One of the things that makes “Yellowstone” so compelling is its growing cast of characters and the amount of depth and nuance that has been added to them over the years. As the seasons have continued on, ranch hands who once seemed like background characters or just comic relief have been fleshed out and given a lot to do in the series.
Case in point: Teeter (Jen Landon). While it seemed that the pink-haired, foul-mouthed cowgirl was initially on the series to give Colby (Denim Richards) a hard time and speak in an incomprehensible accent, she has become one of the most likable characters on “Yellowstone” over the course of Seasons 4 and 5, even giving a moving speech that shook John Dutton (Kevin Costner) himself.
While viewers and even the characters of the series know very little about Teeter’s background, Landon found her way into her mindset when playing Teeter by imagining a backstory of her own. As the performer explained to Entertainment Tonight Canada, Landon imagines that Teeter has lost a lot in her life. “I always had this strong feeling that she lost her family that she was raised with,” the actor said.
Jen Landon has an explanation for why Teeter needs the ranch
Jen Landon went on to describe the family she imagines for Teeter in “Yellowstone” as “A bunch of older brothers,” saying that she thinks the character “went by her father.” When you imagine the sarcastic, cut-off Teeter in this way, it does begin to add a lot of extra layers to her characterization.
Furthermore, as “Yellowstone” has taken a deep dive into the backstories of many of the key characters, it’s possible that Landon’s version could even become a reality one day. “One of the things that was really clear to me, even in season three, was Teeter’s deep, deep need for family,” Landon explained. “She definitely feels like a motherless child and that she really lost her family, you know, to a host of issues.”
This would help to explain how hurt Teeter was in her most emotional scene when John decides to kick the girls off of the ranch after a few too many bunkhouse dust-ups. Having felt secure and wanted for the first time in so long, Teeter’s hurtful dejection makes a lot of sense.
While Landon’s take on the character’s backstory isn’t official canon by any means, considering how willing Taylor Sheridan is to work collaboratively with his performers, he could possibly incorporate it into future episodes, depending on how long the series continues.