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Jefferson White
Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the official Yellowstone podcast. It's Jefferson White here. I am joined as always by my incomparable co host, Jen Landon.
Jen Landon
Hey. Hey.
Jefferson White
We are so, so glad to have you with us today. As we've been talking about three shows now, 1883, 1923 and Yellowstone. You and I have done a lot of research, genealogy. We've been learning right alongside the fans how these characters relate to each other, how this history really plays out. There's such a rich lore with this family. So stand by. We're going to be right back and then we're going to dig into it. You know, we, we took an embarrassingly long time sort of putting together the basics of the family tree and it's been so fun to kind of look forward, look back, especially when it comes to 1923, because we know Duttons before that, we know Duttons after that. So today we're going to kind of dig into how it all fits together together and what has really kept this family going, what has really driven this family. So to that end, Jen and I thought that it might be fun to have somebody to chop this up with and maybe somebody who's got a better eagle's eye perspective on all of this.
Jen Landon
Yeah, I mean, some of you may have caught us referring to our beloved producer, Mr. Scott.
Jefferson White
You know, they may also may not have caught us referring to Scott because he is in charge of this whole thing. He's in charge of what stays in the podcast and what gets cut out. So it's also entirely possible that he's remained a mystery. He's protected his identity, much like a sort of Batman style figure. Scott, thank you so much for being here, man. You've been here from the beginning of this thing. You are a part not only of the DNA of this podcast, but also of the whole Yellowstone universe. You've been helping us figure this out from the beginning. Anytime Jen and I have questions about this stuff, you always are here to help us through it. So thank you so much for being with us today and for being with us on this journey.
Scott
Well, hey, guys, I appreciate it. You know, just to clarify, I'm not the know, all authority on Yellowstone being part of the inner circle here, so to speak. We only know what the fans know. We don't necessarily know what's going on in that mind of Taylor Sheridan. A lot of it's still a mystery. So we unpack as we go.
Jefferson White
That's what's so exciting about this whole process. You know, as the show is airing, we are Learning this mythology as it goes, like from Ellie episode to episode, we are right alongside the audience, kind of putting together this family tree. Okay. So right now, we are lucky to live in the age of Yellowstone. There's three shows that we are drawing from this mythology from. So we've got 1883, we've got 1923, and we've got Yellowstone, and we are piecing together this map of the Dutton family's journey from all three of those shows.
Jen Landon
Before we begin, just want to give a little bit of a spoiler alert for our audience. For anyone who hasn't seen, you know, all of any of these shows, and the one in particular I'm worried about is 1923, since it is currently airing, there might be some spoilers as we go through this family tree. So just, you know, turn the volume down when we get there.
Jefferson White
Yeah. If you haven't seen these shows yet, I encourage you to go watch them because they're. They are amazing, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on them. So if you haven't checked them out yet, go check them out and then come back and comment on this podcast with everything we got wrong. So beginning at the beginning, 1883, we are introduced to the very first Duttons chronologically that we've ever met. And that's James Dutton, Tim McGraw, and Margaret Dutton. Faith Hill.
Scott
Jeff. If I can just say James Dutton. That is a bad man. Yeah, that is. That. That dude. And. And I. When I first saw this guy, it was really funny because you see him basically being attacked by these bandits. And Sam Elliott and lamonica Garrett are sitting on a hill, and they see him, and they're just watching. They're talking about this farmer. They called him a farmer, but yet this guy gets off his horse, and he is like the OG Sniper. He snipes these guys. And I'm thinking to myself, that's a bad dude. That's the DNA. That's, like, where this all comes from, this Dutton family, wouldn't you say?
Jefferson White
Absolutely. Yeah. Over time, we see the Duttons take on more responsibility and become perhaps more civilized. But James Dutton, Tim McGraw, he starts from a wild place. You know, we learn over the actions of 1883 that he served in the Civil War. He has this background as a soldier, which so many of the Duttons do, as they're haunted across generations by violence. And this is. It's prior to perhaps the civilization or the sort of comfort that later generations of Duttons will come to know. So James and Margaret are tough as Hell, yeah.
