Yellowstone’s New Dutton Spinoff Achieves a Historic Win Over Marshals After Just 2 Episodes

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As a big fan of the Yellowstone universe, I have to say, Dutton Ranch is off to a fantastic start! Just two episodes in, it’s already beating out Landman (formerly Marshals) on CBS, and I’m really enjoying following Carter’s story. Plus, the new Yellowstone series, focusing on Beth and Rip, dropped on Paramount+ and absolutely killed it with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes – it’s great to see the franchise back on top critically.

While the continuation of the Yellowstone story with Marshals attracted a large audience – 26.5 million viewers in its first 28 days – it didn’t receive the same positive reviews as the original series. In fact, Marshals has the lowest critic and audience scores of any show in the Yellowstone universe. This difference in writing quality is what sets Dutton Ranch apart.

Yellowstone Successfully Establishes Carter’s New Era In Dutton Ranch

As a big fan of Taylor Sheridan’s work, especially Yellowstone, I’ve been following the news about the future of the series. It’s interesting to see that while he created Yellowstone and was heavily involved in everything up until now – writing and running the show, including the prequels – he’s stepping back a bit with the next installments, Marshals and Dutton Ranch. He’s still an executive producer, which is great, but he’s letting other people take the lead on the day-to-day running and writing of those shows.

Although Dutton Ranch was written by Chad Feehan instead of Taylor Sheridan, it maintains the same dramatic feel as Yellowstone, helping to rebuild the franchise’s reputation for high-quality television. The series begins a new, interesting story for Carter, the couple’s adopted son, after a fire destroys their ranch in Dillon.

Carter is a 19-year-old hoping to finish high school and eventually run a ranch. The story, set at Dutton Ranch, immediately draws you in as he navigates new difficulties. He’s often teased and taken advantage of by his classmates, making him feel like he doesn’t belong, until he meets Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind) at a rodeo.

Carter’s high school experiences, including first crushes, are surprisingly as captivating as the love stories of Beth and Rip. When he develops feelings for Rip’s granddaughter, Oreana, their families become intertwined. This new generation of the Dutton family delivers a compelling narrative, something the recent CBS series Marshals failed to do.

As a huge fan, I’m really glad to see Carter get a good storyline in the new chapters. It’s a much-needed success story for his character, especially compared to what’s happening with Tate in Marshals. After losing his mom, Monica, it seemed like Marshals could really dive into Tate’s journey and make it something special, but honestly, the show just isn’t giving his story the weight or the unique direction it deserves.

Yellowstone Has Failed Tate’s Story In Marshals

Tate’s experiences are central to Kayce’s journey, much like in the twelfth episode of Marshals, which aired on CBS on May 17th. In “The Devil at Home,” Tate reveals to Kayce that he connects the East Camp Ranch to his mother’s death. This confession leads Kayce to think about selling the ranch, representing a significant turning point in Yellowstone.

Kayce’s storyline in Marshals differs from the main Dutton Ranch narrative by keeping connections to East Camp, which is an important part of the family’s history. If Kayce were to sell his ranch, the Duttons would completely sever ties with the land their ancestors first settled in 1883. However, Tate’s involvement in a large development feels disconnected, as his story doesn’t really exist outside of Kayce’s.

What makes Dutton Ranch stand out within the Yellowstone world is its ability to develop Kelly Reilly’s character, Beth, as she and Rip begin a new phase of their lives. In just its first two episodes, Dutton Ranch has done something that CBS’s Marshals couldn’t do in twelve – it successfully focuses on and highlights the next generation of the Dutton family.

However, Carter’s popularity on Dutton Ranch wasn’t unexpected. He joined the show later than Tate, who was a main character from the start. Despite this, Carter and his storyline quickly became popular and were a major part of Yellowstone Season 4, actually adding more complexity to the show than Tate’s story, even though Tate is John’s grandson.

Carter’s storyline in Dutton Ranch is engaging on its own, and his connection to Oreana cleverly weaves together the stories of the show’s central characters. Meanwhile, while Tate might have a chance to develop in the first season finale of CBS’s Marshals, it’s doubtful, and even if it did happen, there wouldn’t be enough time for it to really matter.

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2026-05-18 06:12