This article contains spoilers for1883,1923seasons 1-2 andYellowstone.
The Duttons of today are a much different animal.
They would like to think theyre the same underdog merely fighting for survival, but thats not the case.
Audiences have witnessed this familys stance on raising children since first prequel1883was released.
But John Dutton in this modern America apparently never taught that lesson to his kids.
In fact, Jamie was not the only one who suffered abuse by Johns hand.
This seemed unnecessary, and in fact, caused a rift between John and Kayce for years.
That is the reality the Duttons of 1923 had to endure.
John became everything his family fought against namely, an aristocrat.
Take for instance Timothy Daltons Donald Whitfield.
Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) tried to bully the Duttons.
Then there were giant conglomerates like Market Equities and Roarke Morris who failed to take the family down.
Ultimately, whats the difference between those villainous power hungry millionaires and the patriarch of the Dutton family?
This writer would argue, almost nothing.
Recall the very first season ofYellowstone, when a group of blissfully-ignorant tourists are trespassing on Dutton land.
We dont share land.
How quickly John has forgotten who his family fought against.
From day one, he had a plan for his children (biological or other).
He made sure Jamie (Wes Bentley) became a lawyer, and eventually put him in politics.
He ensured Beth became the most fearsome businesswoman this side of the Bitterroot mountains.
He positioned his children into positions of power, rather than simply being ranchers or cowboys.
He wanted to use them to ensure he could do what the family needs so that thrive.
That meant that at times, circumventing the law his children knew so well was often the option.
It seems John Duttons favorite read by the fire might, in fact, be Whitfields playbook.
1923 season 2 debuts new episodes every Sunday on Paramount+ with the finale premiering April 6.