Scott
The women behind this really show through, and they're first born Is this most incredible woman you can. Could ever imagine.
Jefferson White
Absolutely. Yeah. Elsa herself, their daughter.
Scott
Yeah. You know, it's interesting because everybody that talks about the Duttons talks about the men. The men, the Dutton family. But it's the women that are the strength behind the Duttons.
Jen Landon
I mean, I feel like, unfortunately, that's how the conversation goes across the board in all areas of life, that the focus does tend to be, you know, on the dude. And the woman usually gets shortchanged. But there are many instances where, you know, when there is a more traditional model where the man is more of the, you know, doer in the world, there is almost always a woman who is holding him together with super glue and some plaster.
Jefferson White
Yeah. As we're talking about, you know, these ancestors, John Dutton's ancestors, we have to remember that we're also talking about Beth Dutton's ancestors. We're also talking about this long line of women who, by the time we meet the Duttons, have come down to Beth, to this absolute force of nature holding the Dutton ranch together with sheer force of will, you know, so everyone we're talking about today is also Beth's ancestors.
Jen Landon
I wonder if Taylor picked up on a piece of that in, like, that being a part of the conversation around 1883. Because in 1923, one of the things that I love is that even though that show comes out, obviously it's the next season. It's set roughly 40 years later. It is the same generation as the James and Margaret Dutton that we had gotten to know in 1883. And the first image we get is not Jacob Dutton being a badass, but it's Cara Dutton, Helen Mirren, who's got that first moment that sort of sets the tone for the piece. And in many ways, she feels like. She feels positioned more the way the Beth character does to me, in terms of her own mission and drive.
Jefferson White
Absolutely. Yeah. And there's this sort of recurring theme that as the men go out and take care of the cattle, often the ranch comes under assault and the people left to defend the ranch. The sort of toughest, last line scrutin, scrappiest, sort of defenders of the ranch are the women who are staying at home and holding the whole thing together. You know, as Kevin Costner goes out to be the governor of Montana, It's a good thing Beth's home. As Jacob Dutton goes out to do this cattle drive, it's a good thing Kara Dutton is home.
Jen Landon
Also, the casting, obviously, it's like, what? It's a no brainer. You get an opportunity of Helen Mirren, you're gonna take it. But her essence is so not that of the diminutive female that she just brings that fierce independence to every single piece that she does.
Jefferson White
Absolutely, yeah. So starting, you know, at the beginning, starting in 1883, we've got obviously James and Margaret, that's Tim and Faith for those of us, you know, for their close personal friends, they've got their daughter Elsa, and they've also got two kids. So the only character that manages to survive from the action of 1883 to the action of 1923 is John Dutton senior. God bless him. He hung on for those intervening 40 difficult, hard fought years.
Scott
Well, Jeff, just to clarify, so in 1883, we see them coming across the country. They're on their way to Oregon. They get to Montana, Elsa passes. They have this, you know, they have this deal where she dies is where she stays, where we all stay, where we set roots in our family. And this is something that Margaret and James decided because Margaret said on the truck, I don't want her to be a signpost on the, on the side of a trail. Where she dies, we stay. I don't know if you guys remember that, but it was very poignant. So they get to Montana and I can't talk about this without talking about the relationship between James Dutton and Elsa. I mean, talk about a father daughter relationship. That was just heart wrenching to me, the sensitivity this guy had. He's this bad dude, as I said earlier, but yet with his daughter, he's just a little, you know, he crumbles and he just does everything for her. And it's just a really amazing dynamic. But going forward, they actually have a second son. And it's during this time, right after the show, 1883, but before 1923. And that is Spencer Dutton. So James and Margaret have three children in total. Elsa, who passes John Dutton, who we see in 1883, and then Spencer Dutton, who we get introduced to in 1923.
