Taylor Sheridan Is Finally Releasing The Yellowstone Story That Everyone Wants

After a year and a half, Taylor Sheridan is finally telling Yellowstone story that everybody wants. Considering the success of the Yellowstone franchise, it was only a matter of time before the universe was revived through new expansion series. In an ideal world, the flagship would have continued past season 5, as it was still a major hit when it had to end. As loved as the prequels were, nothing came close to the success of the original series.

Knowing this full well, Sheridan didn’t waste time plotting his plan on how to continue the Yellowstone legacy in a way that could still focus on Duttons’ legacy. John III may have died, but the franchise still has his surviving children — Kayce and Beth. Luke Grimes’ opened this new era of Yellowstone storytelling via CBS’s Marshals, but despite its success, it objectively isn’t the best story that is untold from the franchise. Luckily, Sheridan is finally telling that tale.

Dutton Ranch Tells The Best Yellowstone Season 6 Story

Paramount+

Marshals follows Kayce Dutton as he deals with the aftermath of Monica’s death and the subsequent identity crisis, forcing him to get back to active duty as a member of the U.S. Marshal. From a storytelling perspective, its format is more like a traditional procedural, with weekly cases, instead of how Yellowstone serialized its narrative. Instead, Dutton Ranch more resembles its parent series, as it tackles Beth and Rip’s story a year after the death of John III and the subsequent sale of their Montana ranch.

As an ensemble, Yellowstone attempted to give every member of its main cast the focus that they deserve. Arguably, however, the couple has almost always had the most exciting and intense storylines — whether those were collective or individual plots. In Dutton Ranch, the Chad Feehan-created show within the Sheridanverse is able to finally focus on just them, as Beth and Rip build a life after having to move out of Montana and to Texas, where they’re the newcomers, dealing with new characters, such as Annette Bening’s Beulah and Ed Harris’ Everett. Without the additional weight of the Dutton legacy and the expanded politics of the flagship, Dutton Ranch is just a more grounded narrative. It has enough of what people liked in Yellowstone but also offers something new.

Why Beth & Rip’s Story Is The Best Way To Continue Yellowstone’s Legacy

It’s no secret that Yellowstone could have continued for a few more years, considering its popularity. Unfortunately, its early end was partly motivated by the unexpected departure of Kevin Costner as the Dutton patriarch. Among all of John III’s kids, however, Beth and Rip are his best and true heirs. Kayce always wanted out of the family legacy, creating a rift between him and his dad, and only coming back after sometime. Now, he’s living his life, and although he no longer tries to outrun his lineage, it isn’t at the center of its characterization. Meanwhile, Beth and Rip remain loyal to John III’s legacy, embracing their ties to him rather than trying to come out of his shadows.

Given that, Dutton Ranch is the perfect way for Sheridan to continue Yellowstone on the heels of creative fallout that led to its cancellation. In any case, even if Sheridan opted to continue the flagship after John III’s death, Beth and Rip would likely also be at the front and center of that narrative. The only difference is that with Dutton Ranch, they don’t have to share the limelight with any of the other established main players in Yellowstone, as they start a new life in Rio Palma.

Yellowstone

7/10

Release Date

2018 – 2024

Network

Paramount Network