“Dutton Ranch” showrunner Chad Feehan rode off into the sunset after finishing Season 1. Rumor has it that some behind-the-scenes drama spurred his exit, but what have stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser had to say on the matter?
“Showrunners change all the time,” Hauser told The Hollywood Reporter. “This business is about adapting. We’ve been doing this for a long time. Things change. People move on.”
“It was a really difficult but really satisfying show to make. And so was Yellowstone,” Reilly added. “So is anything worth making. We’re all creative minds and we all work together and I’m so proud of that.”
The aforementioned rumors claimed that Feehan’s departure stemmed from him having friction with Hauser and Reilly. It was also alleged that Taylor Sheridan — the creator and overseer of the “Yellowstone” franchise — was unhappy with the former showrunner’s work. However, these reports have yet to be verified or denied by anyone involved with the production of “Dutton Ranch” Season 1.
Chad Feehan is the latest showrunner to exit a Taylor Sheridan series
Taylor Sheridan used to reject writers’ rooms and pen entire shows by himself. He’s softened that stance in recent years — even tapping showrunners and other writers to assist with the creative duties for his ever-growing TV empire. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
In 2022, original “Lioness” showrunner Thomas Brady exited the series over alleged creative differences with Sheridan while Season 1 was still in production. Sheridan then took over as the main showrunner for the CIA-themed thriller series.
Terence Winter also stepped down as the “Tulsa King” showrunner after one season due to creative disagreements with Sheridan. He eventually returned for the fourth installment after Dave Erickson left the series due to alleged creative differences with Sylvester Stallone. Erickson was also set to take the reins for the upcoming “NOLA King” spin-off, but exited due to a scheduling conflict.
“Dutton Ranch” has been renewed for a second season at Paramount+. It remains to be seen who will take the creative reins moving forward for the show’s next outing.