Jefferson White
Yeah. And who we see as a child in Yellowstone season four's flashback. So Yellowstone season four has these two flashbacks where we're first introduced to James and Margaret. And at that time, we're also introduced for the first time to not only John, but to the young boy, Spencer.
Scott
Yes, exactly.
Jefferson White
Yeah. And you're totally right, that that relationship, the relationship between James and Elsa is such a beautiful father daughter relationship. And it's amazing to watch the evolution of that over the years, which leads up to the relationship between John Dutton, Kevin Costner and Beth Dutton. Another relationship between a man and his daughter. Another sort of partnership between a man and his daughter. That's really beautiful in the modern day.
Jen Landon
Totally. And I know we hit on this before, but just because now we've sort of moved into that next gener, the one that has John Dutton, Spencer Dutton, Elsa. But now in this 1923 world, I want to look at how Kara and Jacob came. And we'll do that after we take a quick break. Okay. So we meet and spend time with James Dutton in 1883. We see in season four of Yellowstone in a flashback that he is shot, that James is shot in the gut. And in the first episode of 1923, we hear Elsa talk about the passing of her father, which is, I just have to say, such amazing storytelling in terms of having the brain space to reveal real pieces over three different shows. So now that we're here, we can kind of get into the Cara Dutton and the Jacob Dutton and how they got to the Dutton ranch that we have come to know and love on Yellowstone. So we know that James Dutton has passed away, right? We. We know in the first episode of 1923 that Margaret writes a letter to James brother Jacob Dutton, played by Harrison Ford, asking him to come and help out on the ranch. So he and his wife Kara, they come to the Dutton. They arrive at the Dutton ranch, only to find Margaret Dutton frozen to death, and their two sons, John Dutton Sr. Who we got to know in 1883, and Spencer Dutton, who we have not met yet, nearly starve to death and take those boys in for their own.
Jefferson White
That's right. So by the time we get to the action of 1923, those boys have grown up. John Dutton Sr. Is, you know, he's 45 years old now. Spencer, his little brother is over in Africa, sort of haunted by his own demons. It's interesting, as we talk about generations of this family, we're also talking about American history. So James Dutton, Tim McGraw served in the Civil War. Spencer Dutton served in World War I. And then Casey Dutton in the action of Yellowstone. We learn over the action of Yellowstone that he served overseas too. So it really is also kind of war has haunted this family over generations, just as it's haunted the whole world. You know that these global conflicts continue to sort of pull young men from their homes and thrust them into the mouth of hell, as it were.
Scott
Well, which begs the question. There is a time period between 1923 and present day. Are we going to get to See what happens in there. Who is the predecessor to John Dutton as we know him today? Who are his. What is his exact lineage? Do we know that?
Jefferson White
Yeah. That's a complicated question, Scott. I think we're piecing that together slowly as more information is revealed in 19, 1923. And I've seen some really great theories on social media. I've seen fans working to piece that together. You know, we hear in the opening voiceover Narration of 1923, you know, that only one of Elsa's father's children live long enough to see their children grow up, which is a remarkably evocative, but also, you know, mysterious linguistic traits.
Jen Landon
It feels like a riddle. It feels like one of those riddles that you would sit around and think about.
Scott
Well, I know Jen has been cultivating this and mulling this over because we've talked about this a couple times, and.
Jen Landon
I love when I'm gonna. I love when we all find out that I'm wrong.
Jefferson White
So your theory, Jen. Talk. Talk us through your theory.
Jen Landon
Okay, so. And again, let's, like, really check what Elsa says. My father had two sons, right. Only one of them will live to see theirs grown. Meaning only one of those two sons. Is that. Is that roughly correct? Will live to see their own son grow. Right?
Scott
Yeah. And I think the problem you have with that has been what has grown.
