A Collider opinion piece argues that the Paramount+ series Dutton Ranch — a Yellowstone spin-off that relocates Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler to Texas — may be repeating one of its parent show's biggest storytelling errors following its Season 1 finale, "El Padrino." The concern matters because the writer sees the show as an otherwise strong franchise entry now at a crossroads, with Season 2 set to determine whether it forges its own path or slides into familiar, soapy Yellowstone territory.

The central worry is that Joaquin "Kino" Jackson Reyes (Juan Pablo Raba) is becoming a retread of Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley): both are adopted sons handling the business and legal affairs of a ranching dynasty, both are jealous of a favoured sibling, and both harbour ambitions to run the family brand. The finale, plus the arrival of Joaquin's estranged father Mariano Reyes (Raoul Max Trujillo), echoes Jamie's arc with his biological father. The author nonetheless praises Dutton Ranch's more controlled versions of Rip and Beth, Carter's growth, and new cast additions, urging the show to make Kino a rounded character rather than a Jamie-style caricature.