So, Taylor Sheridan, we love your work, but it might be time to step up your game when it comes to writing women!
Living on the rugged terrain of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is anything but ordinary. From the deft lassoing of cattle to the familial tensions sparking drama at every turn, this is where the essence of modern cowboy tales comes to life.
Taylor Sheridan, the cinematic mind behind masterpieces like Hell or High Water and Sicario, constructed a world that mirrors the iconicity of yesteryear’s Westerns with a contemporary edge. Yet, amidst his brilliance, the portrayal of women in Yellowstone—characters like the formidable Beth Dutton, who swings from bold to bruised, respected to ridiculed—sparks discussions that even the show’s most ardent fans can’t dismiss.
Despite the talented Kelly Reilly’s vibrant portrayal of Beth, who in real life couldn’t be further from her cigarette-smoking character, viewers are left to wonder if Sheridan’s female characters reflect the evolution of women on the Dutton ranch.
Yellowstone: Fans Can’t Digest the Portrayal of Taylor Sheridan’s Female Characters?
In Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, the men of Dutton Ranch are portrayed as strong, stoic cowboys, whereas the women are depicted as the polar opposite.
From Kelly Reilly’s portrayal of the fiery Beth Dutton to Dawn Olivieri’s role as Sarah Atwood, Sheridan’s female characters are often one-dimensional “caricatures”, lacking the depth and nuance of their male counterparts.
Beth Dutton, with her hard liquor swigging and fistfight challenges, may initially come across as a strong and independent woman, but as the seasons progress, her character seems to spiral into a caricature of a weak woman rather than a truly strong one.
The issue lies in Sheridan’s tendency to reduce female characters to mere stereotypes, either as s*x objects or nagging shrews, rather than fully fleshed-out individuals with their own complexities and motivations. While Beth Dutton may have initially appealed to female viewers with her outspoken and violent nature, there is a limit to how wild a character can become without losing their original integrity.
While Sheridan may excel at capturing the rugged beauty of the Western genre, his portrayal of female characters leaves much to be desired. Instead of allowing their strength to well up from within, the women of Yellowstone are forced to yell, scratch, and claw their way through the narrative, constantly fighting to stake their claim alongside their male counterparts.
The Surprising Detail Kelly Reilly Can’t Stand About Her Character Beth Dutton
As Yellowstone will wind down and we prepare to say goodbye to the Dutton family in November of this year, Kelly Reilly has one thing on her mind— getting Beth Dutton to kick the cigarette smoking habit once and for all. And let us tell you, she hated it “so much”.
But can you blame her? Imagine having to puff on those herbal cigarettes constantly, just for the sake of staying in character. It must feel like trying to square a circle or put a square peg in a round hole. Reilly told ET:
I don’t smoke, so all those cigarettes are the herbal cigarettes. I hate them so much and he [Taylor Sheridan] has it in the script when she’s smoking and when she takes a drag, it’s all written.
But fear not, Reilly said she tried to “pitch” the idea of Beth getting hooked on Nicorette gum instead. In her words:
I’m trying to pitch him an idea that she gets addicted to Nicorette gum.
Well, it’s a real game-changer, like trying to kill two birds with one stone. And, if Beth can chew her way to a healthier lifestyle, maybe there’s hope for all of us yet.
Also, it is time for the genius of Taylor Sheridan to recognize that women are more than just one-dimensional stereotypes and to give them the complexity and authority they deserve on screen. The second half of Yellowstone’s fifth season will premiere on November 10, 2024.
Stream Yellowstone on Peacock.
