How Cole Hauser Feels About Dutton Ranch Season 2's New Showrunner
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"Dutton Ranch" was a major success, continuing the story that began with Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" and fixing all the problems fans had with fellow spin-off "Marshals." But making Season 1 of this "Yellowstone" sequel series seems to have been a bit of a slog. The first major sign of trouble came when "Dutton Ranch" fired its showrunner Chad Feehan prior to the series' debut on Paramount+. Since then, we've learned of more behind-the-scenes turmoil, but fans can at least rest assured that Season 2 is on the way, with an all-new showrunner now overseeing things. This new showrunner has star Cole Hauser's seal of approval as well, with the Rip Wheeler actor telling People how "wonderful" Feehan's replacement is.
After Feehan was ousted, "Dutton Ranch" debuted to positive reviews and huge viewership figures. In fact, Paramount+ claimed it was the biggest original series debut in its history, bringing in 12.9 million global viewers during the seven days following its May 15, 2026 premiere. With that sort of success, there was always going to be a Season 2, which meant "Dutton Ranch" needed a new showrunner.
Enter Benjamin Cavell. The "Justified" and "The Stand" alum was announced as the new "Dutton Ranch" showrunner at the end of June 2026. The news followed shortly after confirmation that "Dutton Ranch" would be returning for a second season, and everything seemed to be back on-track. Now, Hauser has given Cavell his support, telling People, "We have a wonderful new showrunner, Benjamin Cavell, and I've been talking to him. He's a very special guy, and I think the future is bright — not only for myself, but Beth [Kelly Reilly] and Carter [Finn Little] and the show in general. I think this is going to be a really nice next step."
Dutton Ranch Season 2 will showcase a new side of Rip
Prior to his work in TV, Benjamin Cavell was a novelist who wrote the 2004 book "Rumble, Young Man, Rumble." He was then offered the chance to contribute to FX's "Justified," on which he wrote for six seasons and became an executive producer. The Harvard grad has also worked on "Homeland" and "Sneaky Pete" and created the MGM+ series "The Institute," based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. But by far his biggest credit is as a creator and writer on CBS's "SEAL Team," which is the same show on which "Marshals" showrunner Spencer Hudnut served as showrunner for five seasons.
That's part of the reason "Dutton Ranch" Season 2 has us worried. Put simply, "Marshals" has no idea what it's about and has been criticized by both fans and reviewers. Bringing in another "SEAL Team" alum doesn't seem like the best idea for "Dutton Ranch," but at least Cole Hauser seems to like him.
In his comments to People, the actor hinted at what's to come for Rip Wheeler in "Dutton Ranch" Season 2. "You're gonna have to wait, but yes," he said in response to a question about whether viewers would see a new side of the character. We've already seen a new side to Rip in Season 1, where he tried his best to play the quiet family man tending to his ranch. But as it always does, drama found him and his wife, which means we'll almost certainly see more of the old, more aggressive Rip in upcoming episodes. Moreover, Wheeler seems to be on the same page as Cavell in that regard, which bodes well for a show that has thus far seemed cursed to endure the same behind-the-scenes drama that followed "Yellowstone."
Can Benjamin Cavell ease tensions on Dutton Ranch?
Following Chad Feehan's "Dutton Ranch" exit, a report claimed the former showrunner had clashed with stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser off-camera. But this wasn't the only issue plaguing the show. In a TVInsider interview, Reilly indicated Season 2 would focus more on Ed Harris' character, Everett McKinney, which was slightly surprising given Season 1 was criticized for sidelining Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton in favor of other characters. Then, we learned why. Harris spoke out about being misled on "Dutton Ranch," even saying he wanted to walk away. It appears Reilly and the show's producers are eager to keep him on board.
Now, Hauser has detailed some practical challenges he and the "Dutton Ranch" crew faced while making Season 1. "We went through a lot of weather issues with the heat, then the freezing cold, and there were ice storms," he told People. "It was just nuts. I think everybody at the very end of Episode 9 was ready to take a breather, go home, rest up, and get ready for this next year." Given all the other behind-the-scenes issues, Season 1 really does seem to have been tough to make, but Hauser remains optimistic. "All in all, I think the whole season was tough," he added. "But it was very rewarding in the end. The audience loved it. The critics loved it. I can't wait to continue to make 'Dutton Ranch' as good as it can be."
Season 2 is set to start shooting in February 2027, so it will be a while before we head back to the ranch. When we do, let's hope all the drama remains on-screen and that Benjamin Cavell is as positive a force for the show as Hauser says he is.