Yellowstoneseason 5, part 2 featured Taylor Sheridan’s character, Travis Wheatley, whom executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros defends from backlash. TV’s most popular show returned following an extended hiatus with only six episodes left in its run. Sheridan, who had creative control over the show, had his work cut out for him because he lost the narrative’s main lead, John Dutton III, due toKevin Costner’s exit fromYellowstone. Inevitably, some aspects of the show’s end will be better received than others. Unfortunately,Sheridan’s cameo was one of the more divisive partsof its ending.
In a new interview withVariety, Voros commented on Sheridan’s return as Travis inYellowstoneseason 5, part 2, explaining his appearance was important to the show’s storytelling approach. She points out that a big part of the show’s storytelling format is to infuse humor from time to time, which was accomplished with Sheridan’s cocky horse trainer. Read her full quote:
Bringing Travis in allowed for a little bit of comic relief in a season that you didn’t get much of that. That’s always been part of “Yellowstone.” Terrible things happen, you lose people, but then there’s a funny scene in the bunkhouse, or there’s a great country musician that people don’t know about who gets discovered in this cameo. That’s always been part of the DNA of the show. So I think people were so wrapped up in the tragedy of this final season that some folks forgot that there’s always been an element of comedy in this. It’s always been present, and he just cast himself as the element that brought some of that levity because everyone else was so absolutely devastated about the loss of John Dutton. It would be hard to find the comedy from Beth and Rip and Kayce. I thought it was a pretty bold move on his part, but I think it served the story.
Why Taylor Sheridan’s Role In Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 Drew Backlash
It Was Poorly Timed
Sheridan’s major cameo came inYellowstoneseason 5, episode 13, “Give the World Away.” The producer, writer, and director had appeared multiple times in the show before, but his role in the penultimate episode was what drew backlash, consideringhow out of place and extended it was. As it was, season 5, part 2 was already pressed with time to address all the lingering plots in the show. While seeing Travis' operation was an entertaining side story for Beth, the project could have done without it.
Jamie’s Yellowstone Final Fate Is So Bad, It’s Insulting To Wes Bentley
Yellowstone ends with a definitive send-off to Jamie Dutton, but after five seasons, it’s a less than satisfying way as a swan song for the character.
The argument for those who didn’t like Travis' reappearance is that Sheridan could have used that precious screen time to check up onotherYellowstonecharacters. While he was a primary player in the show,Wes Bentley’s Jamie was severely underutilizedin season 5, part 2. He only appeared in a few scenes, when the series could have shown how John’s death, Sarah’s murder, and the collapse of his political career affected him. Instead,Yellowstone’s penultimate episode devoted time to seeing Travis show off his operations.
Our Take On Taylor Sheridan’s Cameo In Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2
Seeing Beth reach out to Travis inYellowstoneseason 5, part 2 was a good B-plot. Voros pointed out that it injected humor into what was a rather dark run for the series, which was a good thing. The problem with it was that it ran a little too long. If it was a normalYellowstoneseason, Travis and his world could have been an interesting part of the show to explore. That said, there were simply too many more pressing storylines that could have used the screen time.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on August 22, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
