10 Absolute Best Characters in Yellowstone, Ranked

Yellowstone has a great list of compelling characters, but there are some that clearly outshine the rest. Every fan knows that Taylor Sheridan tried to make this show as realistic as possible, with real food, clothing, and, of course, rodeo animals. He also, however, embedded the characters with an interesting narrative that doesn’t feel too farfetched, but natural in the violent and complex environment of the Yellowstone Ranch.

Different characters fit different roles, even if people don’t personally relate to them. Some are there for comic relief, some to enrich the story, and others to truly carry the show on their shoulders. Whether because of their likable personalities or impeccable character development, Kayce and Beth are some of the best characters in Yellowstone.​​​​​

10. Teeter Is a Great Role Model for Cowgirls Everywhere

Jennifer Landon Plays Teeter in Yellowstone

While Teeter was only introduced in the third season of Yellowstone, she soon became a fan-favorite character. The only woman in the bunkhouse, she proves to be more efficient, loyal, and strong than any of the other men. While Walker, Ryan, and other cowboys have no issues getting into petty fights, Teeter doesn’t have a need to prove herself to anyone else. She’s often reckless, enjoying adventures on the ranch, but she’s also pretty sensible and reliable.

Teeter is also hilarious. She has no qualms about being incredibly honest with everyone on the ranch, which allows a lot of comedy relief in the series. The jokes about her accent are also a cute bond in the bunkhouse. However, she proves to be more than a comedy when she faces the death of her boyfriend, Carter. Her scenes with Beth while she’s grieving are one of the most raw and interesting in the show. Teeter doesn’t only rank higher as a Yellowstone character because she is not given more screen time.

9. John Dutton Is Crucial to Tell the Yellowstone Story

Kevin Costner Plays John Dutton in Yellowstone

John Dutton is a pretty ambivalent Yellowstone character. He’s not by any means a fan-favorite, but he’s still the patriarch of the Yellowstone Ranch, and his character development drives the storyline. A character doesn’t have to be likable to be well-written, and this is the case with John.

John is an old-school man who holds on to his principles. He sacrifices his family’s happiness to continue his father’s legacy. At one point, he refuses to negotiate giving a small part of the ranch, even though it could have saved the rest of his land. While his children grieve him, they can only find happiness and freedom after his death. John represents patriarchal issues, as men insist on possessing land and sacrificing other people for it. He’s never truly redeemed in the show, but they also don’t villainize him. Yellowstone shows John all his flaws, as well as his good things (he was a good grandfather, for example). In the end, however, people don’t need to be monsters to cause a lot of harm, and that’s why John’s character is so appropriate.

8. Lynelle Is an Amazing Politician

Wendy Moniz Plays Lynelle Perry in Yellowstone

At the beginning of Yellowstone, Lynelle Perry was Montana’s governor, and later on, she became a Senator. Lynelle is an intelligent, compassionate, sensible woman. She knows how to negotiate with John, trying to protect nature in Montana, but she also understands the world of politics enough to manipulate situations in her favor.

Lynelle is a good portrayal of a woman in politics. Instead of the femme fatale stereotype (which Yellowstone includes with the likes of Sarah Atwood), she’s a well-balanced woman. Lynelle is against macro corporations making Montana a tourist destination and destroying its natural habits. However, she keeps her head cold and doesn’t antagonize anyone, knowing how to play the long game. Unlike the Duttons, who bulldoze anyone in their way, for good or for worse. Lynelle might not be as developed as other characters in Yellowstone, but she remains very likable.

7. Chief Thomas Rainwater Chooses Peace Over Violence

Gil Birmingham Plays Chief Thomas Rainwater in Yellowstone

Chief Thomas Rainwater proves that violence is not the only way. In the first season of Yellowstone, Tom becomes the High Chief of the Broken Rock Reservation, the place where Monica and Kayce used to live. With Mo as his right hand, Tom is no stranger to playing dirty. He tries, for example, to make an alliance with Dan Jenkins to build a casino together to create revenue for his Reservation, which would have endangered Montana’s land.

However, Tom is also loyal, wise, and generally pacific. He is an educated man who had the privilege of going to Harvard but decided to use his resources to help his stranded community, putting his life at risk by challenging wealthy and powerful men for the good of his people. Tom’s kindness to those he recognizes as equals proved to be a far more powerful weapon than John’s pride and Jamie’s cunning intelligence. His good relationship with Kayce and Monica, as well as his respect for any good character in the series, eventually inspires the deal that gets Tom the Yellowstone land that his people rightfully deserve. However, Tom is never blinded by resentment, which allows him to play the long game.

6. Rip Is the Strongest Man in Yellowstone

Cole Hauser Plays Rip Wheeler in Yellowstone

Rip is not only a greatly written character, but he is also one of people’s favorites from Yellowstone​​​​​​. After his father murders his mother and little brother, Rip desperately kills him in self-defense. A teenager running away from justice with nothing, Rip ends up being adopted by the Yellowstone ranch. Rip always felt like he owed his life to John Dutton, and his loyalty to him was never-ending. He was willing to kill, steal, and commit any number of crimes to protect John’s dream, and always received very little in return.

