Canyon’s sweeping Texas landscapes, multi-generational family rivalries, and jam-packed romance are the things you want in your preview watchlist, choose Sullivan’s Crossing, currently streaming on Netflix. The series, also inspired by Robyn Carr’s book series, tells the story of successful Boston neurosurgeon Maggie whose life turns upside down when she finds herself deep in the hot waters of legal trouble.

Seeking a fresh start and an escape from her professional and personal challenges, Maggie flees to her childhood hometown in Nova Scotia, primarily to reconnect with her estranged father. However, in an attempt to discover a new path, she finds herself at the centre of small-town dramas, navigating the ghosts of her past and edging towards a complicated new romance with the ability to make or break her carefully curated world.

My Life with the Walter Boys (Jason Priestley, 2023-Present)

Although My Life with the Walter Boys showcases a very similar vibe of ranch life, family adoption, and the messy dynamics of young/adult love, unlike Ransom Canyon, this series boasts a slightly younger-leaning cast against a sprawling rural backdrop. The story centres on 15-year-old Jackie Howard, whose teenage life in New York upends overnight when her entire family tragically passes away in a car crash.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jackie moves into a ranch in rural Colorado to live with her mother’s best friend, Katherine Walter, and her family. My Life with the Walter Boys follows Jackie’s relocation from an exclusive, all-girls boarding school to a noisy household with teen boys, while navigating lingering grief and massive cultural shock while living with her new guardian’s family and warming up to her new family.

Sweet Magnolias (Norman Buckley, Lauren Petzke, Christine Swanson, Joy T. Lane, Mary Lou Belli, Mykelti Williamson, Yangzom Brauen, 2020-Present)

If you strictly want to stick with shows that showcase the exact blend of breathtaking landscapes, family secrets, and tight-knit community drama topped off with a cherry of romance, Sweet Magnolias on Netflix works best. Set in a picturesque Southern town, the romantic drama series follows three lifelong best friends – Maddie, Helen, and Dana – who juggle careers, family and romance.

Unfolding in the gossipy small town of Serenity, South Carolina, Sweet Magnolias revolves around the trio, bonded by weekly margarita nights. Besides serving as the perfect preview to Ransom Canyon, the fan-favourite Netflix series embraces the warmth of community vibes, bittersweet romances, and feel-good drama, bringing a power-packed emotional rollercoaster on screen.

Little House on the Prairie (Rebecca Sonnenshine, 2026-Present)

Lastly, to wrap up the Ransom Canyon preview session, we recommend the latest Netflix adaptation, Little House on the Prairie. Although a period piece rather than a contemporary show, the Netflix series has been drawing heavy parallels to modern neo-Westerns. Inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic children’s literature, the first season adapts the third book of the series, focusing on the Ingalls family as they leave Wisconsin for Kansas.

Although the Ingalls hoped to build a new homestead near Independence, what they confronted upon arrival were the harsh realities of 1800s frontier survival. Little House on the Prairie takes an extremely modern, grounded approach to balance family drama with the inevitable realities of prairie life, diving deep into land conflicts and survival during the complex aftermath of westward expansion.

While the global audience of Netflix seems to be in love with Little House on the Prairie, Netflix’s US chart has a different winner, with The Hawk jumping straight to number one.

The Hawk follows Lonnie Hawkins, a golfer who won’t accept that his best years are behind him. Ferrell created the series, and the PGA Tour joined as a partner.

Little House on the Prairie drops to second, though Netflix had already ordered another season before the first arrived. This version starts with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s third book and gives the Osage community a presence.

I Will Find You takes third. Harlan Coben began developing the show while he was still writing the 2023 novel, something he had never done before. Sam Worthington plays David Burroughs, who finds evidence that the son he was convicted of killing may still be alive. A must-watch for everyone who loves unpredictable mysteries.

Worst Neighbor Ever holds the fourth spot and extends the franchise behind the Worst Roommate Ever series. Its four cases use police interviews and body-camera footage instead of relying on reenactments.

Raw rounds out the top five with the July 13th episode from Dallas. Chad Gable survived the Intercontinental Championship contender gauntlet to earn a title shot. Iyo Sky faced Roxanne Perez, while Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins made their SummerSlam match official during a contract signing that turned personal.

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On season four sits sixth, followed by I’m Not Afraid. José Totoy 3 takes eighth, proving the US chart still has room for titles outside Netflix’s global conversation.

Ms Rachel season one, is on the ninth, which tracks with how her preschool videos hold attention. Quarterback season three closes the list and gives sports fans something real after The Hawk’s deliberately ridiculous competition.

The 10 most popular series on Netflix US this week

• The Hawk: Season 1
• Little House on the Prairie: Season 1
• I Will Find You: Limited Series
• Worst Neighbor Ever: Season 1
• Raw: 2026 – July 13, 2026
• The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On: Season 4
• I’m Not Afraid: Limited Series
• José Totoy 3
• Ms. Rachel: Season 1
• Quarterback: Season 3

The most popular movies chart in the US has quite a few Netflix non-originals grabbing viewers’ attention and streaming momentum. That said, the throne, undisputedly, belongs to one from the home.

During the week of July 13th to July 19th, Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea not only topped the global charts, but also the US chart, after amassing a staggering 11.1million views worldwide. The 90-minute documentary recounts the tragic 2012 Costa Concordia disaster, which is currently the number-one movie in 18 countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Estonia, and Denmark, among others.

Ranked second on the most popular movies chart in the US is the cult animated comedy, The Boss Baby. While the fan-favourite movie has already completed 27 weeks on the international charts, this week marks its 19th non-consecutive week on the US chart.

Up next on the most popular movies chart on Netflix US, we have a freshly baked-out-of-the-oven Mexican steamy thriller, Desire, which follows Lucero, a successful lawyer with a nearly perfect life, who winds up in a whirlwind, intense affair with her daughter’s young swimming coach, unknowingly paving the path for immeasurable chaos. As of now, the erotic thriller is the number one movie in 24 countries!

Moving on to what’s trending next on Netflix, it is a spine-chilling Lifetime thriller, The Body in the Locker, ranked fourth on the most popular movies chart in the US. Rounding out the top five cinematic trendsetters of the week is one of the most-watched romantic comedies of the year, Voicemails for Isabelle, starring Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson.

Next in line is the newly released gripping French-Belgian Netflix original drama that netizens cannot simply stop talking about: Nothing to Lose. Following closely on the most popular movies chart in the US this week is the 2004 forgotten crime comedy White Chicks, which has lately been experiencing a resurgence Stateside.

What has also paid off is the recent arrival of The Hunger Games franchise to US shelves, positioning The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes on eighth. Succeeding the cult classic is the 2021 Western action movie, Old Henry.

As for the last entry on the most popular movies chart this week? It’s The Hunger Games pulling the curtains for the week ending July 19th.

The 10 most popular movies on Netflix US this week:

• Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea
• The Boss Baby
• Desire
• The Body in the Locker
• Voicemails for Isabelle
• Nothing to Lose
• White Chicks
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
• Old Henry
• The Hunger Games