Jen Landon
Mean, right? This is where it starts to feel like. Well, like, for me, my thought is, okay, but we. We know that we lose John Dutton Sr. Right. And you might have this moment where you're like, yay, this means Spencer Dutton lives. And. Which is very exciting because we all like Spencer Dutton because he's cool in every way possible.
Jefferson White
He's really cool. We have to all admit. Let's just spend a second talking about perhaps the coolest Dutton we've met. With all due respect, all the other Duttons. Spencer. Spencer. That's a good.
Jen Landon
He's a. He's a cool Dutton. And also because he's giving off. I don't know if any of you pick this up, like, soft Harrison form, Indiana Jones vibes, you know, like, immediately when you look at him, it feels like a nod at that, which I hope was intentional because I thought it was so smart.
Jefferson White
The clothes, you know, the costume design. Spencer's costume design really seems to pay homage to.
Jen Landon
Yeah.
Jefferson White
Our boy. Harrison Ford's obscure film Indiana Jones.
Jen Landon
Listen, we're digressing. And I'm going to digress for one more second, because when we. When we meet the Alexandra character, I just have to say in Terms of taking costumes that are homages to other characters and movies that we love. I mean, she also, just like, the second I looked at her, I thought, it's Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. You know, just down to. I mean, just her physicality and everything. But to go back, guys. So John Dutton Sr. Dies. We think, yay. We get to keep Spencer Dutton. He's going to be with us for a while. And then you go, wait a minute. She said only one of them lives to see theirs grown. We know that John Dutton Seton has a son, Jack Dutton, and Jack Dutton is getting married.
Jefferson White
You just, you know, you soft rolled us into a whole new generation of Duttons here. So John Dutton Sr. Who passes away in episode three of 1923 violently, as is often the way with our Duttons, has a son, Jack Dutton. And that brings us, you know, that's our youngest generation of Duttons in 1923. So the question that we're sort of caught up on here is in terms of Elsa's, you know, foreboding prophecy or prologue, is that the grown Dutton child, thus implying that Spencer also doesn't live to see his children grown?
Scott
Well, that's an interesting thought, because we know later on Yellowstone, we're using the name John, which would imply it's coming from the John Dutton senior lineage. Or is it, you know, you take a look at Jack Dutton and it's funny because I don't feel Dutton from Jack Dutton. Where does the lineage go? Does Spencer have children with Alexandra? Is it Alexandra? We know now that he finally finds out what's going on back home. And I mean, I don't know about you guys, but what a scene. Like Taylor Poles on heartstrings.
Jen Landon
Yeah. And also, just you hit on a thing that is to say, like, again, the lineage of the Duttons that we see in Yellowstone can absolutely come from Jack or Spencer. Spencer's, according to Elsa's, as you said, Jeff, prologue or premonition or whatever it is, absolutely can have kids. He could have 10 kids, but he will not see any of them grow up.
Scott
Oh, is that what you're taking from the scene?
Jen Landon
Absolutely. Because as you were saying that. Because I wasn't thinking that a moment ago, but as you were talking, there's absolutely no version of that. The thing that Elsa said, he can have a ton of kids, but according to the prophecy, the only rule is he will not live to see those kids grow up. So the mystery remains, which son? And Scott, to your point about Jack, though, I. I mean, he's such a fun character. I. I do also. I do agree that I feel like the Spencer Dutton stoicism is sort of. Jeff, you're making a face. Am I on tricky territory here?
Jefferson White
Well, no, I mean, I just. I won't. I won't stand for Jack Dutton's slander.
Jen Landon
I am not slandering Jack Dutton. I think he's a young man, the Jack Dutton character. I'm not sure, like, how his recklessness is going to play out for his survival in the long run.
Scott
Well, you know, it's interesting because in the world of Yellowstone, you, as you guys talked about many times, we don't know who's going to survive and who's not. You know, we're introduced to John Dutton Sr. And I'm looking at this. And I'm looking at this character, Amazing character. I'm thinking, okay, here's. Here we go. Here's what would typically happen. This man grows older. He. He's the firstborn son. He's going to take over the ranch. Dude gets killed.
