The first two episodes of the anticipated &34;Yellowstone&34; spinoff are now streaming. How Dutton Ranch addresses John Dutton's death — and what role his legacy could play moving forward The first two episodes of the anticipated &34;Yellowstone&34; spinoff are now streaming. By Randall Colburn :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RandallColburnauthorphotoe7e8b48d9f8645588439077e721a5f48.jpg) Randall Colburn Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at . His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.

The first two episodes of the anticipated "Yellowstone" spinoff are now streaming.

How Dutton Ranch addresses John Dutton's death — and what role his legacy could play moving forward

The first two episodes of the anticipated "Yellowstone" spinoff are now streaming.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.

EW's editorial guidelines

May 15, 2026 12:26 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser on 'Dutton Ranch'; Kevin Coster as John Dutton on 'Yellowstone'. Credit:

Emerson Miller/Paramount+; Cam McLeod/Paramount

- *Dutton Ranch* is a *Yellowstone* spinoff following Beth and Rip as they build a new life (and ranch) in Texas.

- Kevin Costner's late John Dutton is referenced by multiple characters.

- The first two episodes are now streaming on Paramount+.

**Warning: This article contains spoilers for the first two episodes of *Dutton Ranch*, "The Untold Want" and "Earn Another Day."**

*Dutton Ranch* might be set in Texas, but, as Rip (Cole Hauser) says to Beth (Kelly Reilly) during the *Yellowstone* spinoff's two-part premiere, "Montana will always be our home." The memory of the state’s snow-capped mountains and sweeping plains lingers as they adjust to the sweltering Texas heat, as does the specter of Beth's late father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner).

John, as fans of Taylor Sheridan's beloved Western remember, was killed in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by Sarah (Dawn Olivieri), the girlfriend of Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), Beth's adopted brother.

Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler on 'Dutton Ranch'.

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

And imperfect as the patriarch was, Beth and Rip can't help but summon his spirit after setting up shop in the Lone Star State, a decision prompted by the destruction of their Dillon, Mont., ranch in a fire.

"I miss him," Beth says to Rip one night. She doesn't even need to say his name. Rip knows. And he replies, "Well, we brought the best parts of your father with us."

They've been living in Rio Paloma, Texas, for six months at this point, and, along with their adopted son Carter (Finn Little), are struggling with being strangers in a strange land. They were respected in Montana. Here, they're no one.

'Dutton Ranch' cast: Meet the 'Yellowstone' spinoff's new ensemble of cowboys and corrupters

'Dutton Ranch' moves on from creator weeks before 'Yellowstone' spinoff premieres

But even if they *can* make it work, Beth wonders if they'll find the sense of content they've been chasing. "All those nights I'd find him just staring into the fire," she recalls, "the weight of his promises and everything just so f---ing heavy and... he never got to be happy, not even try. And for what?"

"For you," Rip says. "For the land."

"I don't want that for us. I want it simple. You, Carter, me."

"We're too hard-raised for simple."

"Peaceful, then."

"Sweetheart, you can't chase peace. You gotta live it."

"What if the world won't let us?" she asks.

"That's not the world's choice, honey," Rip concludes. "That's ours."

Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton on 'Dutton Ranch'.

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

That's a nice thought, but it might not be entirely true. John might be dead, but his reputation reaches beyond the borders of Big Sky Country. When Beth and Rip are speaking with Jeanie Edwards (Harriet Sansom Harris), who sells them their new ranch in Texas, Jeanie says, "I didn't know your daddy, except by reputation... and what I later read in the papers."

And at the end of the two-part premiere, we see Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), who oversees Rio Paloma's local ranch and slaughterhouse empire, reading all about John on the internet. The Jackson clan, we learn, has endeavored to buy the land now owned by Beth and Rip for 20 years. Could the Duttons' checkered past come to haunt Beth and Rip as they try to rebuild? It certainly looks that way.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Drama"

Read More

---

Source: Drama

Published: May 17, 2026 at 12:57PM on Source: MORNING MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle