MovieChat Forums > The Ranch (2016) Discussion > Is this supposed to be relatable?

Is this supposed to be relatable?

posted 9 years ago by terrencepatrix
23 replies | jump to latest

Do people actually relate to characters like the dad? Is this an accurate representation of ranchers and farmers? Because I find nothing admirable or likable about him. We always hear from republicans and conservatives that liberals are professional victims and whiners...but all the dad does is play the victim and bitch about his situation on this show. I'm not knocking Sam Elliot, the only reason I dislike the father so much is because of his acting ability to pull it off, but he just wasn't written in a sympathetic light to me. I suppose the people who can relate find him to be a sympathetic figure but to someone who doesn't live out in the country he's just an insufferable *beep*

[–] gamer_12 9 years ago

Yeah, they need to tone it down a little. The show is too serious, actually.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

I don't know about ranchers, but he acts pretty much exactly like my father and uncles. Good ol' country boys just like that.

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[–] terrencepatrix 9 years ago

Then your dad and uncles much be total jerks. It's just a crappy way to treat people.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

lol, OK kid from the burbs, you go with that.

Let me elaborate. I'm going to guess that I'm 18 to 25 years older than you and my parents are equally older than me than I am to you. They are the same age as Sam Elliot, perhaps older as I don't know exactly how old he is. I grew up in the country, my uncle has what you could call a small ranch, nothing like in the show, but a hundred or so head of cattle and horses on 100 acres.

That personality was pretty normal for hard working country folk. That personality is also very common, in a more politicaly correct form on TV as well. Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS is a watered down version of that personality type from that generation. Try a few older shows and you'll see more instead of the caricatures you normally see on TV these days.

It's just how people used to be and how some people still are, depending on age. There's nothing wrong with it. It's not abuse, it's not abnormal, and it has nothing to do with being politically correct.

Is it a good way to be? No, probably not. Does it make someone who acts that way a horrible person? Absolutely not. What it does is make people like you who think everyone has to think and act a certain way to be decent look like *beep*

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[–] terrencepatrix 9 years ago

You're assuming an awful lot yourself right there. People don't have to fit into a specific mold to be "decent", but they can try not to be a judgmental, obstinate, insulting, self-righteous prick to every one all the time. Every scene the father is in revolves around him just leveling insult after insult at whoever he's currently talking to. My grandpa was from Texas, grew up on a massive ranch until he was 17 and joined the Navy. He was raised to treat people with respect and decency, he could be a hardass at times but he understood the basic concept of treating people the way you want to be treated and passed that on down to me. My grandma was Chinese and grew up in a rural immigrant town and her dad was a ranch cook, she passed down the same lessons to me about being an all around decent human being.

Growing up in the country doesn't mean you have to be a cranky jerk to everyone. When you go making assumptions about people you end up looking like the jackass yourself.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

And of course, you're not being judgmental at all? Of people that age in certain populations around this country, a huge number are (were) exactly like Sam Eliot's character in the show. And, if you watched all the episodes (did you? Can't remember if you said) and paid attention you'd see that he was a nice guy and even sensitive at times...in private, when only his wife could see. And he was also insensitive and not PC in the least. He had a version of the world and anything outside it was made fun of.

And so what? Who cares if he made fun of almond milk? Who cares if he calls his sons names? He loves them. He supports them. And he uses what he believes is tough love to teach them. But you don't see that. You see what you want to see, what you've been taught by TV and current PC culture.

And I'll bet you a nickel I wasn't that far off your age. And tell me, do you live in the burbs? You sound like you live in the burbs.

*edit* And if you remember, he never kicks any of his kids out. He never cuts them off. He never shuts them out. Anytime one was gone it was because the son left. It's not like he was going to beg him to come back, that wouldn't be how someone like that works. When he came back he was accepted back. And yes, he gave him *beep* for it.

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[–] terrencepatrix 9 years ago

I don't care if he's politically correct or not, I'm definitely not myself. He's just a crabby, rude, insulting jackass 95% of the time. I understand he's written that way but I can't for the life of me understand associating with someone who's like that in real life. And no, I don't live in the burbs, I live in the East Bay, California in a ghetto city called Vallejo and I'm in my mid-30's. Just because I think this character is a jackass doesn't have anything to do with being "pc", stop projecting.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

Ah, the city. Most people in places like that have thicker skin, but your seems pretty thin.

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[–] terrencepatrix 9 years ago

The thickness of my skin has nothing to do with pointing out that you're a jackass.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

Might want to read up on that. It has quite a bit to do with it.

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[–] terrencepatrix 9 years ago

That doesn't even make sense. Besides you're the one that tried psychoanalyzing a stranger based on how they feel about a fictional character.

[–] tanstaafl74 9 years ago

If guessing at a persons age is psychoanalyzing someone in your world, then I have bad news...you have thin skin.

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[–] doggie_rodriguez 8 years ago

I declare you the winner of whatever this was. 

and I'm in my mid-30's.

I couldn't help but chuckle at this b/c I thought you were arguing with a teenager. 

[–] camel-wides 8 years ago

When you can't just go to the next bar on the strip, you learn to put up with stuff. In a town of roughly 500 people, you run into the same jerks at the bar, at the feed store, at the implement dealer, at the auction. Even though you may feel they are an insufferable prick, they share a common background bond, and there is definitely still a connection.
While you may not go out specifically with that guy, he has connections with you, and you would still stand beside him. Sure, people in small towns feud, and sometimes plain don't get along. But they do deal with it, and generally get used to the irritation.

in the city you just move on to a different bar, and a different circle.

[–] iamsomature 8 years ago

You wouldn't understand what it's like to work on a ranch and in the country. You have to be tough and not take *beep* So shut your mouth about something you don't understand you ignorant prick.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Blondehime 8 years ago

Well I've lived in Texas my whole life and yeah some of it is relatable. I really don't find the dad insufferable. I guess it's just a matter of where you grew up because I would bet a lot of country raised people or people who have lived in or near farming communities can relate atleast a little or have seen people somewhat like this.

Plus, farmers/ranchers have very hard jobs. So I can't blame him for bitching about his situations lol.

[–] osubuckeye420 8 years ago

Why do you feel the need to relate to fictional characters on an over the top Netflix comedy?

[–] terrencepatrix 8 years ago

I didn't say I felt the need to, I was just curious what they were going for by making the father so unlikable. Why do you feel the need to know?

[–] osubuckeye420 8 years ago

You are the one who threw the question out there, I didn't create a thread asking.

By the way, good job trolling:

Do people actually relate to characters like the dad? Is this an accurate representation of ranchers and farmers?

Then you get answers like:

I don't know about ranchers, but he acts pretty much exactly like my father and uncles. Good ol' country boys just like that.

Well I've lived in Texas my whole life and yeah some of it is relatable. I really don't find the dad insufferable. I guess it's just a matter of where you grew up because I would bet a lot of country raised people or people who have lived in or near farming communities can relate atleast a little or have seen people somewhat like this.

Plus, farmers/ranchers have very hard jobs. So I can't blame him for bitching about his situations lol.

To which you respond with stuff like:

Then your dad and uncles much be total jerks. It's just a crappy way to treat people.

Growing up in the country doesn't mean you have to be a cranky jerk to everyone. When you go making assumptions about people you end up looking like the jackass yourself.

He's just a crabby, rude, insulting jackass 95% of the time. I understand he's written that way but I can't for the life of me understand associating with someone who's like that in real life.

I suppose my question to you would be... Why bother asking questions if you already know the answers and won't be swayed by anyones differing opinion?

Unless you're a troll... good job trolling.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Dimefan21 8 years ago

As we say here in the south...skit em bo lol...means get them boy just in case it needs translated lol good job blastin that troll

[–] doggie_rodriguez 8 years ago

I'm assuming the OP is the one that responded to this and deleted his post?

Took him long enough, but I think he finally realized he was outmatched.