'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAIBABAAEDBAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAwQFERIhIkFRYf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/8QAGhEAAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEDIQFB8P/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AyWlaJiQz9RgxZW8aMblk5IxduTuj32VPcid5bsyMpT8lmclX6+39pSoip9rAmpI//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In Netflix’s A Thousand Tomorrows, you get a heart-pounding mix of romance, faith, and the relentless grit of rodeo.
Adapted from Karen Kingsbury’s best-selling novel, the series spans six episodes, featuring an adrenaline-pumping bull-riding saga and intimacy befitting a love story. At its heart, it asks what it means to love, and what it means to be loved at a time when tomorrow cannot be promised.
The series follows the story of Cody, a bull rider grappling with the tough crowd he runs with, and Ali, a barrel racer who is trying to escape the harsh truth about her life-threatening illness. Their narrative transcends the race course and touches on themes of perseverance, sacrifice, and the need to be grateful for each passing moment.
With its real-life setting in professional rodeo, the series feels thoroughly grounded in reality. While the series takes inspiration from real-life events, it is not based on a true story.
A Thousand Tomorrows and the author’s real-life inspirations
A Thousand Tomorrows is a collection of personal incidents that influenced Karen Kingsbury, rather than one true story. In a conversation with Crossmap, she revealed that her husband got her into rodeo when he took the family to see bull riding.
"My husband grew up in Santa Maria, California, and he loves rodeo. So he would take me and kids and we would go. I had to watch bull riding like this. I would have to cover my eyes because it’s so scary. Anything could happen," Kingsbury shared.
The novel’s core, however, came from a friend’s tragic story. As Kingsbury recounted to the outlet, she revealed that her daughter-in-law had passed away from cystic fibrosis, after being given a lung transplant by her son. She recalled:
“Not only that, but my son gave her one of his lungs. And I said, oh my goodness. He gave her a lung and it didn’t work."
A chance encounter on an airplane with a professional bull rider was also one of her inspirations. Kingsbury remembered talking to him about the hazards of competing, and in hindsight, felt that the character of Cody had found his place. She further explained:
“There’s your guy. You have to write about a bull rider.”
Talking about how she adapted the original book into a series, Karen explained:
"I think the process is going back to the source material. I spent a lot of time in the original novel, which I was very familiar with because I grew up with the writer. Having a mom who’s such a great storyteller, I got to read and reread the book. And then we sat down and outlined it. From that point we thought now we have a series. We have six one-hour long episodes to tell the story. So, that meant we could keep a lot of the novel in there. And then it became fun to see, well, how does this episode end?"
By fusing these three elements, rodeo culture, a heartbreaking true story of cystic fibrosis, and her own faith, Kingsbury created a story that feels genuinely lived-in while not being a direct retelling of true events.
Why is A Thousand Tomorrows worth watching
On the surface, A Thousand Tomorrows may appear to be a typical romance story, but it holds more than it lets on. Cody Gunnar (Colin Ford) is the brooding, loner bull rider who is as independent as they come, scarred by his history and his choice to not connect with anything or anyone.
His universe collides with that of Ali Daniels, played by Rose Reid, a barrel racer whose days are numbered because of a chronic respiratory illness. Their encounter begins a life-changing relationship that will teach them both the value of time, faith, and love. The official synopsis, according to IMDb, reads:
Trending
"A Thousand Tomorrows follows bull rider Cody Gunner and the enormous cost he would be willing to pay for a few seasons, or just a thousand tomorrows, with the person he loves more than anything."
A Thousand Tomorrows is a short but moving watch. It has already won the hearts of audiences after landing in Netflix’s top shows, signalling relevance outside faith-based circles. Viewers who enjoyed dramas such as Heartland or When Hope Calls will find the series an easy addition to their watchlist.
Reply
