The Duttons, Ranked: Who’s the Real Power Player in Yellowstone?

Beth and her husband, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), stand out in Yellowstone. The lovebirds’ prominence in the Dutton Ranch’s saga is hardly a mystery, considering the franchise announced a Beth and Rip Yellowstone spinoff to continue the characters’ stories after Yellowstone season 5, part 2. On the other hand, characters like Jamie are universally unlikable, while others land somewhere in the middle. Family members like Tate (Breken Merril) and Carter (Finn Little) have had little potential to evolve, but Taylor Sheridan’s evolving TV universe could change that.

8Jamie Dutton

Wes Bentley Plays John Dutton’s Adopted Son Jamie

Jamie Dutton is far and away the least charming Dutton. While Jamie’s adopted status makes him no less Dutton than anyone else in the Dutton family tree, his personality and direct actions against the family that raised him do. Rather than default to honesty and noble, albeit reckless, actions like his siblings Beth and Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), Jamie is conniving and cowardly, which proves to be a lethal combination for those around him.

Few Duttons can claim their hands are clean of wrongdoing, but Jamie carries more guilt than any other Yellowstone character. After betraying his family to become Montana’s attorney general and leaking sensitive Dutton secrets to a reporter investigating his family’s transgressions, Jamie murders an innocent reporter to cover them up. Jamie’s taking the life of a journalist shows that he is more willing to cross moral boundaries than characters like John and Rip.

Throughout every Yellowstone season, Jamie falters between passive-aggressive antics and violence, making him the least likable of all the Duttons, even if you can find pity in your heart. Jamie’s deception comes to a head in Yellowstone season 5 when he plots with Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) to take down John Dutton. While he didn’t make the final call on John’s murder, Jamie caused his family a lot of suffering from the inside.

7Monica Dutton

Kelsey Asbille Plays John Dutton’s Daughter-In-Law

While Kelsey Asbille’s Monica Dutton (nee Long) maintains strong qualities, she isn’t the most likable character in Yellowstone, and frankly, that’s a shame. Monica is Kayce Dutton’s wife, a Native American woman from the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock. While Monica’s status as an Indigenous member of Montana’s native people gives Monica’s character the most potential to have an inspiring story, Monica’s self-righteousness distracts from the wisdom she possesses.

Monica took a shame-based approach to her pedagogy when becoming a Montana State University college lecturer.

For instance, in Yellowstone season 2, Monica took a shame-based approach to her pedagogy when becoming a Montana State University college lecturer. Rather than educate an unruly student who attends her US History class, Monica publicly humiliates him to prove her point. Trent’s comments are misogynistic and gross, but Monica crosses a line by bullying her students. Plus, she misses a teaching moment since her message is convoluted with an attack on her student.

Monica repeats her questionable teaching behavior when she holds class outside, only to find her students on their phones. Rather than inspiring her students to improve, she snaps at them and leaves. Monica falters throughout the series, alternating between supporting her husband and his family and finding them evil and reprehensible. All that said, Monica’s character improves after the death of her infant son in the Yellowstone season 5 premiere as she evolves to rise above her tragedy.

You can catch up with past seasons of Yellowstone on Peacock.

The best part about Monica is that she’s a grounding character, reminding the other Duttons that their family’s string of crimes is wrong. Still, there’s a sea of woes about Monica online, with many of them pointing to Monica’s complaints throughout the series and her hypocritical nature. Maybe we could have rooted more for Monica if she had more opportunities to develop. For instance, Taylor Sheridan drops Monica’s story as a teacher mid-way through Yellowstone without explanation.

6Tate Dutton

Brecken Merrill Plays John Dutton’s Grandson

Tate is the youngest Yellowstone Dutton, and we haven’t had the opportunity to learn about the seventh-generation Dutton’s desires and motivations. In Yellowstone season 5, Tate is reduced to reacting to his parents with one-liners and serving as a sounding board for the massive decisions his father must make. Unfortunately, Sheridan didn’t use Tate more in season 5, since he plays a potentially enormous role in the outcome of the Dutton family’s legacy.

While it was cute that Tate told his dad he saw himself as a fishing guide, Tate and John’s fishing bond is one of Tate’s only stories independent of his parents, so it didn’t tell Yellowstone viewers anything new about his character. There’s also a disconnect between the younger Tate of Yellowstone‘s earlier seasons and Tate growing into a young adult in season 5. Tate experienced a growth spurt during Yellowstone‘s production break, emerging at a different life stage.

