Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Key Insights
- Show Success: Despite behind-the-scenes drama, Dutton Ranch has achieved critical acclaim.
- Viewership Numbers: The series garnered over 6 billion minutes watched during its first season.
- Cast Highlights: Notable performances include those by Kelly Reilly and Annette Bening.
- Franchise Future: The Yellowstone franchise is set to expand with more offshoots.
If you were to read only about the drama that has unfolded behind the scenes of the Yellowstone franchise’s latest installment, you’d believe that it was a complete trainwreck. However, despite the challenges, the show has emerged as a critical and commercial success. The series’ troubles began even before it premiered this May, when it was revealed that showrunner Chad Feehan had been fired after having disagreements with key creatives. More recently, the legendary Ed Harris said that he wanted to quit the show because he was misled about the length of his role; he was assured that he’d have more to do in future seasons. Around the same time, lead actor Cole Hauser admitted that the creative architect of the Yellowstone franchise, Taylor Sheridan, wasn’t involved in day-to-day operations on set, leaving other veterans of the series in a challenging position.
However, Hauser said that he was proud of what the new team achieved. His confidence wasn’t unfounded; the show in question, Dutton Ranch, debuted to excellent reviews and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “Dutton Ranch takes what its predecessor perfected and carries the mantle well in a new town with the same well-worn trappings, perfectly dusted and ripe for entertaining.” This was exactly the kind of rebound that the Yellowstone franchise needed after the lukewarm critical reception of its previous installment, the CBS series Marshals.
More Viewership Details for ‘Dutton Ranch’
This week, Nielsen reported streaming viewership for June 29 to July 5, which is when Dutton Ranch concluded its first season. According to the tracking firm, the series accumulated 827 million minutes watched during its finale week — this was only slightly lower than its season-high of 840 million minutes watched a few weeks prior. In total, Dutton Ranch amassed more than 6 billion minutes watched over the course of its eight-week run, emerging as one of the biggest hits on streaming. The show also featured a returning Kelly Reilly, alongside Annette Bening, Jai Courtney, and Natalie Alyn Lind. The Yellowstone franchise is expected to continue with more offshoots, even though Sheridan’s deal with Paramount has now come to an end.
You can check Dutton Ranch out at home and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
