'Ride' is a family drama series created by Chris Masi that follows the McMurrays, a rodeo family from Colorado, through its lives. While Missy is the matriarch who keeps them together, and Cash must maintain their heritage, Austin is the bull Riding champion and the youngest is the cheeky and charming Tuff.
After an incident, the McMurrays' familial bonds become weak, and all the members must work together to preserve their legacy. If you like the Hallmark series for its flawless depiction of family dynamics and are awestruck by the rodeo champions, you may wonder if the McMurrays are made of a real-life family. Here's all you need to know about it.
Is Ride a True Story?
'Ride' is not based on a true story. It is nevertheless layered with various influences from the real world. It originates from the fields of Spain and Mexico, where equestrians demonstrate their riding abilities and control of bulls, broncos, and cows.
The McMurrays are shown to reside in Colorado, which has a long history of this sport that stretches from small town meetings to national events. In the summer, the state organizes more than two dozen such events, including the Greeley Stampede, which attracts a quarter-million people, so one might imagine the scale and excitement that locals have for the rodeo.
Bull Riding is the most well-known rodeo sport where a rider mounts a bucking bull and must keep his head down for at least eight seconds as it attempts to grab the person. Moreover, the rider cannot touch the bull or the ropes tied for grip with their free hand, especially in a cloverleaf pattern.
'Ride' explains how families may become dysfunctional following a tragedy. For the majority of the family, this may happen, eventually leading to recovery. Some of the most common feelings include emotional numbness, fatigue, sadness, detachment, and even anger. According to Terence T. Gorski, the author of 'Getting Love Right: Learning the Choices of Healthy Intimacy,' an estimated 70 to 80 percent of people live in dysfunctional families.
The main plot of the Hallmark show is similar to that of 'Yellowstone,' a popular drama series that also revolves around a family where the Duttons are guided by a strong patriarch as they continue to support their sixth-generational homesteaders. However, the program also emphasizes politics, drama, and violence.
Tiera Skovbye, who plays Missy McMurray, is married into the family but struggles to find her place; she depicts the less-discussed topic of women adapting to new households after marriage. Most women must adjust, change their habits, be restricted, and even change their identities after entering their husbands' homes. This might leave them feeling disconnected and excluded while trying to interact with the others.
The plot moments for 'Ride' are based on actual sports, an observance of dysfunctional families, and women's struggles, according to the Hallmark series. It does combine non-fiction and fictional elements to create a compelling narrative.
