Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘The Abandons,’ a rancher named Fiona Nolan goes against Constance Van Ness, the matriarch of a wealthy family who has set her eyes on Fiona’s land. The story takes place in the mid-1800s in a town called Angel’s Ridge, where it becomes a battleground between two forces, marked by backstabbing and bloodshed. Over the course of seven episodes, the town undergoes a drastic transformation, and its fate, much like that of the children in both families, rests on the outcome of the battle between the two women. Angel’s Ridge becomes the witness to the love and violence that unfold in the story, bringing a grim reality to the surface. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Angel’s Ridge was Brought to Life Through Elaborate Sets
‘The Abandons’ tells the story of two fictional families set in an imaginary town. Angel’s Ridge was created as the battleground for Constance and Fiona’s war. While the story is set in Oregon, its filming primarily took place in Alberta, with Calgary serving as a major location. To bring Angel’s Ridge’s raw and rugged nature to life, the show’s creators turned towards the CL Western Town and Backlot set, located about 40 minutes from Downtown Calgary. Its 15,000-acre property provided the cast and crew with all the resources they needed to create the setting of the mid-1800s.
Apart from the stunning natural locations, which include the sight of the Rocky Mountains in the background, along with rich forests and sprawling grasslands, the crew also had access to structures that evoked the sense of the intended era. They also filmed certain scenes on location in Oregon, but the set remained their main focus. They also made sure that the style and feel of everything else were era-appropriate, delivering an authentic experience to the audience. As the story progresses, Angel’s Ridge becomes a character in its own right, which is morphed and destroyed based on the decisions made by Constance and Fiona.
At first, it is bursting with energy, as there is a lot of anticipation for what’s next in store for the townsfolk. Because Constance runs the town, she must ensure that everything runs smoothly and that everyone in town is provided for. However, as things become more volatile between the main characters, the impact is felt by the town and its residents, as innocent blood is spilled on its grounds, causing both Fiona and Constance to pause and consider the best course of action that wouldn’t inflict so much collateral damage. By the end of the season, as the women and their families find themselves at a tipping point, so does the town, which is forever changed by their manipulations and machinations.
Read More: Is The Abandons a True Story? Are Fiona Nolan and Constance Van Ness Based on Real People?
