Kelly Reilly‘s Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser‘s Rip Wheeler are back and better than ever in Dutton Ranch, say the critics.
Reviews are in for the Yellowstone spin-off, which serves as the official sequel to Taylor Sheridan’s ranch-set soap opera (2018–24). Dutton Ranch has received an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 68 score on Metacritic, with the consensus being that the “promising cast” shines against a backdrop that’s the “right amount of cheesy.”
The plot follows Beth and Rip moving to the fictional town of Rio Paloma, Texas, after losing their Montana ranch in a wildfire. Together, they start a new cattle business alongside their adopted son, Carter (Finn Little). Chad Feehan created the series, though he reportedly left after Season 1 wrapped.
The first two episodes debut May 15 on Paramount+, followed by subsequent hours on Fridays. Because the bulk of the season airs after the May 31 cut-off date for Emmy eligibility, Gold Derby has learned that the show will qualify next year at the 2027 Emmys.
Here’s a snapshot of various Dutton Ranch reviews from around the web:
THE GOOD
Michel Ghanem of The Wrap calls the spin-off “slow but promising,” adding, “Dutton Ranch is definitely more polished, but without being steeped in Yellowstone nostalgia, it’ll need more juice to really get going. Luckily, the promising cast makes a strong case for tuning in.”
Carissa Pavlica of TV Fanatic says, “Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly remain magnetic together, and the quieter moments between them are far more compelling than the series’ larger power struggles.”
One of the strongest reviews is from Nick Schager of The Daily Beast: “The most straightforward and satisfying franchise entry since the original. … No-frills, muscular, and just the right amount of cheesy.”
Ana Dumaraog of Screen Rant declares, “It is stripped of the more frivolous and soap opera-like storytelling tendencies of the flagship. At its core is a family fighting for a future. While Beth and Rip’s love story is the show’s backbone, it’s rich with new narrative opportunities that could make the franchise more expansive.”
Praising Reilly and Hauser as “one of TV’s most dynamic duos,” Andy Swift of TVLine notes, “John Dutton is undoubtedly looking up and smiling at this worthy successor to Yellowstone, a faithful, frothy continuation of the family’s story.”
THE MIXED
Proving you can’t please everyone, the show receives a middling grade from Ben Rosenstock of The A.V. Club thanks to its “arresting imagery and sluggish pacing.” He writes, “For all the ways Dutton Ranch differs from the show that preceded it, it’s ultimately just more Yellowstone, warts and all.”
Ben Travers of IndieWire claims, “Dutton Ranch doesn’t need to be different. In many ways, it was designed to be more of the same.” It’s a “sturdy, simplified sequel” with “some bumps in the first four episodes … related to pacing, focus, and follow-through.”
Finally, Alison Herman of Variety calls the show “shameless camp” and continues, “There are a handful of explicit references to Yellowstone … but they’re hardly necessary when Dutton Ranch exhibits such a similar sensibility. … The property may go by a different name, but we’re very much back on the ranch.”
