Warning: SPOILERS For Dutton Ranch Season 1, Episode 6 - "A Cowboy Saint"
Yellowstone premiered in 2018, but Dutton Ranch is now doing a cowboy story that eluded Taylor Sheridan's flagship neo-Western series. Dutton Ranch episode 5 marked a huge pivot point for the Yellowstone spinoff, as Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) went to work for Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) and the rival 10-Petals Ranch.
Beth and Rip's dream of owning their own profitable South Texas ranch ended in tragedy when they were forced to pull their herd of black angus cattle, which was infected with foot-and-mouth disease. Rip was hired by Beulah to become the 10-Petals' new foreman and to get the warring bunkhouse in line by any means necessary.
Meanwhile, Beth pitched Beulah on her plan to create a business of delivering premium black angus steaks to high-end clients. Beth and Beulah's dream team netted their first client, Chicago-based restaurateur Zane Nash (Marlon Young). Back at the 10-Petals, Rip did something with the cowboys that Yellowstone missed in its five seasons.
Now that Rip is the 10-Petals' foreman, he brought on the Dutton Ranch's wranglers, Azul (J.R. Villarreal) and Zachariah (Marc Menchaca), to help out at the Jackson family's ranch. Dutton Ranch and the 10-Petals' cowboys combining is something Yellowstone never quite did.
Dutton Ranch breathed new life into Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone franchise and has made several improvements to the neo-Western saga along the way.
In Yellowstone, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) sent Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) to the 6666 Ranch in Texas. Working for Travis Wheatley (Taylor Sheridan), Jimmy struggled but eventually became a real cowboy. However, Jimmy was traded from the Yellowstone when he was sent to Texas, and he no longer worked for the Duttons, which he initially saw as a punishment.
Yellowstone season 5 saw Rip lead a handful of the Dutton Ranch's cowboys to Texas for months. Their job was to herd Yellowstone's cattle and prevent them from brucellosis. However, except for meeting the 6666 cowboys upon their arrival, Yellowstone's cowboys were on their own in Texas and didn't work with the 6666's wranglers.
In Dutton Ranch episode 6, Rip, Azul, and Zachariah integrated nicely with the 10-Petals' cowboys. It was a throwback to Yellowstone's ranch work as they branded the 10-Petals' new herd of black angus cattle. They even competed in roping calves and busted each other's chops.
Yellowstone was always concerned with the internal workings and defense of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Occasionally, a new cowboy would join the Yellowstone bunkhouse, but John Dutton's wranglers never crossed over with another ranch's cowboys the way Rip brought the 10-Petals and the Dutton Ranch together.
Although Beth and Rip's spinoff is called Dutton Ranch, and the actual ranch is branded with their "DR" logo, does going to work for Beulah Jackson mean the Dutton Ranch will exist in name only? Beth, Rip, and Zachariah lamented how their ranch is not really a ranch anymore without cattle.
Beth and Rip being employed by the 10-Petals also isn't a short-term deal. Rip negotiated $11,000 a month to be the 10-Petals foreman, and he's not about to abandon that income. Meanwhile, Beth pitched Beulah on making their angus steaks business a success within three years, and that she would be out in 5 years. Beth's goal is to earn millions of dollars as Beulah's partner.
Given that Dutton Ranch season 1's timeframe has only been about a month so far since the series began, the series would need huge time jumps for Beth and Rip to both exit the 10-Petals, unless they're forced to quit prematurely. In the meantime, what happens to the Dutton Ranch if Rip is at the 10-Petals every day while Beth flies around the country pitching clients with Beulah?
Regardless, Dutton Ranch is blazing new trails for the Yellowstone franchise, especially with its focus on female lead characters like Beth and Beulah. Meanwhile, Rip is holding down the fort and combining the Dutton Ranch and 10-Petals cowboys.
