The first season of the "Yellowstone" spinoff "Dutton Ranch" concluded with a dramatic finale that included a murder, a kidnapping, and a pregnancy reveal. The episode, titled "El Padrino," saw the violent end of Rob-Will Jackson, played by Jai Courtney.
Joaquin Jackson (Juan Pablo Raba) fatally shot his adopted brother, Rob-Will, in the head at his home. The assassination was ordered by their father, Mariano Reyes (Raoul Trujillo), who was angered that Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) had named Rob-Will as her successor instead of Joaquin. Rob-Will's daughter, Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), discovered her father's body.
Adding to Oreana's distress, she also learned she is pregnant. The identity of the father remains unclear, with "Dutton Ranch" suggesting it could be Carter (Finn Little), the adopted son of Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser), with whom Oreana was involved. However, Oreana had also been dating other men, leaving the paternity a potential storyline for Season 2.
Carter faces his own peril at the end of the season when Mariano has him kidnapped, an act intended to provoke Beth and Rip.
Uncovering Drug Smuggling
Earlier in the episode, Beth and Rip, who had been working for Beulah Jackson at her 10 Petal Ranch, uncovered a drug-smuggling operation. They discovered that the Jacksons were using their cattle to transport fentanyl from Mexico to the United States, finding approximately $2 million worth of the drug sewn into the animals.
Beulah confessed that she had been working with Mariano and was attempting to exit the business. Both of her sons were aware of the operation. A furious Beth confronted Beulah about the dangerous smuggling method. Despite Beth and Rip returning the drugs, Mariano was angered by their interference.
Retaliation and Attack
In retaliation for meddling in his drug trafficking business, Mariano sent henchmen to attack Rip and Beth's ranch. Rip, aided by ranch hands Zachariah (Marc Menchaca) and Azul (R.R. Villarreal), and his friend Everett (Ed Harris), defended their home in a shootout. They successfully killed Mariano's henchmen, but Mariano's response was to kidnap Carter.
"They don’t want Carter, they want us," Rip stated, as Beth concluded, "They’re gonna f–ing get us."
"Dutton Ranch" follows Beth and Rip after the events of "Yellowstone." The couple relocated from Montana to Texas and became involved with the Jackson family. Executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros previously commented that Beth and Rip seek peace, but "war keeps coming to their doorstep."
Paramount+ renewed "Dutton Ranch" for a second season on June 24, touting it as the biggest debut in the streaming service's history. The series premiere reportedly drew nearly 13 million viewers in its first week on Paramount+ and nearly 3 million viewers on Paramount Network, making it the biggest cable series premiere of 2023.
"Dutton Ranch" creator Taylor Sheridan produced the show, but its Season 1 showrunner, Chad Feehan, was ousted three weeks before the season premiered. A new showrunner will be needed for Season 2, for which a premiere date has not yet been announced. The Season 1 finale is currently streaming on Paramount+ and aired on Paramount Network on July 1.