Surprisingly, Taylor Sheridan's Dutton Ranch Officially Replaces Kevin Costner's John With Someone Better

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Dutton Ranch.The Yellowstone franchise has found its true John III replacement, but instead of simply replicating the character, Dutton Ranch has someone better than Kevin Costner's beloved patriarch. A year and a half since Yellowstone ended on Paramount Network and Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western franchise has already made its successful comeback. Kicking off this new era of storytelling for the clan was Kayce's Marshals on CBS, and just several weeks later, Beth and Rip's Texas narrative started via Dutton Ranch.

Paramount+'s latest Sheridanverse installment didn't spend a long time showing Beth and Rip's idyllic life in Dillon, Montana, where they moved to after the sale of their family ranch to Broken Rock. As the couple is dealing with one tragedy after another, they commit to staying in Texas instead of moving back closer to Kayce in their home state. This comes with a whole unexplored world inhabited by fresh faces — some of them are allies, while others are foes. One particular new character, however, stands out — Annette Bening's Beulah Jackson.

Beulah Jackson Is Already A More Compelling Character Than John III (After Just Four Episodes Of Dutton Ranch)

As 10 Petal's head honcho and the Jacksons' matriarch, it's easy to draw a parallel between Dutton Ranch's Beulah and Yellowstone's John III. Both characters are defined by their professional and personal standing, as well as their commitment to their respective causes. Like the Dutton family's late leader, his Rio Palma counterpart prioritizes her property and legacy over pretty much everything — even her familial ties. What sets Beulah apart from Costner's role is the way Dutton Ranch has already made her multidimensional in just four episodes.

Throughout the show's run thus far and despite her limited screentime, Dutton Ranch has already shown various sides of the character — the ruthless entrepreneur, the manipulative boss, the struggling matriarch, and most recently, the brokenhearted woman. Her conversation with Everett, where their past is revealed, highlights her inner struggle — something that Yellowstone didn't really get to do as effectively with John III, considering that Costner's character was presented as calm and even stoic. His quiet demeanor didn't mean that he wasn't effective as Yellowstone's leader, but showing Beulah's more vulnerable side effectively makes her more interesting right away.

How Beulah Poses The Biggest Threat To Beth & Rip's Texas Life

Based on what's known thus far about Beulah, she has no problem crossing certain lines if it means preserving the legacy of 10 Petal. There was immediate tension between her and Beth the moment they met, and it seemed to just continue to build as the show progressed. While the Dutton couple is not new to dealing with all sorts of antagonists, Beulah is particularly dangerous because they have them at a disadvantage. Previously in Yellowstone, Beth and Rip were on home turf in Montana, but in Rio Palma, they are newcomers, that even the police is in the Jacksons' pocket.

Instead of simply being antagonistic, it's probably best for the pair to deal with Beulah with a little more finesse. Surely they can't take her down in an open battle, considering her resources and their predicament, not to mention Carter's burgeoning relationship with Oreana. Considering Dutton Ranch's massive success on Paramount+, it's safe to say that a sophomore year is imminent, so its creative team needs to make sure that this complicated dynamic between the Dutton-Wheeler couple and Beulah is sustainable.