Jefferson White
Yeah.
Scott
I mean, who would expect that? It's just. It's a. It's a. It's again, it's an ongoing theme within Yellowstone. You don't know who's going to die and people die.
Jefferson White
Yeah, we got to learn the lesson. We got to learn the Lee Dutton lesson. Taylor showed us Lee Dutton, the sort of eldest son, the promised heir to the throne in episode one of Yellowstone. And then he ripped us. You know, he ripped him away. He stole Dave, Annabelle from us in the same way that he's now stolen this James Badge Dale performance. Because James Badgedale or, you know, GBD if you're freaky. That's an incredible character actor. And to have that performance robbed from us, I'll never forgive Taylor for that. But also, you know, great decision, boss. Really good storytelling, great tv.
Jen Landon
All right, so we've moved. We're on this. We're kind of mixing generations here. We're at the John Dutton, Spencer Dutton, and John Dutton's son, Jack Dutton. And I just want to take a moment here because we started off the show with a theme of talking about the women behind them. I would like to take a moment to talk about or just maybe give a shout out to Emma Dutton, who's played by Marley Shelton, an actress I worked with years ago I am obsessed with. We have Alexandra, who Spencer meets in Africa, and that seems to be this sort of world opening experience for him. And then we have Elizabeth Strafford, who Jack Dutton is marrying. So I'm excited To see how all of these women play out in this world, in collaborating with these men and building lives. And so we're going to take a quick break, and when we come back, we are going to dive into the generations of Duttons that we first came to know and love, which is the Duttons on Yellowstone.
Jefferson White
You know, a little bit earlier, Jen, I was giving Spencer Dutton his flowers. You know, I was. I was giving big ups to Spencer Dutton because he's cool. We love him. We love. You know, he's. He's clearly an amazing sort of intrepid adventurer. But I. I would be remiss, not to mention the OG Casey Dutton.
Jen Landon
Oh, yeah.
Jefferson White
Casey Dutton, to me, seems like such a clear descendant of Spencer.
Jen Landon
Totally.
Jefferson White
And this is. We're going into pure speculation, but I can't help but feel Spencer Dutton's DNA coursing through Casey Dutton's veins.
Jen Landon
I totally feel that as well. And the same way that that Spencer Dutton sort of remind me of Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones. And again, this movie has nothing to do with it, But Casey always gives me Brad Pitt vibes from. What's the. What do you know, the movie I'm talking about Legends of the fall.
Jefferson White
Brad Pitt gives me Luke Grimes vibes.
Jen Landon
I would agree with that 100%.
Scott
All right, so I'll agree. Casey Dutton, awesome guy. I mean, he's one of my favorite characters. This dude, again, goes back. I. I know you want to relate him more to Spencer, but he's a James. I mean, right? He's in his ghillie suit. And he's a sniper, too, by the way. So. But before that, you know, where do we get to John Dutton? If you guys remember, in season two, there's a scene of John Dutton, our John Dutton, sitting with his father.
Jen Landon
Oh, yeah.
Scott
John Dutton ii. And that's when he actually promises to never sell the ranch. He made him that promise, which is the ongoing theme that we see. But so we've got this generation. We know that somewhere between 1923 and current Yellowstone, we now are into the John Duttons. We don't know where it comes from, but we've got this stoic character, Kevin Costner, John Dutton, who is. How do I even explain him? I mean, he's the godfather of it all. But as we see, he's also struggling with the modernization of what's happening as we saw in 1923. You know, we go from 1883, everything's horse drawn. You see, in 1923, we go into the city and there's cars. So what's next. And where are we at now? It's almost like we're in this new evolution of yellowstone as well that's happening.
