The first major sign of trouble came when "Dutton Ranch" fired its showrunner Chad Feehan prior to the series' debut on Paramount+. After Feehan was ousted, "Dutton Ranch" debuted to positive reviews and huge viewership figures. With that sort of success, there was always going to be a Season 2, which meant "Dutton Ranch" needed a new showrunner. The "Justified" and "The Stand" alum was announced as the new "Dutton Ranch" showrunner at the end of June 2026. The news followed shortly after confirmation that "Dutton Ranch" would be returning for a second season, and everything seemed to be back on-track.