With Dutton Ranch losing its creator and showrunner nearly a month before its premiere, Christina Voros has shared her reaction.

The Paramount+ show’s executive producer and director praised Chad Feehan for “creating a world for these characters to move into” with the Yellowstone spin-off, which he departed after completing the first season.

“I think Chad [Feehan] did an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth to come up against in this new chapter of their lives,” Voros told ScreenRant. “As far as the dynamics behind his departure and this is our first — we haven’t come out into the world yet, so any speculation about a season 2 is beyond my knowledge. I’m grateful to him and his team for creating a world for these characters to move into.”

As for why Feehan exited the series, sources tell Deadline he delivered as a writer, but faced challenges handling the bold-faced cast, a key component of a showrunner’s job.

Showrunner changes on Taylor Sheridan series are fairly common. It is unclear whether Feehan, who previously created the Sheridan series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, will be replaced if/when Dutton Ranch is renewed for a second season. A number of series in the Taylor-verse don’t have traditional writing showrunners, often relying on directors who serve in that capacity on set.

Premiering last week, with new episodes Fridays on Paramount+ and Paramount Network, Dutton Ranch sees Beth (Kelly Reilly) and husband Rip (Cole Hauser) risk it all as they relocate to South Texas, where they build their own future far away from Yellowstone, only to be met with a ruthless rival ranch.

The spin-off comes after Yellowstone ended its five-season run on Paramount Network in December 2024, having also spawned the new CBS spin-off Marshals, as well as the prequel shows 1883 and 1923.