Jefferson White
Yeah, that's exactly right. So John Dutton senior, we get to know his kids in episode one of yellowstone, the very first episode of the show, we get to know all four of John and Evelyn's children. That's their oldest son, Lee Dutton. You got Jamie dutton, middle child Beth dutton, and then the youngest, Casey Dutton. Now we tragically lose Lee Dutton in episode one of yellowstone. This ranch has fed and sustained the Dutton family for generations, but it's also cost many of them their lives in a violent way. So not only are we introduced to John Dutton's kids, but over the action of yellowstone, we're introduced to his grandson, Tate Dutton.
Jen Landon
Now, tell me if I'm wrong. The Tate is the seventh generation, and I'll explain what I'm referring to. Which the sort of premonition at the end of 1883 when the Native American chief says, in seven generations, my people will rise up and take it back from you. And James says, in seven generations, you can have it.
Jefferson White
Yeah. And it's a fascinating thing. You know, we've been focusing on the Dutton family and talking about the Dutton family, But there's another family at the very heart of this show, and that is Thomas rainwater's family. The rain waters that go back not just seven generations, not just eight generations, but deep, deep, deep into the history of this place.
Scott
You know, ultimately, we're going to probably get that reveal of how this all. What the through line is. You know, we've got other characters. We've also got Monica, who is again, not a true Dutton. She wasn't born a dutton, but in many ways stronger.
Jefferson White
Yeah, you're really right to point out that Tate isn't just the seventh generation of Dutton. He also comes from another long tradition, A family that's been here perhaps longer than the Duttons. In Monica's family, who, you know, no pun intended, her maiden name is long. Her grandfather's name is Felix long. So there are many other characters whose family ties to this region even predate the dutton, you know, and I Wonder.
Jen Landon
If in 1923, some of the characters that we are getting to know in the native American, you know, quote unquote, Quote unquote, boarding schools, aka, you know, eradication schools, if any of the characters we're meeting in that world are actually ancestors of the native american characters and storyline that we are seeing playing out in yellowstone, and that's tbd.
Jefferson White
This is one of the really amazing things I think about Taylor is there's a history here, but I think we also. Taylor is representing American history. But I also think it's very important to always remember, as Taylor does and includes here, that there's more than one history. There's the his. There's an idea of the west as written by, you know, by the victors, some might say, or by the encroachers, by the sort of invaders that the Duttons themselves represent to a certain extent. And then there's an even older history as written by the Native communities that far predate the Duttons. So Taylor is sort of showing these parallel histories and how they sometimes collide and come into conflict, and then perhaps in Tate, how they sometimes also come into alignment.
Scott
Well, you know, an interesting thought trailing on that. We go back to the seven generations. It goes back to the indigenous people, the Native Americans. But in some way, you just brought a thought to the forefront of my mind. Tate is half Native American, right? So is that. Is it going back to them and how we bring it in?
Jen Landon
In some ways, that's always been my hunch. And because we've also set up this one. I mean, this historical relationship between, you know, European settlers and Native Americans and the wars that have broken up between them. And then that war sort of being mimicked even in that first episode of Yellowstone between Monica and Casey with the killing of the brothers. Right. That felt very Shakespearean. You know, I just think of a. You know, is it Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet who says, like a curse on both your houses or something? And then it feels like Tate is the sort of, in a way, the thing that would end that battle because everybody in some way gets to hold on to it. I'm not speaking very eloquently about it because it's something. I feel like I'm treading on slightly dangerous ground. But it does feel like. Doesn't it feel like to you guys, a sort of merging of the worlds?
Jefferson White
I think it's beautiful. I think that's a beautiful idea if Tate can hold on to it. One of the enduring themes of Yellowstone is, hey, can this ranch last long enough for Tate to inherit it? Or are these encroaching forces from the outside going to rip it to pieces and melt it down in the furnace of the modern American economic state?
