Just when everyone thought that the Neo-Western genre was a thing of the past, came Paramount+ and Taylor Sheridan to introduce us to Yellowstone, a Western drama starring Kevin Costner and an ensemble cast that managed to put the genre of cowboys in the modern world at the center of the attention.
The series is spectacularly written, shot entirely on location in the Western United States. It tells the story of a powerful family of ranch owners who go tooth and nail to fight for their land, no matter the cost. With a main series —Yellowstone—, two prequels, and a sequel in process, Yellowstone is the kind of show that brings back the good cowboy genre, and it’s worth watching, and today, I’ll review this for you.
How Many Seasons of Yellowstone Are There?
With five seasons and forty-seven chapters, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone masterfully introduces us to a ranch in Montana, the largest one in that state, that’s owned after many generations by the Dutton family. The patriarch, played by Kevin Costner, is John Dutton III, a ruthless rancher that’s grieving the loss of his wife and his three kids, Kayce, played by Luke Grimes, Jamie played by Wes Bentley. And Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton.
These characters, along with the beautiful scenarios in which the series takes place, coupled with the supporting cast that includes Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler, and many others, create a story in which the love of nature, love, death, revenge, politics, and power play into a dangerous game for greed, lust and money that makes the Neo Western genre alive once again.
Also Read: What Happened To John Dutton Sr. in Yellowstone? Explained
Is Yellowstone Worth Watching?
Yes, it is, because of its cinematographic value, the character story arc development of three children that are broken in their own way, and what to say of the patriarch, John Dutton III, a man who tried to instill values into their children but they each went their separate ways with their motives, grudges, and defects.
Taylor Sheridan goes to great lengths to produce production value to this story, training the actors and actresses in what it means to work at a ranch; they take cowboy lessons, they learn slang, and the use of music is amazing. I recommend you listen to the official Spotify soundtrack for this show to take a deep dive into American folk-country music.
Hurdles Overcome
On top of that, across five seasons, we see how the Dutton family faces off the local Indian tribes and their greed, vile politicians, environmental activists, and the ups and downs of what it means to own vast swaths of land, the most fertile, the most beautiful and the most coveted from all sides.
In each season, an antagonist either brutally harms the Duttons in a very special way, or the Duttons hurt and take revenge on their enemies in ways, shapes, manners, and forms that would make your jaw drop.
Not everything is drama; there’s also room for fun and banter; it’s a cattle ranch, after all, and with it comes the moments where the employees of the ranch joke, there are feasts, and we get to see beautiful scenarios where the wildlife and the impressive nature of the Western United States make for such great stories.
Taylor Sheridan Brought Back The Neo Western
The Western is a style of movie in which the lines between order and chaos, between heroes and villains, protagonists and antagonists are not well defined. While you want the Duttons to succeed, you also want to see them getting hurt, and you also want to see how they plot to get things their way.
One of my favorite characters is Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton, followed by Luke Grimes’ Kaycee. Kelly is a ruthless woman, beautiful, wild, and violent, and goes to great lengths to protect the legacy that her father and family created.
Meanwhile, Kaycee is another great character, a broken man who fell in love with a Native American woman, had a child, became a Cattle police officer, and does what his dad tells him, only up to a point where he must decide what’s good for him and his family.
Then there’s Jamie, a scornful man excellently played by Wes Bentley, whose desire for power makes him fault in grave ways. All in all, Yellowstone is one hell of a series, and you’d be crazy not to watch it.
Also Read: Is Yellowstone Ending After Season 5? Is John Denton Actor Leaving The Show?
