While Dutton Ranch is a direct extension of Yellowstone and it really is a continuation of Beth and Rip’s story, some things about it are a bit different. For example, Beth has evolved since the end of Yellowstone. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s been fun to see a different side of her as the spinoff aired on the 2026 TV schedule. However, according to Kelly Reilly, her character changed partially because Taylor Sheridan was no longer writing her.
Unlike Yellowstone, where Taylor Sheridan is credited as a writer on every single episode, he’s only credited on Dutton Ranch as a writer because the show is based on characters he created. In an interview with THR, Reilly addressed how that’s changed things. Specifically opening up about what it was like to return to this character and not say words written by Sheridan, the actress explained:
“I always want to keep Beth truthful and have some integrity in her. That’s something where I really went into this season going, ‘OK, I don’t have Taylor [Sheridan’s] words anymore and it was scary because they are big boots to fill.’ Beth, some of her venom and her strength and her power and anger; he wrote that for her and I went, ‘Got it.’ It was one of those beautiful collaborations and I was very uncertain of what this would be without his words. I didn’t know if it was gonna work. I didn’t know if she was gonna work. It was almost like a part of the character had to die in order for me to begin her again.”
I totally get what she’s saying. If you watch Yellowstone with a Peacock subscription, Beth is such a strong character. She’s aggressive, direct and will fearlessly say anything. All that is still true in Dutton Ranch (which you can stream with a Paramount+ subscription). However, she’s not as much of a tornado as she used to be. She’s slightly more collected and a little more level-headed, in my opinion.
It turns out that shift in character came, in part, because Sheridan wasn’t writing Dutton Ranch. He’s credited as an EP, but this spinoff was created by Chad Feehan (who was also the showrunner for Season 1), and it was written by a whole team of people. To me, felt like a natural evolution for Beth, as she entered a brand new phase of life. Speaking to those points, Reilly said:
“I had ideas of where she should be going in her soul, and there was a real baton exchange. He trusted that the character was now in my hands and so I feel proud of the fact that she is now maturing a little bit. I still enjoy the fire of her — that can’t ever go away. That’s just who she is.”
As Reilly explained, Beth is still very much the Beth. She has her aggressive moments, and she is not afraid to stand up to Annette Bening’s Beulah. However, on the whole, she’s a bit more openly vulnerable in this show. That could be because she’s entered a new phase of life, as the Yellowstone actress said:
“But I did feel that after the death of her father [John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner in Yellowstone] and the laying down of the ranch and death of [her brother] Jamie [played by Wes Bentley in Yellowstone], that there was an ending and a new beginning at the same time. It presented itself as the right moment for Beth to go into a different gear shift, and I enjoyed exploring that psychologically. I enjoyed playing a different color of her.”
While I do think Beth’s iconic and brutal Yellowstone moments helped make this franchise what it is, I also am here for this new side of her character.
Yes, it was daunting to go into this show, seemingly for her, and for me as a fan, without Sheridan writing. He’d penned all the Yellowstone stories (except Marshals and this show) beforehand, so it was nerve-wracking to see the franchise move forward with other creatives. However, it also provided an opportunity to see the characters in a new light.
Now, with Dutton Ranch renewed for Season 2 and a new showrunner, Benjamin Cavell, at the helm, it will be interesting to see how Beth and Rip continue to evolve.