While Rip was capable of disturbing violence thanks to John, he was also a sweet man. Despite Beth’s recklessness and destructive pride, Rip remained loyal to her. His love was pure and unconditional. He also remained faithful to his mother, even after her death, spending all his money on giving her the best resting place. Rip is obviously a victim of the system’s negligence and John Dutton’s abuse, but he remained strong and kind.

5. Monica Maintains a Good Heart Throughout the Hardships of Yellowstone

Kelsey Asbille Plays Monica in Yellowstone

Monica is one of the only characters in Yellowstone who remains humble, kind, and grounded throughout the entire season. When the show begins, she is living in the Reservation with her husband, Kayce, and her only son, Tate. Monica, however, is against Kayce’s violent nature, and even pauses their relationship to reflect on their journey, showing great control of her own boundaries. She is also diplomatic enough to maintain a good relationship with almost any character in the show, including complicated people like Beth.

It’s almost impossible to dislike Monica. With her good heart, intelligence, and strength of character, she raises Tate to be a kind man. Monica’s romance with Kayce realistically portrays the lows and downs of marriage, making them one of the most likable couples in the show. Additionally, she is concerned about the future of her Reservation and willing to put her life on the line to save women from a serial killer. Monica also prioritizes educating people about social injustice, especially when she works at a college.

4. Jimmy Grows More than Anyone Else in Yellowstone

Jefferson White Plays Jimmy in Yellowstone

Jimmy might be the only person who benefited from his time in Yellowstone Ranch. He used to be a drug addict, but as a favor to his grandfather, John Dutton forced him to work at his ranch. The methods might be questionable, but the results are outstanding. Everyone used to make fun of Jimmy for his lack of character and cowboy abilities, but in the end, he grew to be a great cowboy and a stand-up guy.

The abuse Jimmy suffered in the bunkhouse could have made him bitter, but he received every insult with class and humility. He tries to follow his dream of being a rodeo rider, but he eventually realizes that his life isn’t worth it. Little by little, Jimmy opens his way into the world because he decides not to be proud, violent, or irrational, like many of the other male characters in the show. Thanks to his sense of humor and his persevering nature, Jimmy flourishes on the 6666 ranch, where he meets the love of his life and leaves the past where it belongs.

3. Tate Puts an End to the War for the Land

Brecken Merrill Plays Tate Dutton in Yellowstone

The youngest Dutton in the series, Tate, is Kayce and Monica’s only son. At the beginning of the series, he’s about 9 years old, but he stands his ground from the very beginning. Thanks to his Indian roots, Monica’s kindness, and his father’s courage, Tate is a well-rounded, sweet, and capable kid. He loves and respects nature, and this genuine aspect of his nature is key to the end of Yellowstone.

When his father asks Tate if he wants his legacy, Tate tells him that he’d be fine without it. This leads Kayce to agree with Beth and practically gift the land to Thomas Rainwater. If Tate had been insecure or weak like his uncle Jamie, he would have taken this horrible war through another century. However, he always shows strength and courage, helping his mother, working at the ranch, and even killing a rattlesnake with his bare hands. The fact that Brecken Merrill is such a great actor makes Tate more compelling, as he truly captures all these aspects of his personality.

2. Kayce Has Outstanding Character Development

Luke Grimes Plays Kayce Dutton in Yellowstone

Together with his son, Kayce puts an end to the generational trauma in his family and the toxic patriarchal cycle. While in the first season of Yellowstone, Kayce lives in the Reservation with Monica, he still carries his father’s violent nature. In fact, Kayce kills Monica’s brother in a battle for the Yellowstone cattle. He will continue with this self-destroying nature for quite a while, killing people for the wrong or for the right reasons. However, as the show progresses and thanks to Mo and Thomas’ help, Kayce reflects on his role in life and within his family.

Kayce realizes he must choose between his father’s land and his family. Despite his father’s pressure, Kayce is intelligent enough to understand that his family is the most important thing in the world and that no amount of land is worth the sacrifice. Kayce, then, gives Tate a choice (that he never received) and puts an end to the violent cycle that the Dutton family had continued for 7 generations.

1. Beth Is Yellowstone’s Greatest Character

Kelly Reilly Plays Beth Dutton in Yellowstone

While Beth has a lot of haters, she is undoubtedly the best Yellowstone ​​​​​​character. Beth knows how to keep things interesting from the very beginning, keeping both the characters of the show and viewers on their toes. However, Beth’s irrational behavior (such as getting in a bath in the nude for all the cowboys to see) is not only there for shock value. Beth is the product of a complicated upbringing (with a mostly absent yet validating father and a stern and cold mother). Not only that but she is also abused by her brother, who got her a hysterectomy against her will.

In a male-dominated environment, Beth has to overcompensate for her own survival. In the five seasons of Yellowstone, Beth is threatened, attacked, almost raped, and hit on by dozens of men. Her own brother wants to walk over her. Beth might not always be likable, but she’s certainly compelling, and her behavior, while hard to understand, is justified within the context of the show. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Yellowstone being such a great series without Keilly Reily’s commanding presence.