Taylor Sheridan’s Best ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-Off Is So Good, It’s Already Been Renewed for Season 2

For all you "ride or die" Yellowstone fans out there, Paramount+ has dropped the best news you could ask for. After that record-breaking premiere and a handful of Texas-sized episodes, Dutton Ranch has officially been renewed for a second season. That's right, folks: Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) are set to return for more post-Taylor Sheridan adventures on the streaming platform, and with the news of a renewal ahead of the Season 1 finale, we can't wait to see how this first batch of episodes ends. Sorry, Marshals, but there's a reason that the Rip and Beth show is Yellowstone's true successor.

'Dutton Ranch' Is Returning for Season 2 on Paramount+

In many respects, Dutton Ranch has defied the neo-Western odds. Spin-offs and sequels often fall short on the premise of the original flagship title they spun off from, but that hasn't been the case here. Even without Taylor Sheridan in the writers' room (which, frankly, has been refreshing), the Chad Feehan-created series has gone to great lengths to maintain the same level of visual and narrative quality, while offering something more character-specific and appealing for its leading protagonists. Despite Feehan's exit ahead of the Season 1 premiere, the series has caught on like wildfire (too soon?), with many quite impressed at how the Yellowstone Universe has managed to carve a path of its own apart from John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and the original horse opera. If that can continue into Season 2, then fans will be in for a real Lone Star-style treat.

Part of the reason Dutton Ranch works so dang well is that it isn't afraid to be its own thing, nor is it unwilling to rework its leading characters to better carry the story. The show immediately removes Rip, Beth, and Carter (Finn Little) from the mountainscapes of Montana and sends them down south to the U.S.-Mexico border, a place rife with narrative opportunity. In all of that, the series has managed to give each of its three returning Yellowstone leads — and all the fresh Rio Paloma newcomers — discernible character arcs and engaging material to chew on. Beth, for instance, is more of a well-rounded and interesting character now than she ever was back when Sheridan was at the helm, and Carter has really grown into his own as well. Rip is something of an anomaly in that he's basically the same guy he was on Yellowstone, but that's kind of always worked for him.

Supporting players like Annette Bening (who, ironically, was a Kevin Costner love interest back in the criminally underrated Open Range), Ed Harris, Natalie Alyn Lind, J. R. Villarreal, and Juan Pablo Raba all play their parts with the same high level of care you'd expect from anyone in 1883, 1923, or any of Sheridan's other Paramount dramas. Even Jai Courtney is pretty exceptional as the reckless, menacing, and all-around deplorable Rob-Will Jackson. Of course, Bening and Harris are the obvious breakout Dutton Ranch stars here, and it's always a pleasure to watch them play alongside Hauser and Keilly. In short, those worried that Dutton Ranch couldn't live up to its name after Yellowstone have been sorely mistaken.

'Dutton Ranch' Is 'Yellowstone's Best and Most Obvious Successor

With Taylor Sheridan's 1944 prequel still in development and Marshals already renewed for a second season on CBS, it seems like the Yellowstone universe is as prevalent now as it was when Costner was the face of the franchise. That said, only one series can reign as the "cattle king" over the rest, and if we had to pick which of the various modern Dutton dramas is the best of the bunch, Dutton Ranch would be the top contender. Not only does it allow Beth and Rip to continue their story beyond the shadow of the Yellowstone itself (something Marshals hasn't quite figured out yet), but it has remained consistent in its cinematic quality. It looks and feels just as dynamic as Yellowstone did, something no network television-based spin-off (no matter its potential) could pull off.

This isn't to say there isn't merit to Kayce Dutton's (Luke Grimes) story. The procedural format, though severely limiting to his story, generally works for that character, but for Beth and Rip, it's clear that they need more time to iron out their issues on the streaming screen. Dutton Ranch is a worthy Yellowstone heir, and though that "Y" is no longer the leading symbol that Beth and Rip fall under, it will always stick with them. Considering how well both Dutton Ranch and Marshals are already doing on streaming, it's clear the franchise is stronger than it's ever been.