The Wranglers Episode 1 Recap: Relationships and Riding at the Circle Bar Dude Ranch

Are you a fan of drama and horseback riding? If so, the new CW series The Wranglers might be for you! The series kicked off Monday night with a pilot that introduced the characters and stories going on at this working ranch.

The series takes place at the Circle Bar Dude Ranch in Montana. It follows the personal lives of the staff—which includes the staff manager, wranglers, ranch hands, and activity guides. We also get time with the owner—Russel True—and the site’s GM—Bob Foster. The first episode rolled out the cast, mostly in their 20s, who will be the stars of this season. The season also comes from the team who gave us 90 Day Fiancé, so it’s fair to expect some drama.

Among the early plotlines were the addition of new staff, including wrangler Gabby who caught the eye of veteran wrangler Carson, and the opening at Head Wrangler, which drew the attention of Carson and Vern.

Early in the episode we hear the philosophy for hiring a Head Wrangler right from True himself—he doesn’t hire a Head Wrangler, he promotes the right person. That means the competition is on and the angling soon begins. That involves making a good impression on True and Foster, but also on the staff manager, Carleigh.

The one most laser-focused on the promotion is Vern, a 26-year-old veteran wrangler. She makes no secret of the fact she wants the job and thinks she’s the most qualified. But when she broaches the subject with Carleigh in the middle of a Barn Dance event, she doesn’t get a great response. By the end of the episode, when she lets Carleigh know she’s going to be gone during a packed weekend at the ranch, it’s clear things aren’t looking good.

Carson, 30, meanwhile wants the job but doesn’t want to campaign for it. He’s more interested in making new friends—especially with Gabby. He chats her up a few times and even gets in a few dances at the Ranch event. Sparks seem to be flying, but maybe more for him than her.

We end the first episode with a look ahead that indicates a love triangle coming for Carson and Gabby with a new wrangler we’ve yet to meet. There were tears for Carson, which seems promising. There were tears for Vern, too, as it doesn’t seem like she’s likely to land her dream promotion.

Overall, the pilot was solid. There’s potential for some fun storylines and drama. We’ll see what happens next when the show returns for episode two next Monday.