5Carter

Finn Little Plays John Dutton’s Symbolic Grandson

Carter also has little screen time, but his evolution from orphan to Yellowstone ranch hand makes him a more interesting adolescent character than Tate. The story of how his father failed Carter parallels Rip’s Yellowstone story, and making Carter Beth and Rip’s adoptive child in Yellowstone was the perfect touch. Carter only messed up that one time in Yellowstone when Beth took him shopping, and he begged her for a fancy shirt.

Even then, Carter was just a kid, and neither Beth nor her newfound kin knew how to act toward each other. Since that moment, which Carter isn’t to blame for, the ranch hand has grown into an honorable young adult. In Yellowstone season 5, Carter tells Rip that he wants to be just like John Dutton, and Rip gives him hope that someday, he can be. Hopefully, Carter’s story will continue with his parents in Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff, allowing his character to come forward.

4John Dutton

Kevin Costner Plays John Dutton III

Kevin Costner’s iconic John Dutton character is one of the most likable and effortlessly cool in Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western, and he’s a fan favorite to some. Still, John Dutton is guilty of many transgressions in Yellowstone, and the conflict he caused his children puts him in a gray area. For instance, when Kayce got Monica pregnant and then chose to start a family with her, John Dutton gave Kayce the Yellowstone Dutton ranch brand on his chest as a punishment.

While no parent is perfect, John Dutton made some decisions about raising his children that are worth factoring in. Still, Costner’s character is an enigmatic, strong leader, and his determination to protect his home state of Montana from tourists and development projects was outstanding. While we never got to see what would come of John Dutton’s arc after Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone season 5 exit, the Dutton patriarch has a solid legacy in Yellowstone. The story of John Dutton’s immediate family is Yellowstone‘s heartbeat.

3Kayce Dutton

Luke Grimes Plays John Dutton’s Son Kayce

True to heart with the best intentions, Kayce Dutton is one of the best characters in Yellowstone despite his floundering throughout the series. Kayce is a dedicated husband and partner to Monica, and father to Tate, proving his allegiance to his family and the Broken Rock Tribe in Yellowstone season 5. Kayce tries his hardest to meet the needs of those around him, sometimes compromising what’s best for him. Still, Luke Grimes’ character has evolved since Kayce’s visions in Yellowstone season 4.

Kayce is a stronger character in Yellowstone season 5, part 2, leaning into Native American ceremonies to guide his path. Despite being surrounded by murder and violence and often making himself a killer, Kayce has pure intentions and only hurts others to protect the people he loves or those who need protecting. Kayce’s golden heart makes him a better parent than John Dutton was to him, allowing Tate to choose his path independent of the Yellowstone Ranch.

2Rip Wheeler

Cole Hauser Plays John Dutton’s Son-In-Law

Supportive to those around him with a rich backstory, Rip Wheeler is also one of the best characters in Yellowstone. While he may not be as pure as Kayce’s golden boy, Rip has a caring soul forged by the trauma he faced in his adolescence. Rip’s ability to rise above his challenging life circumstances and make a life for himself at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is admirable, making him one of the series’ most well-rounded characters with a great story.

Yellowstone season 5, part 2 concludes with episode 14, “Life Is A Promise,” on Paramount Network at 8 pm ET on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

Since getting together with Beth and having deep discussions about their past and future, Cole Hauser’s incendiary character has softened, and it’s been a joy to watch. Rip hasn’t had a strong storyline in Yellowstone season 5, as the Dutton siblings take center stage and negotiate their future. Still, Yellowstone‘s backstory for Rip in flashbacks is captivating and memorable, with Kyle Red Silverstein making the perfect young Rip, resembling Hauser’s older iteration.

1Beth Dutton

Kelly Reilly Plays John Dutton’s Only Daughter

Beth Dutton is hands down the best Dutton in Kevin Costner’s Dutton clan, and one of the best characters in the entire Yellowstone franchise. Beth’s best moments in Yellowstone prove that while she has terrorizing antics at times, with John Dutton calling her “evil” at one point, Beth has a massive heart. While Beth certainly has a mean streak, Yellowstone flashbacks explain how Beth’s hardened exterior comes from the pain she experienced with the death of her mother, who blamed her for her demise.

While Beth’s initial parenting style and brashness warrant scrutiny, she still has the most iconic character and more heart than anyone.

While Beth could stand to be held accountable more often, she has epic moments of growth when someone can do so successfully. For instance, when Rip calls Beth out for making a fuss at the dinner table once he officially has a place, it is a satisfying experience to see Beth’s mealtime demeanor change when the family moves to the smaller table. While Beth’s initial parenting style and brashness warrant scrutiny, she still has the most iconic character and more heart than anyone in Yellowstone.