Fans think Taylor Sheridan's prequels gave John Dutton the 'worst deal' of all 'Yellowstone' patriarchs
One cannot deny that 'Yellowstone' co-creator Taylor Sheridan is a master at storytelling, who helped revitalize the Western genre with his gritty characters. From Yellowstone's Beth Dutton to Landman's Tommy Norris, Sheridan can be credited for making his characters larger than life. Kevin Costner's John Dutton is also a fan favorite. But, although John proudly wore the crown of ranching overlord, he fell significantly short when compared to other Dutton patriarchs in 'Yellowstone' prequels.
John's relationship with his children, especially his adopted son Jamie Dutton (played by Wes Bentley), was badly strained. In the course of five seasons, their relationship was characterized by broken promises, misunderstandings, and emotional neglect, as per Fandom Wire. John's actions often led to further divisions within the family, especially with Jamie, whom he treated coldly, despite his son’s loyalty and attempts to seek validation.
On the other hand, other patriarchs in the 'Yellowstone' universe, such as James Dutton (Tim McGraw) and Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), were shown to prioritize their families first. They may have been tough and rugged from the outside, but their familial bonds were categorized by care and commitment. Meanwhile, John often seemed more driven by his need for control and dominance over his land and family. His character also leaned more towards practicality instead of maintaining an emotional bond with his family.
This contrast has led many fans to dub John as perhaps the 'worst' of the Dutton patriarchs. On Reddit, one chimed, "I would agree. '1883' James (Tim McGraw) seemed like an honorable man/father. '1923' Jacob also seems like an honest man, came to Margaret’s aid when her husband died and ended up raising her sons, protecting not just the ranch but other ranchers. Makes you wonder what went wrong between him and John. What’s the story there? Maybe we’ll find out more in '1923' season 2 when Spenser returns." Another fan echoed, "He got the worst deal of all the patriarchs."
In a similar vein, a viewer opined, "Absolutely. Somehow Harrison Ford and Tim McGraw from 100-150 years ago were far better people. John is a reprobate." In agreement, another stressed, "Also lied about house arrest to a hot, younger woman so she’d be grateful and s******y available." A fan also noted, "I always thought this. He's pretty stupid when it comes down to it and childish as shown when he doesn't understand and refuses some duties of governor. Shortsighted. Piss poor money manager. A complete psychopath who brands his workers and orders killings. Terrible father. The only thing he was good at was duping people with his speeches filled with empty platitudes and flowery descriptions about the meaning of freedom."
As per Collider, John also upset fans for his practice of branding employees with a scorching 'Y' as a symbol of loyalty and submission to the ranch. The man used this branding as a power move, asserting ownership over his workers, including his son Kayce (Luke Grimes), which again highlighted his bad fatherly conduct. Given that the act is rooted in cattle and slavery, it raises uncomfortable associations