How Untamed smashed its way to hit status on Netflix – and how season 2 can do the same

"But then the more that we got into it, it was just such a great cast... it was just like, 'Oh yeah, how do we keep this going?'"

The ratings – it reportedly racked up 24.6 million views in its first few days after shooting to number one globally – followed by some gentle encouragement from the streamer, would certainly have helped too.

It is a level of success that simply demands more.

But in an age where plenty of shows fail to get recommissioned, a number of which have been written with multiple seasons in mind and as such, end on a thoroughly unsatisfying note, how did Untamed, which is really an open and shut story, draw in enough viewers to secure a second season?

From that horrifying opener to the timeless wonder of Yosemite, let's break down its winning formula – and look at what it needs to do to replicate that success when Bana's Agent Turner returns to our screens.

Now that's what I call an opening scene...

"The opening of a film is everything," says writer and director Jordan Peele in the Jaws @ 50 documentary. "If you don't get that part right, the rest of it doesn't matter."

While Untamed isn't a film, and it will not go on to achieve Jaws's all-timer status, the Smiths certainly worked with that in mind when plotting the series.

With attention spans on the decline, in large part due to the internet, namely social media, not to mention the countless other shows beckoning us in, creatives need to offer viewers something substantial right from the off.

It could be a mystery, or something so hair-raising or out of the ordinary that you can't possibly look away, and Untamed's opening meets all the requirements.

We instantly want to know who the victim is and what could possibly have led her to tumble over the edge of a sheer granite monolith, almost taking two rock climbers down with her.

It's shocking, dramatic and fraught with tension, promising a thrilling ride, if you do choose to commit (of course you will), all wrapped up in a compelling question that you simply must have the answer to.

After that, there's no way you're backing out early.

Yosemite

American photographer Ansel Adams, whose gelatine silver prints capture the awe and terror of the US wilderness better than any other, once described Yosemite as "always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space".

"I know of no sculpture, painting, or music that exceeds the compelling spiritual command of the soaring shape of granite cliff and dome, of patina of light on rock and forest, and of the thunder and whispering of the falling, flowing waters," he added.

Around 4 million people make the pilgrimage to Yosemite each year to take in all that Adams spoke of, from its wildlife to its breathtaking vistas, in the hope that they, too, will experience its "compelling spiritual command".

National parks, with their vast acres and many unknowables, offer us a slice of exploration and escape; they give us an opportunity to detach from the world and lose ourselves, for a palatable length of time, and without actually putting ourselves in any real danger (if we follow park rules, that is. Or we aren't desperately unlucky).

And while sitting down to watch Untamed from the comfort of your own home is no substitute for actually going to Yosemite, the story is imbued with that same immersive, seductive quality that makes you want to spend time inside it – as well as it being both extremely pleasant to look at and, on occasion, absolutely terrifying (and as such, highly entertaining), like when ranger Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago) falls down a shaft and almost dies after becoming lodged in a crawl space that starts rapidly filling up with water.

You're never quite sure when or where Yosemite will serve up danger, but it's there and it's plentiful, which keeps you firmly locked in.

And if we're thinking specifically about what we've typically come to expect from the crime drama genre, Untamed's setting also gives it a markedly different aesthetic from so many of the other titles in what is an incredibly oversaturated and largely repetitive space, as discussed by Bana in an interview with Variety.

"I think the idea of following someone who’s trying to solve a crime, knocking on doors and driving a car, I’ve seen that so many times," he said.

"To see someone in a national park do it on a horse just seems so much more interesting and much more fun to do.... I attached myself immediately."

And so did millions of others.

Have we met?

From The Sopranos to Better Call Saul to Mare of Easttown, there have been countless crime dramas released over the past 25 years or so that have broken new ground in a myriad of ways, from experimenting with structure and tone, to foregrounding characters and issues that hadn't typically found a home in the genre.

Simply put, they have all contributed to changing audience perceptions about what a crime drama can be.

Untamed doesn't do that. Sure, Yosemite sets it apart slightly, helping it to carve out its own identity; the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, the tension between rangers and agents, and the criminal underbelly of Yosemite might not be things you were even aware of.

But ultimately, it is an uncomplicated, unchallenging piece of television that is familiar to viewers.

Now, that doesn't mean the characters' lives aren't mired in complexity or it doesn't navigate difficult subject matter. Child murder and domestic abuse attest to that. And that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable or won't stay with you after the credits have rolled. Its renewal attests to that.

But you immediately know where you are with Untamed; it is a formulaic piece of television that has the bones of prestige storytelling, but has instead opted for formulaic beats – of course Sam Neill's character was protecting a dark secret – clichéd writing – "This is not LA. Things happen different out here," – and recognisable characters – the brilliant, but deeply flawed male detective – that help you to get oriented right from the off.

And that's part of the attraction. People don't always want the shows they watch to subvert or demand something from them. Sometimes, they just want to seamlessly sink into a series while they demolish a bowl of pasta after a hard day's graft. Sometimes, they just want something that offers enough to keep them on their toes, but not so much that it becomes a giant headache.

No, in Untamed, headaches are strictly reserved for Bana and co.

Characters you root for

Untamed is as much about the trials and tribulations of its characters as it is about answering who was responsible for Lucy Cook's grisly and untimely demise.

As mentioned, Agent Turner will be familiar to anyone who has watched more than a few crime dramas. He's a fearless, first-rate detective who picks up on details that others don't, and abseils down sheer rock faces in the pursuit of justice, such is the nature of being an investigator in the great outdoors.

