My Kind of Country attempts to fix an age-old problem

The creators of Apple Original content continue to explore finding fresh programming to see what sticks. My Kind of Country might just do the trick, y'all. This brand-spanking new competition series has contestants from around the world singing for a top spot.

Country and western styles within music were influenced by cowboys who sometimes displayed toxic masculinity, which eventually bled into a John Wayne type of culture. Times have changed and the need for more diversity in the genre of country music is still behind the times in 2023.

My Kind of Country shines a spotlight on this inherited problem throughout all eight episodes.

Filmed primarily in Nashville, Tennessee where I grew up, three mentors attempt to seek out new talent by creating teams similar to The Voice. These country star mentors of Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck also serve as judges to eliminate contestants for one winner at the finale. The trio has had past success playing country music, although Peck clearly leans into the traditional aspects of the sound and style more than the other two.

The scouts could have widened their search net more geographically for the first season. South Africa is heavily focused on possibly because of Peck's roots. When the casting ventures off in different directions the benefits are apparent with Dhruv Visvanath from India and Ale Aguirre from Mexico.

Identity and race are offered as solutions to bringing back country music that gained radio success by morphing into pop music. This representation on television is important and comes with an education possibly that some viewers in small towns never see in broad daylight. Heck, even Allen doesn't understand pronouns and has to be schooled on camera by the other two judges on the panel.

Guyton is a treat to watch onscreen and Peck is simply magnetic as he gallops into the sunset stealing the spotlight. The show tricks the audience with false elimination and dialogue steering them into believing that a contestant is going home when they actually aren't going anywhere in the way American Idol does. The series excels when it breaks away from that formula and supports the singers in all their diverse glory instead.

Actress Reese Witherspoon and singer Kacey Musgraves produce this project and both live in the Music City. Witherspoon played June Carter Cash in Walk the Line and Musgraves benefitted from a country music reality competition like this one called Nashville Star.

While some of the eliminations are questionable, the individual stories along the way should be celebrated. My Kind of Country lassoes some real talent and gives audiences a glimpse of a musician's life in the pursuit of success no matter where they come from, yeehaw!

The first three episodes debuted on March 24, three more dropped on March 31 and the two-part finale airs on April 7, 2023. Watch the winner on TV.Apple.com and please, no spoilers until the cow comes home!