Yellowstone fans slam 'creepy' John Dutton over shocking Summer Higgins twist

*Warning - This article contains spoilers for season 5b of Yellowstone.*

Yellowstone viewers have shared their thoughts on John Dutton’s behaviour this season. It comes after the character’s exit from the show was finally revealed in the first episode of episode 5b, following Kevin Costner’s departure from the Paramount Network show earlier this year.

The Dutton family patriarch was killed off in the returning season of Taylor Sheridan’s neo-western drama, with his death being staged to look like a suicide. In fact, it seems he was actually killed by a hitman hired by Jamie’s (Wes Bentley) girlfriend Sarah (Dawn Olivieri).

While this new plot development divided viewers, some fans were also distracted by another storyline involving activist group leader Summer Higgins (Piper Perabo). The character was noticeably absent during the Season 5, Part 2 premiere following her arrest at a protest in part 1.

When John was elected governor of Montana, he unexpectedly granted her clemency in a shocking turn of events. But she wasn’t totally let off the hook, as she was put on house arrest at the Dutton Ranch instead of going to jail.

This move allowed John and Summer to continue their controversial romance, with Summer taking a position as John's official environmental advisor while he was governor.

In the finale of Season 5, Part 1, Summer revealed to John’s daughter Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) that her brother Jamie was going through with impeaching John as governor.

In the new episodes, it’s still unclear how Summer will fit in given that John has been killed off, but some fans have already slammed the oldest Dutton for his “creepy” behaviour towards her.

Taking to Reddit, one fan with the username @rexeditrex wrote: “Just to be clear.... So John basically held Summer hostage for months and she was too stupid to realize it? Isn't that kidnapping? Kind of creepy to think that the Governor had a woman detained in his home for sex!” (sic)

Taking to the comments, fans shared their thoughts, with one agreeing: “Yeah it’s makes John look incredibly creepy.” (sic)

A second enthusiastically concurred; “Yes, this! The governor held her hostage under the guise of A) following the law and B) helping her out and then screwed her!” (sic)

“Not sure if hostage is the correct word since no one was being asked to pay her ransom. More like his prisoner,” another commented, as one more quipped: “John is an ***hole, is this somehow news to you” (sic)

Meanwhile, other viewers claimed it was “lazy” on the writers’ part, with one insisting: “I think it's just lazy, reverse-engineered writing to put a bow on a dead end story arc because of KC's unexpected exit from the show. They surely could have come up with something better. Hell, not addressing it at all would have been better.” (sic)

Another added: “Definitely lazy writing. Summer was not written as a stupid character. A not-stupid person, when given some sort of clemency/released from prison, would look at the paperwork she was handed upon release.” (sic)

A third agreed: “It doesn’t seem like something John would do in my opinion so I don’t think the writing fits.”

Yellowstone airs Sunday nights on Paramount Network, with UK audiences able to stream it the following day on Paramount Plus.