But naturally, a dark cloud swirls above him at all times.

Turner is a solitary figure, preferring a bottle of Bourbon and his trusty steed to human company; and when he is forced to interact with the world, his demeanour is brusque and prickly, with as few words spoken as the exchange allows.

Sometimes, he doesn't need to say anything at all, instead opting for a look that quickly sends people running in the opposite direction.

But at the root of all of that is a trauma so unspeakably awful, you can't help but be invested in his well-being, willing him on even when it appears as if he's done. Sure, you don't always like him, and you wonder how on earth he still has a job, but you want him to succeed, both for himself, as well as for the victim – which is as much about Bana's soulful performance as it is about the writing.

He cuts a grizzled, washed-out figure who is perennially weighed down by a bone deep grief, his soft, sad eyes a window into the roiling pain within. His ache is so visceral that even if you’re not fully invested in everything else that's going on, you care about Turner and what comes next as he finally begins to make peace with his demons, ever so slightly, and feels ready to leave the park for the first time since his son Caleb’s murder.

There's also Vasquez, who's certainly no pushover, despite her rookie status, often meeting Turner's discourtesy with exquisitely deployed sarcasm, but watching her transition from LA cop to a knowledgable and competent park ranger highlights her vulnerabilities and blindspots in such a way that you can't help but warm to her.

Yes, Vasquez is someone who is inherently likeable, but more than that, she's hungry to learn and grow, often demanding that Turner take him with her during his excursions into the park, and refusing to be cowed by the challenges that she faces, from Turner's initial dismissal of her to almost being mauled to death by a bear.

Her journey is one that you're wholly invested in, like a proud parent watching from the sidelines.

And those qualities are all the more admirable when you consider that she's a single mother running from an abusive ex, which again, isn't exactly original writing. Yet, it does the trick because you desperately want Vasquez, who's played with incredible openness and sincerity by Santiago, and her adorable son Gael to find shelter from the wolf knocking on their door.

But it is the coming together of Turner and Vasquez, with their mismatched, sort of buddy cop dynamic, that truly delivers the show's most entertaining and satisfying moments. As well as being invested in them separately, you want their partnership to succeed because of what they're able to give to each other.

He helps her to become a better ranger and in turn settle into her new home, but she also loosens some of the gristle lodged within him, almost like Dorothy oiling the Tin Man, so that by the end, he can move and breathe a little easier.

So, how can season 2 deliver more of what people loved – and go one better?

Having your show debut at number one in the Netflix Global English TV top 10 list, remaining in the number one spot for three consecutive weeks, and reaching the top 10 in 92 countries could give you the confidence – and arrogance – needed to write another supremely popular season of television.

Or, on the flip side, that could work as a paralysing force as you remain trapped between wanting to give people more of what they enjoyed – and expect – from Untamed, while also being conscious of moving the story along so you're not simply retreading the same old ground, and the whole thing winds up feeling a bit stale and unnecessary.

So, what do the Smiths need to do to recapture Untamed season 1's success?

Well, they shouldn't tinker too much. As mentioned, the writing needs to retain what made it resonate with so many people in the first place: a compelling opening, a wild setting, an accessible plot and characters that we care about.

While details about season 2 are currently scarce, we already know that two of those boxes have been ticked.

With Bana's return confirmed, there's plenty of scope to develop his character further. We've already already witnessed some growth, as Turner managed to leave Yosemite in search of a fresh start, but there has to be more, which is a tricky balance to master given that he will always carry the weight of his child's death with him.

If surveyed, viewers would probably say that they'd like him to meet someone and form a new relationship in the wake of the collapse of his first marriage – or at least unpack a box or two in his new digs.

And any developments will unfold against the backdrop of another national park, retaining that vital ingredient, while also posing new challenges.

"Each national park has such a different cultural identity, geographical identity," Elle told Tudum. "Being able to explore those places through the case and through Turner’s journey is what's so fascinating.”

That change in scenery – and possibly season, if the writers wanted to branch out even further – also means that Turner will be on the back foot, not quite in the same way that Vasquez was, but enough to tee up some engaging developments that could also cast him in a new light.

"Turner was so comfortable in Yosemite," explained Mark. "He was the one leading this charge, and people followed him. And now, [we’re] putting Kyle on his back foot, making him very uncomfortable … This time we get to follow Turner into a park and let him lead us, and we stumble along with him as he’s kind of finding his way."

But what we don't yet know is what the mystery will be, or who's going to populate it.

A new case and location means a raft of new faces – friend, foe and everything in between – who will carry the story forwards, serving up new allegiances and conflicts.

But there's nothing audiences enjoy more than a surprise returning face, so the Smiths would do well to chuck one in there. Vasquez would be our top pick, but Jay Stewart, who worked in land maintenance in Yosemite and was a friend of Turner's, might make more sense.

"We’re trying to figure that stuff out because my God, we loved our cast and we loved the characters that they brought to life," said Mark. "In an ideal world, we would be able to pull something off."

But it all hinges on what the case will be. In season 1, it wound up becoming intensely personal to Turner through his relationship with Neill's Paul Souter, Yosemite's chief park ranger and Kyle's chief babysitter, having taken it upon himself to look out for the agent following Caleb's death.

This time, the central investigation can't repeat that trick, which delivered the mother of all emotional gut punches for Turner. So, the Smiths will have to find another way to make us care about the crime at the centre of it all.

Without that emotional anchor, season 2 risks being all scenery and no soul—and that’s not a trail worth following.

Add Untamed to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.