Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Yellowstone Season 5.yellow stone Season 5 was full of surprising twists, some of which proved more controversial than others. Beth killed her brother Jamie to avenge her father's death (due to Kevin Costner's departure from yellow stone), and Kayce sold the Dutton family ranch to Chief Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservation. However, one of the most divisive aspects yellow stone season 5 was creator Taylor Sheridan's acting role. Sheridan's character, Travis Wheatley, has been a recurring character on yellow stone since the first season of the neo-Western drama.
Wheatley is a cowboy of many talents, a skilled horseman, a horse trainer and a rodeo competitor representing Bosque Ranch. His experience was buying, selling and trading horses with Yellowstone and many other ranches. Wheatley is an intriguing supporting character with a sense of humor. Yet, Sheridan's screen time in yellow stone Season 5 Part 2 Was Unexpectedly Highdrawing negative reactions from viewers, as the show focused more on him than other characters who deserved more depth.
Taylor Sheridan had a bigger role than expected in the final episodes of Yellowstone
Yellowstone creator gambled on his extended role
Sheridan's role as Wheatley was bigger than expected in yellow stone season 5with him starring in four episodes, including the yellow stone end of the series. Since Costner's John Dutton was the series' patriarch until his character's passing during the second half of Season 5, Sheridan decided to inject some humor into the series' final episodes. Given the way Wheatley embodies the qualities of a cowboy, he also appealed to the show's audience by resurrecting its Western themes.
Wheatley's humor and strength attempted to lighten the mood amid John's death and conflict surrounding the Dutton brothers. During the final episodes, he was also a beneficial ally to the Dutton family, helping them sell horses when business in Yellowstone was not going well. Wheatley's specialty in selling and training horses also offered an extended preview of what his character could do if Yellowstone returned for a sixth season or a spinoff, like the Beth and Rip show or the upcoming Yellow Stone: 6666 series.
Travis' larger role was an unnecessary distraction when it came to the end of Yellowstone
Sheridan's role interfered with other essential character arcs
Although Wheatley was a useful ally to Beth and Rip his role extended during the second half of season five of yellow stone was a distraction from other important character arcs. For example, Wes Bentley's Jamie Dutton deserved more screen time considering he was considered the main villain responsible for his father's death. In addition to not showing enough scenes involving Jamie's death in his political career, there are unanswered questions in yellow stone regarding Sarah Atwood and her death, as she also had a hand in John's fate.
Wheatley's mix of drama and comedy could be a preview of what's to come in future Yellowstone spinoffs.
Another underused character was Jimmy Hurdstrom. Hurdstrom was devastated when he heard the news about John's death, but his reaction was not further explored at the end of yellow stone season 5. While Beth, Rip, and Kayce receive their retribution for John's death and ultimately sell the Yellowstone ranch to move on with their lives, Wheatley's role was a distraction from the family drama. However, Wheatley's mix of drama and comic relief could be a preview of what's to come in the future. yellow stone spin-offs.