The Teeter Scene In Yellowstone That Did Not Age Well
Whereas much of the drama in Paramount Network's modern Western TV series "Yellowstone" revolves around the members of the Dutton family, the residents of the Dutton Ranch's bunkhouse oftentimes provide comic relief or otherwise lighthearted moments. Teeter (Jennifer Landon) eventually becomes one of the core members of the bunkhouse, sporting a brash personality that helps her fit amidst the bunkhouse's typically masculine environment.
Though, like most of her bunkhouse counterparts, Teeter is generally a lighthearted presence on "Yellowstone," she's been at the heart of her fair share of drama as well. For example, Landon herself recounted feeling emotional while filming the scene where Teeter earns her place in the bunkhouse. Similarly, a number of fans were upset when John Dutton (Kevin Costner) at one point almost fired Teeter for another character's misdeeds.
While in these moments Teeter garnered her fair share of sympathy from viewers, in one scene in particular, some "Yellowstone" fans have become critical of Teeter's behavior, arguing that her playfulness veers into the territory of sexual harassment.
Teeter takes her pursuit of Colby too far
For much of Teeter's early tenure on "Yellowstone," she aggressively pursues Colby (Denim Richards) as a romantic partner. In a behind-the-scenes interview about their relationship shared to the "Yellowstone" YouTube channel, Jennifer Landon describes how "Teeter gets off on the chase," while Richards recounts that "Colby does fight against it in the beginning." In one such scene showcasing this dynamic, while in a car together, Teeter tells Colby, who's behind her in the back seat, that he "oughta be up here on momma's lap." Colby responds with clear embarrassment.
In a Reddit thread titled "I love Teeter, but...", some viewers openly questioned why this sort of behavior is framed lightheartedly, rather than as workplace harassment. Similarly, in another thread about Teeter and Colby's relationship, user maysranch20 described Teeter's lap comment as a case of outright sexual harassment (by sarcastically framing it as something else). Finally, in a thread titled "Sexual misconduct in the last episode," user ApollosBucket described this and other moments, in which Teeter sexualizes Colby in front of their co-workers to his embarrassment, as "so gross."
Ultimately, Teeter and Colby end up as a couple, making later instances of this dynamic perhaps more acceptable. However, in the eyes of a number of viewers, moments like the lap scene, which take before Colby is open to her advances, constitute sexual misconduct in their place of work.