Yellowstone Fans Hate The Interactions Between These Two Characters

One of the defining characteristics of the protagonists of Paramount Network's "Yellowstone" is the unwavering loyalty they have to the Dutton family and the eponymous Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Everyone who carries the Dutton name (or the Dutton brand) is supposed to be bound to the ranch for life, and never act in any way against the interests of the Duttons or their associates. Despite the series' almost gratuitous emphasis on loyalty, nearly every member of this close-knit family has been at each other's throats at one point or another.

At the beginning of the series, patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his son Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) are barely even speaking, as Kayce had left the ranch due to John's disapproval of his relationship with his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille). In more recent seasons, John has also had issues with his daughter Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), even suggesting at one point that she leave the ranch entirely. The ire of the Duttons isn't just reserved for their family members, as even some of their most trustworthy ranch hands and friends have evoked a horrible response from them. Indeed, there's one particular ranch worker who is treated so poorly by a member of the Dutton family that some fans have actually become upset with showrunner Taylor Sheridan due to their interactions.

Even though Beth Dutton already has a reputation for being one of the meanest characters in the entire show, fans agree that the way she treats the ranch's teenage stall cleaner, Carter (Finn Little), is absolutely unacceptable. "I hate the way Beth treats Carter," Wrote u/emsnowballl on Reddit, referencing a particularly cruel scene wherein Carter accidentally calls her "mama" and she tells him never to call her that again. "She basically adopted him, let's him live with them in the big house and demands respect from him like a mother ... And then just crushes his soul like that?! No hell no I'm done with her."

Redditor u/nekila_rose emphasized just how horrific that particular scene was, writing, "That 'hey mama' 'hey baby' was so natural, and then she had to go wreck it seconds later. She is just determined to be miserable and bring others down with her." Indeed, Beth has a reputation for treating just about everyone with disdain and malice, but fans seem to think Taylor Sheridan takes it a bit too far with her behavior toward Carter. "Taylor walks a fine line and we love him when he's on the reasonable side," writes u/upsidedownpositive, "and then I'm grossed out when he goes too far to the other side." 

That fine line is something Mariana Delgado of Collider wrote about in a piece about Kelly Reilly's performance. "Beth is a compilation of flaws and virtues," notes Delgado. "She is often straddling the line between anti-hero and villain or toeing the balance between the two as skillfully as the most experienced tightrope walker." However, it seems for many fans, these interactions between Beth and Carter upend that balance and represent a clear example of Sheridan missing the mark.