Why Dutton Ranch Is Better Off Without Taylor Sheridan

2 weeks ago 24

Taylor Sheridan as Travis Wheatley in Yellowstone

Published May 16, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year.

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Yellowstone made Taylor Sheridan a star, but this is rare for showrunners. Usually, the name of the top-level creative leader of a TV series is only known by insiders and diehard fans. However, Chad Feehan, the creator and showrunner of Yellowstone's Beth and Rip-centered spinoff, Dutton Ranch, is now also known to viewers.

The spinoff aired its two-part premiere on Paramount+ this Friday, but it made headlines earlier in the week when it was announced that Sheridan fired Feehan from Dutton Ranch. Details were scarce, though the dismissal was reportedly due to frequent clashes with Sheridan, Dutton Ranch cast members Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, and head of 101 Studios David Glasser.

The firing of Feehan, who also created and showran Sheridan's Lawmen: Bass Reeves, will not affect Dutton Ranch season 1, which is set to air its entire nine episodes as scheduled. However, it begs the question not only of who will take over in a potential Dutton Ranch season 2, but also if it will be Sheridan himself.

That is not likely to happen. Firstly, Sheridan's contract with Paramount ends on December 31, 2028, and while Dutton Ranch may continue on the studio's streaming service past then, Sheridan himself will be moving on with NBCUniversal. Even in the interim, the Yellowstone creator has a full plate with his many other TV series and a shift back to movies.

Ultimately, it's for the best that Sheridan is not involved in Dutton Ranch beyond his executive producer credit. The spinoff has already been criticized for being too similar to its predecessor, and if Sheridan were to take the reins, it might as well be called Yellowstone season 6. Plus, Beth and Rip already have an uphill battle getting their modest ranch up and running — the last thing they need is to be upstaged by Sheridan.

Dutton Ranch Puts Story & Character Before Taylor Sheridan's Brand

Taylor Sheridan revolutionized TV with Yellowstone, and he deserves every ounce of fame and credit his beloved neo-Western series has afforded him. However, as the seasons progressed, it seemed like Sheridan was more concerned with establishing his brand as the coolest guy in Western TV than giving Yellowstone a satisfactory ending.

Before Yellowstone and his pivot to screenwriting, Sheridan was an actor, and a talented one at that. So, it makes sense that he gave himself a Yellowstone role in the form of Travis Wheatley. Though the arrogant horseman's constant peacocking made him a grating presence in the show, that was the point. Whereas all John Dutton cared about was land and legacy, Travis showed the audience a much different form of cowboy living.

However, Sheridan ruined the character in Yellowstone's penultimate episode. It was bad enough that so much of the story — which should have centered on the Dutton family and their allies gearing up for an epic finale — was self-indulgently spent on Travis playing strip poker with supermodels and pawing at his younger girlfriend (played by Bella Hadid).

But Travis crossed the line with Beth Dutton when he bullied her into playing strip poker and tauntingly pointed his phone camera at her while she started to undress. This is misogynistic enough, but what's worse is that Beth was grieving her recently deceased father at the time. Though Yellowstone executive producer and director Christina Voros defended the storyline as comedic relief, it's hard to imagine who actually found it funny.

While Dutton Ranch could do with a bit of levity, the last thing the show — or television in general — needs is more Travis Wheatley. So, if Sheridan were to take a more hands-on role in Dutton Ranch, the biggest question would be, "When is Travis going to show up?" Given what a major presence Travis is in the Yellowstone universe, it would be weird for Sheridan not to include his character if he's already working on the show.

Travis Wheatley is a cocky showman, so he fits right in with the top dogs at Yellowstone Ranch. However, Beth and Rip are at the bottom of the food chain now, fighting for their lives against the power-hungry Beulah Jackson. It just wouldn't make sense for Travis to be in the story.

Despite Dutton Ranch's detractors, the spinoff stands apart from Yellowstone in terms of its character development. Beth and Rip still have the same rock-solid bond that made them fan favorites, but now they get to freely live their desired way of life without the shackles of John Dutton's legacy.

As a result, Beth is calmer and more peaceful — even if she's still the scariest person in the room. She's also more vulnerable than she's ever been, and this is what makes Dutton Ranch so fascinating to watch. Even though Sheridan created her and Rip, the show belongs to them, and it deserves to stay that way.