Jen Landon
Because he's had, like, a random fantasy thought, right? We think that Tate is the obvious. Like, that's who's going to get it. Because he's like, you know, he's Dutton. He's long. It's a nice little thing. And. But the prophecy is that it go, you know that the chief said in 1883 that it will go back to his people. And there's a world where I can imagine Tate going, I don't want it. Like this thing has been a thing that is so loaded. He is his father, son. His father wants a simple life. And he goes, I don't want it. And it shifts hands.
Scott
We're missing something.
Jen Landon
What are we missing?
Scott
We're missing Jamie had a child. I know John doesn't recognize him as a child anymore, but there's a sequence with Beth and Jamie and he's talking about his son. He talks about his son. So don't know where that's going to go. But I just wanted to bring that out there. There's this whole other unknown factor here.
Jefferson White
That is an excellent point, Scott. The future of this ranch. We've been diving into the past, the history of this ranch and we've been identifying certain unknowns. The future of this ranch is shot through with unknowns. And I for one, cannot wait to find out what happens to this generation of Duttons that we've come to know and love in the action of Yellowstone. So until next time, until we have some more answers, thank you guys so, so much for joining us.
Jen Landon
Make sure you subscribe to the official Yellowstone podcast at Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. See you soon.
Jefferson White
The official Yellowstone podcast is a production of One on One Studios and Paramount. This episode was produced by Scott Stone. Brandon Gatches is the head of audio for 101 Studios. Steve Razis is the executive vice president of the Paramount Global Podcast Group. Special thanks to Megan Marcus, Jeremy Westfall, Ainsley Rosito, Andrew Sarnow, Jason Reed and Whitney Baxter from Paramount. And of course, David Glasser, David Hutkin and Michelle Newman from 101 Studios.
Summary of "Dutton Family DNA" Episode from The Yellowstone Official Podcast
Podcast Information:
Hosts:
In the episode titled "Dutton Family DNA," hosts Jefferson White and Jen Landon delve deep into the intricate genealogy of the Dutton family, spanning across the interconnected series 1883, 1923, and Yellowstone. Joined by special guest Scott Stone, they explore the rich lore, familial ties, and the driving forces that have shaped the Dutton legacy.
Jefferson White initiates the discussion by highlighting the extensive research undertaken to map out the Dutton family tree across the three series. He expresses enthusiasm about uncovering how characters from different timelines interrelate, stating:
"There's such a rich lore with this family. So stand by... we took an embarrassingly long time sort of putting together the basics of the family tree and it's been so fun to look forward, look back." [00:18]
The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding the historical context of the Duttons, noting how the family has evolved from the rugged beginnings in 1883 to the more modern challenges faced in Yellowstone.
The conversation shifts to the portrayal of the earliest Duttons introduced in 1883, focusing on James Dutton (played by Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (played by Faith Hill).
Guest Scott Stone shares his perspective on James Dutton's character:
"James Dutton. That is a bad man. That dude... he's the OG Sniper. He snipes these guys. That's, like, where this all comes from, this Dutton family." [04:15]
Jefferson concurs, discussing James's background as a Civil War veteran and how his experiences with violence have haunted the family through generations:
"He served in the Civil War. He has this background as a soldier... haunted across generations by violence." [05:00]
Margaret Dutton is lauded as the backbone of the family, with Scott emphasizing the strength of the women in the Dutton lineage:
"It's the women that are the strength behind the Duttons." [05:47]
Jen Landon addresses the often-overlooked contributions of female characters:
"There are many instances where... the woman usually gets shortchanged. But... there is almost always a woman who is holding him together with super glue and some plaster." [06:34]
This sentiment is echoed as the hosts discuss Elsa Dutton and Kara Dutton, highlighting their pivotal roles in maintaining the family's legacy and ranch.
Moving forward to 1923, the hosts explore the arrival of Jacob Dutton (played by Harrison Ford) and his wife Kara at the Dutton ranch. Following the tragic death of Margaret Dutton, Jacob and Kara take in John Dutton Sr. and Spencer Dutton, ensuring the family's continuity.
