‘Dutton Ranch’ Review: Taylor Sheridan’s Alternative ‘Yellowstone’ Season 6 Is a Worthy Replacement
Yellowstone‘s slow rise to meteoric popularity ended with a tiff between series creator Taylor Sheridan and star Kevin Costner, who was off developing his own epic two-part Western Horizon: An American Saga. The death of John Dutton (Costner) in Yellowstone left the future of the remaining series’ characters in question. Kayce Dutton got his spin-off, Marshals, while Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) received their own series, Dutton Ranch.
By the end of the Yellowstone run, and despite Costner’s legendary star status, the supporting cast of Yellowstone began to outshine its lead. This is more a testament to the supporting roles than a knock on the lead. There’s no question that Beth and Rip’s relationship was the primary draw in the final seasons, which has made an easy transition to a series driven by their own character arc.
We last saw Beth and Rip as they left the Yellowstone Ranch to begin a new life on land free of historical baggage. They found peace and comfort they never had yetalways deserved. It was a nice send-off in a series where so many character arcs ended tragically and someone deserved to find peace. Of course, as always in the entertainment industry, there is money to be made. After enjoying Yellowstone longer than most people I know, who gave up after Season 3, I was pleased with the resolution. Perhaps having to close it out quickly forced Sheridan into killing John Dutton to bring a less action-packed ending for Beth and Rip. It worked for me. I was ready for that to be the end, but to my delight, Dutton Ranch is a welcome return for our favorite, fearless frontiersfolk who deserve a better life.
Dutton Ranch opens with Beth and Rip, along with their adopted son Carter (Finn Little), living their best lives on a cattle ranch that bears the “DR” brand. The good life is upended when a fire sweeps toward the ranch, destroying nearly everything except a baby calf they manage to save. The family moves to South Texas, where they are able to find a small ranch for sale and hire a local hand, Azul (J.R. Villarreal). The small town’s comfort quickly recedes as we learn about its power dynamics and refusal to let new ranchers compete against the Jackson Ranch, led by the vicious Beulah (Annette Bening) and Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba, Narcos).
The key to any narrative is conflict. Series director-producer Christina Voros told Screen Rant that showrunner Chad Feehan had done “an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth.”
Dutton Ranch has compelling villains that will be sure to test our heroes, as well as layered allies, such as Zachariah (Marc Menchaca, Ozark), who is a hired hand fresh out of jail where he found Jesus and now aims to return to ranching. Ed Harris is a welcome presence as a local veterinarian, Everett, who knows the town’s history as well as anyone, but knows better than to pick sides. New characters provoke curiosity in viewers by showing they know much more than they tell us, for now.
Seeing Hollywood veterans like Bening and Harris as key players elevates the narrative for already well-established characters Beth and Rip. Voros also serves as cinematographer, fresh off her run on The Madison, and offers her sharp eye to capture very different landscapes than the vast vistas found in Montana. For those expecting a Red State show, beware of lines poking at anti-vaxxers and phony Christians in lines like, “Your prayin’ better not be just for show.”
Carter’s character is also developed further, as he’s now a young adult navigating school and girls, finding himself in the company of a well-connected young beauty, Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind). Beth reminds Carter that his adopted parents are trying to make a life for him without the emotional struggle that came with their own lives. Perhaps Carter can find the peace and stability that have evaded Beth and Rip for so long. Carter lands a day’s work with a local rancher who appears harmless but whose presence raises questions about what he knows regarding the town’s skeletons.
Paramount+ made the first four episodes available for review, and that was enough to make me eager to continue the series. The fourth episode is particularly heart-wrenching, proving that Dutton Ranch can pull at our emotions in slightly different ways than we saw in Yellowstone. The Duttons are now the underdogs, after being the driving power brokers, always staving off corporate and political marauders. We know what Beth and Rip are capable of, but the Jacksons don’t, which leaves viewers salivating for some quality comeuppance.
