Yellowstone's Dutton Ranch Spin-Off Could Fix The Biggest Complaint About Marshals
Some "Yellowstone" fans aren't happy with "Marshals," Spencer Hudnut's procedural about Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) fighting crime in Montana. The complaints stem from the spin-off being a straight-up procedural that lacks the qualities of other "Yellowstone" franchise series, which blend action with more somber and dramatic moments. The good news for old-school fans, though, is that "Dutton Ranch" director Greg Yaitanes claims Taylor Sheridan's upcoming "Yellowstone" spin-off is different from "Marshals." As he told Collider:
"It's just a different kind of show. It's much more of a drama and a soap. It has the best parts of what I loved about 'Yellowstone.' Each one was 'Yellowstone' in completely different ways, but each completely honest to the original series."
Yaitanes noted that "Dutton Ranch" is the closest thing we might get to "Yellowstone" season 6 — and it might reunite the surviving Duttons. Luke Grimes believes some "Yellowstone" characters could appear on "Marshals," but Yaitanes thinks it makes more sense for Kayce to visit Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) on "Dutton Ranch." As he told it:
"I feel like Kayce should go to 'Dutton Ranch.' That feels like something that I would lose my s*** over as a fan. That would be pretty cool. I just don't know, in the world of what 'Marshals' is, if Beth coming in would fit into that quite as well."
Yaitanes talks a good game, but only time will tell if "Dutton Ranch" fixes the issues some fans have with "Marshals." With that in mind, what can viewers expect to see in Beth and Rip's offshoot?
What to expect on Dutton Ranch
"Dutton Ranch" centers around Beth and Rip living in Texas, but don't expect their lives to be all barbecues and Lone Star beers. The first teaser trailer (linked above) reveals that Beth now goes to therapy — a storyline Kelly Reilly pitched after "Yellowstone" ended — and Rip still gets into violent altercations. This won't be a fairytale love story, but it was never going to be.
The Dutton family has never struggled to make enemies, and the aforementioned teaser shows that they have to pick up their guns again. It will be interesting to see what leads them to get on the wrong side of the citizens of Texas. Of course, the big question is: will Beth's past come back to haunt her? She murdered her brother, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), the last time we saw her, but the authorities haven't found his body yet. "Marshals" implies that Beth's "Yellowstone" problems aren't over, which should make for some nail-biting viewing.
The show's official synopsis mentions rival ranches and ghosts from the past, so trouble could affect Beth and Rip in various ways. Fortunately, we don't have long to wait to find out what's in store for "Yellowstone's" greatest couple, as "Dutton Ranch" rides onto Paramount+ on May 15.