Why Taylor Sheridan’s Acting Role In Yellowstone Season 5 Was So Divisive

Yellowstone season 5 was full of surprising twists and turns, some of which proved more controversial than others. Beth killed her brother Jamie to avenge her father’s death (due to Kevin Costner’s exit from Yellowstone), and Kayce sold the Dutton family ranch to Chief Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservation. However, one of the most divisive aspects of Yellowstone season 5 was creator Taylor Sheridan’s acting role. Sheridan’s character, Travis Wheatley, has been a recurring character in Yellowstone 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 expertise was buying, selling, and trading horses with Yellowstone and many other ranches. Wheatley is an intriguing supporting character with a sense of humor. Still, Sheridan’s screen time in Yellowstone season 5, part 2 was unexpectedly high, drawing 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 Yellowstone’s Final Episodes

The Yellowstone Creator Took A Gamble With His Extended Role

Sheridan’s role as Wheatley was bigger than expected in Yellowstone season 5, with him starring in four episodes, including the Yellowstone series finale. Since Costner’s John Dutton was the patriarch of the show up until his character’s demise during the second half of season 5, Sheridan took it upon himself to inject some humor into the series’ final episodes. Given how 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 amidst John’s death and the conflict surrounding the Dutton siblings. During the final few episodes, he was also a beneficial ally for the Dutton family, helping them sell horses when business in Yellowstone wasn’t going well. Wheatley’s specialty in selling and training horses also offered an extended preview of what his character could potentially do if Yellowstone were to return for a sixth season or a spinoff, like Beth and Rip’s show or the upcoming Yellowstone: 6666 series.

Travis’ Bigger Role Was An Unnecessary Distraction When It Was The End Of Yellowstone

Sheridan’s Role Interfered With Other Pivotal Character Arcs

While Wheatley was a useful ally for Beth and Rip, his extended role during the second half of season five of Yellowstone was a distraction from other key character arcs. For instance, Wes Bentley’s Jamie Dutton deserved more screen time, considering he was set up to be the primary villain responsible for his father’s death. Along with not showing enough scenes involving Jamie’s demise in his political career, there are unanswered questions in Yellowstone regarding Sarah Atwood and her death, since she also had a hand in John’s fate.

Another underutilized character was Jimmy Hurdstrom. Hurdstrom was devastated when he heard the news about John’s death, but his reaction wasn’t explored further at the end of Yellowstone season 5. While Beth, Rip, and Kayce get 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 may be a preview of what’s to come in future Yellowstone spinoffs.