Dutton Ranch Episode 5 Just Ruined The Show's Most Interesting Storyline

"Dutton Ranch" has been excellent from the start, but Episode 5 might have just ruined its perfect run. Thus far, the show has been setting up a delicious ranch vs. ranch dynamic. The fifth episode, however, sees all of that come crashing down as Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) buddy up with the 10 Petal clan. The writers must have one heck of a climax planned, given they've just collapsed the show's central tension.

In its first few episodes, "Dutton Ranch" has succeeded where fellow "Yellowstone" spin-off "Marshals" has failed, maintaining the tone and style of the original series and delivering premium melodrama to the masses. The setup was simple but extremely effective, with Rip and Beth suddenly finding themselves underdogs after having reigned over Montana for decades as part of the formidable Dutton dynasty. In Rio Paloma, Texas, however, they're small-time — especially compared to the nearby rival 10 Petal Ranch and its quietly fearsome leader, Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening).

That straightforward premise proved to be compelling. When Beth first encountered Beulah at a slaughter facility, there was obvious tension, and I'm certain fans were eager to see that tension come to a head later in the season. When the Dutton Ranch herd had to be culled en masse following the introduction of a bull with foot and mouth disease, the idea that 10 Petal might have had something to do with it was exhilarating to say the least, as it ensured the eventual Dutton Ranch/10 Petal showdown was going to be even more emotionally charged. Now, however, they're all friends — and it already feels boring.

I'm well aware that it may be too soon to call this latest "Dutton Ranch" development, but however things play out, we seemingly won't be getting the ranch showdown we were promised. "Dutton Ranch" Episode 4 featured one of the most disturbing sequences in "Yellowstone" history as Rip Wheeler was forced to slaughter his entire herd due to the foot and mouth outbreak. It was a truly upsetting sequence executed flawlessly by the production team, who kept the focus on Rip the entire time as he unloaded round after round into what was essentially his family's future.

At the same time, it was starting to look as though 10 Petal Ranch might just be responsible for introducing the bull that infected Rip and Beth Dutton's herd. Episode 4 might have revealed the real villains behind the ranch attack, with Rip mentioning that the infected bull likely came from Mexico. Beulah Jackson, who could have made a flower wither and die with the look she gave Beth during the initial cattle auction for the bull in question, seems to be in thrall to a shady organization that many fans have suggested could be the Mexican cartel. Perhaps, then, 10 Petal and this mysterious group were really responsible for infecting the Dutton Ranch herd. Regardless, the show was firing on all cylinders and I couldn't wait to see how Beth and Rip retaliated.

In Episode 5, they retaliate by ... making friends with Beulah and her entire outfit. Rip becomes the new foreman for the 10 Petal as Beth ingratiates herself to the Jackson matriarch, convincing Beulah to retain her renowned marketing services and apparently bury the hatchet in the process. This doesn't bode well.

To be clear, Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton cozying up to Beulah Jackson could very well be a ruse to take down 10 Petal Ranch from the inside. That would surely make for an entertaining story, but it won't be the story we were promised. We were sold Dutton Ranch vs. 10 Petal, and regardless of how this latest development pans out, with the Dutton Ranch gone, there's literally no way that can happen now.

Let's say Rip and Beth succeed in dismantling 10 Petal from the inside and take over. That means they would become the big dogs in Rio Paloma, which undermines why "Dutton Ranch" was interesting in the first place. If the "Yellowstone" power couple become owners of a vast ranching operation, it will just become "Yellowstone" in Texas. While many fans would no doubt be delighted, "Dutton Ranch" was exciting precisely because it found a way to give its main characters a new challenge.

Let's say the opposite happens and Rip and Beth don't take over 10 Petal. There's no way to re-establish that palpable tension that provided so much momentum to the first four episodes. Now that Rip and Beulah have chuckled their way through a friendly dinner, and Beth and Beulah have seemingly made amends, it doesn't matter if the Dutton duo do turn on her — much of the tension is gone. Perhaps Beulah herself has something up her sleeve? Fine. It's still not as exciting as two ranches fighting for dominance in corrupt, small-town Texas. 

"Dutton Ranch" fixed all the issues "Yellowstone" fans had with "Marshals." Let's hope it doesn't cull the herd halfway through. The show is streaming on Paramount+.