Netflix’s New Western A Thousand Tomorrows Is the Romance Yellowstone Fans Have Been Waiting For

Netflix has a new tearjerker galloping up its charts. It is called A Thousand Tomorrows, it is deeply earnest, and yes, it is absolutely engineered to make you feel things. If you want a wholesome romantic Western you can binge in a weekend, this is that.

What it is (and how it ended up on Netflix)

A Thousand Tomorrows is a six-episode miniseries based on Karen Kingsbury's novel of the same name. It was originally made for Great American Pure Flix, which tells you the vibe right away: faith-forward, family-friendly, big on hope and second chances. Netflix recently added it to the library, and it has already climbed into the Top 10 TV shows. As of now, it is sitting at No. 6, after briefly cracking the top five. Not bad for a rodeo romance that started life on a niche streamer.

The story (bulls, barrels, and a very big secret)

Colin Ford (Under the Dome) plays Cody Gunner, a cocky, hyper-competitive bull rider who lives for the arena and keeps his heart locked down tight, except when it comes to his disabled younger brother. Enter Ali Daniels, a fearless barrel racer played by Rose Reid (Finding You), who is racing more than the clock. She is hiding cystic fibrosis, a genetic lung disease that makes every ride a risk she is willing to take.

They collide, sparks fly, and the show leans into their tug-of-war between ambition, faith, and what it means to love someone when tomorrow is not guaranteed. If that sounds like catnip for the "bring tissues" crowd, it is exactly that.

Who made it and who is in it

This is the first book in Kingsbury's Cody Gunner series, and she was hands-on with the adaptation, writing and executive producing alongside Tyler Russell. Russell has also worked on screen versions of her Someone Like You and the upcoming The Christmas Ring. Cassidy Lunnen directed. Beyond Ford and Reid, the cast includes Kate Easton, K.C. Clyde, Ck Bolado, and Anne Leighton, with Easton playing Mary Gunner and Leighton as Sarah Daniels.

Fans are into it (and the comps check out)

Before it hit Netflix, the show already had a warm reception among the romantic Western and faith-based crowd, sitting at a 7.3/10 on IMDb. Viewers keep calling out the Ford/Reid chemistry, which is the whole ballgame in a series like this. If you like cozy small-town drama like Virgin River or Sweet Magnolias, or you are a Yellowstone fan who wanted more romance and fewer shootouts, you are squarely in the target lane. Think When Hope Calls, Ransom Canyon, and Heartland energy, but with pro bull riding as the backdrop.

The health angle, clear and simple

The show puts cystic fibrosis front and center through Ali's storyline. It is a genetic condition that affects the lungs, and the series treats it as both a real obstacle and a lens on how she chooses to live. Cody does not know at first; he finds out as they fall for each other. The drama comes from that tension, not medical jargon.

"And so of course, a girl with cystic fibrosis who would be a barrel racer would mean that she was embracing life, knowing it would be less than a number of days in the quality of what I was calling her to do. So, there is the angry bull rider who had some issues with his dad and the sick barrel racer. It became this love story that became one of my favorite ones I have ever written about."

That is author Karen Kingsbury in a 2023 chat with The Direct, and it is basically the show's mission statement.

Will there be a Season 2?

Maybe. After a couple of years of fans wondering if the story would continue, Kingsbury hinted in a September 2025 Instagram post that a second season could be in the works at Netflix, with the plan to draw from her follow-up novel Just Beyond the Clouds. Given the show's current momentum in Netflix's Top 10, a renewal would not be surprising if it keeps performing.

Quick facts

• Format: 6-episode miniseries
• Based on: Karen Kingsbury's novel A Thousand Tomorrows (first in the Cody Gunner series)
• Originally on: Great American Pure Flix (faith-based streamer)
• Now streaming: Netflix; currently around No. 6 in the TV Top 10
• Leads: Colin Ford as Cody Gunner; Rose Reid as Ali Daniels
• Also stars: Kate Easton (Mary Gunner), Anne Leighton (Sarah Daniels), K.C. Clyde, Ck Bolado
• Creative: Written and executive produced by Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell; directed by Cassidy Lunnen
• Tone: Wholesome, romantic Western; family-friendly
• Comparable shows: Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Heartland, When Hope Calls; for Yellowstone fans craving more romance
• Health storyline: Ali is living with cystic fibrosis, which the show treats as a core emotional arc
• Reception: 7.3/10 user rating on IMDb; chemistry between the leads gets the loudest praise
• Potential Season 2: Kingsbury has teased a Netflix follow-up based on Just Beyond the Clouds

Bottom line

This is a sweet, straightforward tearjerker with spurs. If you are allergic to sentiment, steer clear. If you want a clean, heartfelt romance with rodeo dust and big feelings, A Thousand Tomorrows is an easy add to your queue.