"They arrive at the Dutton ranch, only to find Margaret Dutton frozen to death, and their two sons, John Dutton Sr... and Spencer Dutton... nearly starve to death and take those boys in for their own." [13:33]
The discussion highlights how warfare has consistently affected the Duttons:
"Spencer Dutton served in World War I. And then Casey Dutton in the action of Yellowstone. We learn... he served overseas too." [14:27]
This recurring theme underscores the family's resilience and the burdens carried across generations.
A significant portion of the episode revolves around the enigmatic prophecy mentioned in 1883:
"In seven generations, my people will rise up and take it back from you." [26:58]
Jen Landon and Scott Stone dissect this prophecy, debating which Dutton descendant it pertains to. They consider Spencer Dutton and Jack Dutton as potential subjects, pondering their roles and fates:
"Only one of them will live to see their children grow." **[15:29]
Jen theorizes:
"It feels like a riddle... Jen Landon: I love when we all find out that I'm wrong." [15:25-15:40]
This speculation adds a layer of intrigue, positioning listeners to anticipate future developments in the Dutton saga.
The hosts touch upon the parallel histories of the Duttons and the Native American communities:
"There's an idea of the west as written by... the encroachers that the Duttons represent... and then there's an even older history... as written by the Native communities." [28:07]
Scott Stone highlights the significance of mixed heritage through Tate Dutton:
"Tate is half Native American... is going back to them and how we bring it in?" [29:39]
This intersection hints at potential alliances and conflicts that could shape the future narrative.
The conversation transitions to the current generation featured in Yellowstone, focusing on Casey Dutton and his son Tate. They explore Casey's character traits and his potential lineage from Spencer Dutton, drawing parallels to iconic characters like Indiana Jones and Brad Pitt's roles.
"Casey Dutton, awesome guy... he's a James. He's in his ghillie suit. And he's a sniper, too." [24:22]
Jen muses on the future of the ranch under Tate's influence, contemplating whether he will uphold the Dutton legacy or diverge from it:
"It feels like... the merging of the worlds?" [30:44]
Jefferson White reflects on the central theme of the ranch's survival:
"One of the enduring themes of Yellowstone is, hey, can this ranch last long enough for Tate to inherit it?" [31:07]
This focus encapsulates the ongoing struggle between tradition and modernization, as well as internal and external threats.
As the episode wraps up, the hosts acknowledge the multitude of unanswered questions surrounding the Dutton family's future. They express eagerness to uncover more details in upcoming series and episodes, leaving listeners anticipating further revelations.
Jefferson White concludes:
"We are caught up on here in terms of Elsa's... premonition... the future of this ranch is shot through with unknowns. And I for one, cannot wait to find out what happens to this generation of Duttons." [32:11]
Jen Landon encourages listeners to subscribe and stay tuned for more insights:
"Make sure you subscribe to the official Yellowstone podcast... See you soon." [32:46]
Notable Quotes:
Jefferson White: "There’s such a rich lore with this family... putting together the basics of the family tree." [00:18]
Scott Stone: "James Dutton. That is a bad man... that's where this all comes from, this Dutton family." [04:15]
Jen Landon: "There are many instances where... the woman usually gets shortchanged." [06:34]
Jefferson White: "He served in the Civil War... haunted across generations by violence." [05:00]
Scott Stone: "Spencer Dutton is cool... like, soft Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones vibes." [17:04]
Jen Landon: "It feels like a riddle... I love when we all find out that I'm wrong." [15:25-15:40]
Jefferson White: "One of the enduring themes of Yellowstone is... can this ranch last long enough for Tate to inherit it?" [31:07]
Final Remarks: The "Dutton Family DNA" episode offers a comprehensive exploration of the Dutton lineage, weaving together past, present, and future narratives. Through meticulous analysis and engaging discussions, Jefferson White, Jen Landon, and Scott Stone provide fans with a deeper understanding of the forces shaping one of television's most compelling families.