Wild Ride

starring: Isabel Chavez & James Alejandro Corso

Ava Greene is a lost city girl with a dark past and a violent ex she's desperate to escape from. Enter Hayes, a rugged ex-bull rider and cowboy, harboring a hurt he can't fix...and an obsession with this newcomer he can't shake. Can he protect her from all the danger headed her way?

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is well written, well acted, beautifully shot, the characters are well developed, fresh faces on screen. It's a great quality vert on Salty TV.

But it is slight. It is only 31 episodes long and feels like whatever the vertical equivalent of a novella is.

It's a good story, quite Nicholas Sparks (Safe Haven) but you know exactly what is going to happen

Now I don't know if this is a sign I have watched too many Verticals. I could appreciate the quality here, but wanted more - both drama and characters. We never get the back story of Hayes which is hinted at. We could have found out more about Ava. Spent more time with Riley and Ollie.

But because it is so short there is no space for this

Isabel Chavez is super, James Corso equally brilliant as every man Hayes.

The whole thing looks stunning, to the extent that I started thinking it was a multi million dollar ad for denim rather than a vertical.

It's a great way to spend an hour

But it feels like a snack rather than a meal, you want more afterwards.

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

Lots of gorgeous shots of Ava and Hayes in dappled sunlight, stunning countryside and kissing in barns. It’s all well done, and does look like the cover of a romance novel.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

Damon is a sinister presence from the beginning, and when the character shows up Ryan Ayd doesn’t disappoint. Always dangerous, you know there will be no easy resolution.

😂 Comedy gold:

No comedy here - played straight. And it is all shot beautifully, lots of lovely frames and scenery. But at a few stages it did feel more like an advert than a vertical, with lots of lingering shots of denim. It looked like a stunning magazine shoot.

🎺 Unsung hero:

Riley is really well written, although initially friendly and welcoming to Ava, when her brother is in danger she fights for her family. Refreshing in a vertical to see strong family bonds and loyalty like this.

✍🏼 DETAILS

Director Kristin Goodman | 2025

Writer Christianne Cruz

Available on Salty TV