Beth and Rip’s ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-off Just Got the Long-Awaited Update Fans Have Been Hoping For

Since the conclusion of Yellowstone, various sequel spin-offs have been announced to continue the story beyond the original Kevin Costner drama. But while we’ve gotten plenty of updates about the CBS Y: Marshals show, the highly anticipated Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth (Kelly Reilly) continuation has been kept more under wraps. Yet, the recent announcement that Finn Little will be returning to the Yellowstone universe as the couple’s surrogate son Carter is news that many are encouraged by — and it’s long overdue.

Finn Little’s Return to the Yellowstone Universe Is a Good Thing

When Yellowstone started, John Dutton was dying and hoping to leave the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to the next generation, which included his grandson, Tate (Brecken Merrill). But over the course of the show, there was another character introduced who, like Rip before him, could succeed the Dutton legacy by being engrafted into the family tree. First appearing in Season 4, after that climactic Season 3 finale that nearly killed Beth, Carter was soon brought aboard the Dutton Ranch as Beth aimed to play house. By the time the show ended, Carter had become a full-on cowboy and seen firsthand how dangerous the job really can be. So, when Beth and Rip found a new piece of land to call home, it was no wonder that their young ward traveled to western Montana with them.

From the first time he met John, Carter wanted to be just like him. While Tate showed varying degrees of interest in the ranching life (not unlike his own father), Carter could see the light at the end of the tunnel. After a hard life filled with directionless tragedy, Carter had finally found a place where he belonged. Considering the way that Yellowstone ended, it would be criminal for any Beth and Rip-centric spin-off to forget about Carter. Not only did he help make Beth and Rip a family, but he is an ever-present reminder that family doesn’t end in blood and that legacy is not predicated on having the Dutton name.

Beth Dutton Needs Carter In Order to Get Over Her Past Traumas

In many ways, Carter is an answer to prayers that Beth likely never prayed. After all that happened to her in her youth at the hands of her brother Jamie (Wes Bentley), it seemed that Beth would never be able to have children of her own. But while she couldn’t bear children biologically, Taylor Sheridan offered the character another chance to have a family. Despite how random his introduction felt upon first glance, it made sense that Beth would not only relate to him but quickly bring Carter into the fold, essentially adopting him. Without Carter, that loss Beth experienced in her youth would only have ended in tragedy. Instead, her predicament allowed her to help a young boy who had nowhere to go, and though she often gave him mixed signals (including refusing to be called “Mama”), she developed a quick kinship with Carter that made her, in effect, a mother.

While Beth still struggles with what Jamie allowed to happen to her, “Life Is a Promise” implies that her new life with Carter and Rip is more than enough. Killing Jamie brought her some peace, sure, but it’s this family unit that she has created despite his interference that has completed her life — and a Rip and Beth spin-off wouldn’t be complete without the third member of their trio. Given how quickly Carter was welcomed into the Dutton fold, it makes sense that this sequel show — tentatively titled Dutton Ranch — would set him up as Rip and Beth’s successor to the new ranch they’re building outside of Dillon. Although Beth and Rip will likely have plenty of new challenges to face in the coming show (possibly including the return of old enemies), fans can rest well knowing that at least this nuclear unit will face them head-on together. Plus, it’s great to see a talent like Finn Little be recognized for his work on the show.

Adding Carter Will Give Beth and Rip’s ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-Off Higher Stakes

Adding Carter to the potential Dutton Ranch series will also push Beth and Rip to protect this new life and family they’ve got with all that they have. Before, these two fought for the Yellowstone due to their respective loyalties to John. Beth didn’t care much about the land at all, and Rip, though he loved the cowboy life, felt he owed his surrogate father for all he’d done for him in his youth. But now that Beth and Rip have settled down on their own plot of land, hoping to build a new name for themselves, it would make sense that this new legacy would ultimately be for Carter — and there’s no doubt that they’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that his future is far more secure than theirs was.

While there’s a lot we still don’t know about this spin-off, we do know that Beth, Rip, and Carter will be the main focus. We know that, following Yellowstone, they’ve settled far away from Paradise Valley, and we know that Taylor Sheridan likely has more material in store. Though Y: Marshals remains our most anticipated Yellowstone spin-off, there is a lot of potential for a show like this, especially if it leans into this trio trying to become a legitimate family, and all the growing pains that implies.

Since the conclusion of Yellowstone, various sequel spin-offs have been announced to continue the story beyond the original Kevin Costner drama. But while we’ve gotten plenty of updates about the CBS Y: Marshals show, the highly anticipated Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth (Kelly Reilly) continuation has been kept more under wraps. Yet, the recent announcement that Finn Little will be returning to…