Based on the number of people who watched the fifth season’s premiere on its initial air date, Paramount Network’s modern Western drama “Yellowstone” is more popular than ever. In fact, the “Yellowstone” Season 5 premiere broke a record, drawing a total of 12.1 million viewers on the day it first aired, amounting to the most viewers of a “Yellowstone” season premiere in the series’ history.
While its viewership may be plenty healthy, some fans of “Yellowstone” have shared that they’re underwhelmed by the content of its fifth season. Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) in particular has garnered some lukewarm responses over the course of Season 5. After Episode 1, for instance, some “Yellowstone” fans criticized Beth after she became the focal point of an underhanded political power move. These viewers described Beth as unlikable or unsympathetic following this plot point.
Similarly, “Yellowstone” fans had mixed thoughts about Beth’s bar fight in Season 5, Episode 3. Some of those who responded to the scene found Beth’s willingness to jump into a fight to be jarring, while others thought Beth acted in a manner consistent with her past deeds. On top of her behavior dividing viewers, certain fans are outright tired of Beth, finding her role in Season 5 to be outsized, often to her character’s detriment.
Some Yellowstone fans are tired of Beth Dutton’s expanded role
After “Yellowstone” Season 5, Episode 5 premiered, some fans in a discussion thread for the episode on Reddit were critical of Beth’s role in the season thus far. User Sufficient_Tune_5871, for example, argued that the show seems to be devoting significant airtime to making Beth seem formidable. They specifically highlighted the fact that Beth fights off Summer (Piper Perabo), who boasts considerable martial arts experience, as unrealistic
Meanwhile, user SoNotAPoliceman sarcastically wrote, “Wow Beth is so strong and brave and tough and smart and cool and awesome. Are there any other characters on this show anymore? It’s all about her these days. I guess it’s because she’s so strong and brave and smart and cool and awesome.”
On Twitter, also after Episode 5 first aired, user @NoMereMortal101 shared that they find Beth continuously coming out on top of conflicts to be unrealistic and indicative of flawed writing. Similarly, user @Beanie153 wrote, “I love Yellowstone but ive had enough of Beth pounding on people and visa versa…. ”
In any case, interest in Beth is high — around the time of Episode 5’s premiere, actor Kelly Reilly ranked 15th on IMDb’s Star Meter, meaning that her profile is among the most popular on the site. Based on viewer reactions, however, at least some of the considerable attention being paid to her is negative, from fans who find her growing presence in “Yellowstone” unwelcome.
